A Hard Drive on Computer Science at UCI

Aiming to enhance its reputation as a leader in computer science, UC Irvine has reinstated its master’s program, accepted 61% more freshmen and will improve its facilities by the fall.

Already running the third-largest undergraduate computer science program among universities west of the Rockies, UCI is expanding rapidly to meet the voracious demands of the booming technology industry, UCI officials said.

“Companies have been actively requesting that the university increase the quality and size of its [computer science] programs,” said Mike Pazzani, UCI’s department chairman of Information and Computer Science. “The corporate interest has been one of the factors. Student interest has been another.”

The school’s computer science program is ranked by students as the second most popular major--up from fifth place five years ago. High-paying entry-level jobs have been a major incentive for students to enter the field, students say.

It’s not unusual for a computer science graduate to land a $55,000 job right out of college, and the earning potential increases for those holding advanced degrees.

Greg Bolcer, a UCI computer science doctoral student, said the job market is hard to resist. Companies persistently are courting him with jobs that pay $150,000 to $200,000 annually.

“It’s very flattering, but you have to decide when to cash in,” said Bolcer, 30.

Bolcer said he prefers to devote his time to research that will help advance the industry. By pursuing his research interests, he has been able to launch his own software company.

But Bolcer may be among a shrinking number of students seeking advanced degrees.

UCI’s Pazzani said he and other university officials are worried that lucrative jobs are drawing students away from graduate school.

“The industry is eating its own seed corn,” Pazzani said. “There’s starting to be a feeling that too many students are avoiding graduate school. . . . Taking the brightest talent, instead of encouraging them to gain advanced degrees or to enter research, and sending them along to high-paying careers is slightly shortsighted.”

To encourage more students to pursue higher-level computer science training, UCI reopened its master’s program this year after it had been frozen since the 1980s because of budget cutbacks.

Fifteen graduate students will begin in the fall. A larger freshman class, 187 students, will join the undergraduate program--bringing the department’s total enrollment to a record 965.

UCI also will add 150 high-powered computers and renovate its computer lab with $300,000 in corporate donations. And the department stands to gain a share of $6 million to recruit more computer science and engineering students if Gov. Pete Wilson’s proposed state budget is passed.

The campus also runs summer outreach and internship programs for community college students interested in computer-science related careers. Enlisting prospective students early will help meet the industry’s demand, Pazzani said.

The latest estimates show that 150,000 such jobs remain unfilled nationwide, experts said.

Mark Vaughan, human resources director for Unisys Corp., a worldwide computer systems company with offices in Orange County, describes the technology job market as “huge.”

Vaughn added: “If you’re not making job offers to candidates in March or before graduation, you’re going to have very slim pickings.”

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Hot For Computer Experts

UCI’s Information and Computer Science program, already among the elite in the nation, is rapidly expanding to keep pace with the demands of high-tech industries. Enrollment has grown significantly this year, particularly at the graduate level, because UCI reinstated its master’s program and more freshman were accepted:

1998

Undergraduates: 825

Graduates: 140

Source: UCI