If you’re planning to study a Master's in Computer Science and you also dream of working for one of the big names in the industry, like Google, Facebook or Apple, first, you should consider certain universities and colleges that will increase your chances of fulfilling that dream.
But graduating a Computer Science degree Magna cum Laudae from any university won’t be enough. Apparently, there is a link between some universities in the United States and the top-player companies that recruit Computer Science and Information Technology graduates on a regular basis.
According to Wired, the most sought-after candidates by huge tech companies are graduates from certain top U.S. universities. This alone is a great reason to study an IT degree in the U.S.
Find Computer Science Masters in the US
By simply considering the results of the research conducted by Wired in 2014, Microsoft is the leader in terms of IT companies that take the reputation of the graduated university of its candidates as highly relevant.
Microsoft has accepted over 7,300 employees, Apple has been hiring over 3,500 of university graduates in the last years, followed by Yahoo! who took over 1,000 candidates. Based on the same considerations, Facebook hired around 850 tech-savvy, while Twitter took 350 employees under its wing.
1. University of Washington
If you’re considering a job at Microsoft, you will definitely be in the cards if you apply for a technology related degree at the University of Washington. Enrolled students will not only learn the basics like computer programming, hardware design or software engineering, but they will also get the insights on artificial intelligence or computational neuroscience.
Out of its notable alumni, over 15 astronauts that worked for NASA are included and people like Bill Atkinson – designer of Apple Macintosh, Victor Grinich – pioneer in the semiconductor industry and founder of Silicon Valley, Bud Tribble – vice president and director of software technology at Apple Computer.
2. Washington State University
By applying for a Computer Science degree at Washington State University, you will receive a solid foundation in math, science, and engineering. According to figures posted by the university, the average starting salary for its Computer Science and Information Technology graduates start from 50,000 USD/year, to which high bonuses are added.
Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Intel and other companies look for graduates with advanced skills in software engineering, networking, and computer animation.
Notable alumni of the Washington State University include David Corner, a consultant in the circuit design for IBM, Intel, and other computer technology companies.
3. Western Washington University
At the Western Washington University, all Computer Science enthusiasts will get to attain hands-on experience by testing the vulnerability of a company’s firewall against cyber-attack, or working with a team to build the next great mobile game.
The mission statement of Western Washington University is to prepare future professionals and create leaders in critical thinking and complex problem-solving.
Google, Amazon and Microsoft are particularly interested in recruiting Western Washington University graduates.
4. Stanford University
Stanford University is not only known for its relationship with Silicon Valley, but also for the numerous research projects in the field that include topics like dark data, human-computer interaction, and information technology aspects that cover energy efficiency issues.
You will have the opportunity to see how your learning and research work will impact the performance of companies, as the university integrates The Computer Science Department Computer Facilities group (CSD-CF) – an academic service centre specialised in the planning, installation, and maintenance of research computer systems.
Mike Schroepfer, the Chief Technical Officer of Facebook, and Vint Cerf, Vice President of Google are on the list of famous alumni of Stanford University.
5. University of California Berkeley
University of California Berkeley is a top university and a pioneer in the field of Computer Science. It has a long history and tradition in terms of innovation and excellence in the science and technology field. In the 1970s, researchers of the university developed the open-source software.
Currently, one of the fascinating research projects that Computer Science students deal with is designing a computer system that writes poetry.
University of California Berkeley also covers important names as alumni. Notable figures include Leonard Aldeman who discovered the encryption algorithm for computer security, Douglas C. Englebart – the inventor of the computer mouse and a pioneer in hypertext and networked computers, Ken Thompson – the co-creator of the Unix operating system, and many others including Academy Award Winners for special effects for the ‘Avatar’ or ‘King Kong’ movies.
6. Carnegie Mellon University
Computer Science and Information Technology degree programs at Carnegie Mellon University combine the curriculum and coursework of the College of Fine Arts (CFA) and the School of Computer Science (SCS). This interesting mix provides students' an ideal technical, critical, and conceptual foundation especially if you are interested in pursuing study programs related to game design, computer animation, computer music, recording technologies.
In the U.S. News, Carnegie Mellon was listed as one of the top universities for undergraduate research and creative projects. It is in the top ten universities that are leaders in the computer engineering study field, and also noted as one of the most innovative universities in the U.S.
Within Carnegie Mellon, through a technology centre called University Centre for Technology Transfer and Enterprise Creation (CTTEC), the institution connects students or graduates who are inventors with the right resources to bring their technologies to market. With this initiative, CTTEC has brought its contribution to creating more than 50 companies that deal with mobile robotics, medical devices, etc.
Distinguished alumni of Carnegie Mellon include Charles Geschke – co-founder of Adobe Systems Inc., and Ivan Sutherland – the creator of computer graphics.
7. University of Texas at Austin
One of the main values of University of Texas at Austin is to educate future professionals that “will manage the present and design the future”. With this vision and primary goal, University of Texas at Austin is also involved in encouraging and supporting local start-up tech companies and serves as an intellectual hub for pioneering research and enterprise.
Among the numerous and diverse research work that is currently developing at University of Texas, students can learn more about the role of information and technology in health care and health-care decision-making in clinical, patient, and medical research settings. University of Texas at Austin is also home to specialized research labs in user experience, digital archives, information retrieval and more.
University of Texas at Austin is one of the top 20 public universities according to U.S. News & World Report. Esteemed alumni of the University of Texas include Michael Dell, the founder of Dell Computers.
8. UCLA (University of California Los Angeles)
The reputed UCLA prides itself on developing innovative technology that has led to helping over 140 companies develop.
UCLA was placed in top 20 in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking) and U.S. News listed it in the top 30 among American universities.
UCLA covers over a dozen research laboratories where both undergraduate and graduate students can specialise in areas like computer graphics, bioinformatics, multimedia computer communications and many other interesting topics in the science and information technology field.
You can even get involved in the application of engineering and computer science methods that provide creative solutions to problems in biology and medicine.
Vinton Cerf, one of the founding fathers of the internet, is part of UCLA alumni, along with Nathan Myhrvold who was a key player in the formation of Microsoft.
9. MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
One of the most famous technological universities worldwide, the MIT strives to make its students achieve their full potential and to work with passion and creativity.
As a recent achievement, MIT released a computer science and artificial intelligence laboratory (CSAIL) meant to host an Intel research centre that will work on creating new technologies in order to better organise the great volume of information generated by the internet.
Other interesting projects students can engage in are related to research in quantum computing, parallel architecture and programming languages, computational models for deaf people, wireless networks and many more.
At MIT, Computer Science degree programs are combined with developing skills and knowledge from electrical engineering, thus offering students the opportunity to get a broader view of the subject.
Randy Adams, the inventor of the PDF, William R. Hewlett – co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, and Robert Noyce – co-founder of Intel are distinguished members of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni.
10. Cal Poly State University
At Cal Poly State University, students from all disciplines, not just the ones enrolled in Computer Science degrees, are included in a unique entrepreneurial experience in the world’s capital of technology innovation: Silicon Valley.
Within Cal Poly State University, you can either apply for study programs that focus more on Computer Science or for courses that centre on Computer Engineering, where you can combine theoretical background with the latest engineering knowledge. Both programs are accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Cal Poly supports local companies through an intriguing program in which entrepreneurs pitch their ideas, test and launch their firms.
Notable alumni of Cal Poly University include Marc Lucovsky – co-designer of Windows.
Other U.S. universities offering Computer Science degrees
The universities mentioned above are no the only ones that can offer you a top-rated job at a successful global company. Here are a few we recommend you check out:
