Is it still worth studying Computer Science at uni?

8

I am in y12 right now, and I’ve always wanted to study compsci at uni, but everyone, including my teachers, is telling me that it is pointless since lots of junior roles in the field are being replaced by AI and I’m better off studying something else like maths. My teachers also say I can still get a job in IT without a compsci degree. Should I do compsci or something else eg, Maths or Engineering? I study Maths, further maths and physics for alevel if that helps, and I have experience in programming.

Reply 1

University of York

Official Rep

13

Original post

by heartsnkisses

I am in y12 right now, and I’ve always wanted to study compsci at uni, but everyone, including my teachers, is telling me that it is pointless since lots of junior roles in the field are being replaced by AI and I’m better off studying something else like maths. My teachers also say I can still get a job in IT without a compsci degree. Should I do compsci or something else eg, Maths or Engineering? I study Maths, further maths and physics for alevel if that helps, and I have experience in programming.

Hi heartsnkisses,

Those are interesting observations your teachers and others have made. It's true that there are many ways in which AI is changing the work place. In terms of computer science being something worthwhile your studying, it is really down to many things to consider as you think about your university choices.

Depending on what kind of career you would like (and if we can make you an offer when the time to apply come), we can also support learning in computer science alongside another subject. The courses we offer include BSc Computer Science, BSc Computer Science and Mathematics, BSc Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence and BSc Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence with a year in industry. The full course list is online, and I appreciate it's quite confusing to know what your options are, so it might be worth either contacting someone from the department who knows our courses well: Dr Kofi Appiah can be contacted on the email address [email protected]. He'll definitely be able to advise on what's best according to your career aspirations, your interests and what's in store on a computer science degree.

If it's helpful to signpost:

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We have a site dedicated to first-hand accounts from students in the computer science department. Here, you can also read about placements they have completed, and some of the careers our graduates have gone into.

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Letam's post about the wonderful aspects of studying CS in York

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Tamerlan talks about what to look forward to if you want to study computer science at York and their experience throughout the year

Don't forget, you'll be taught by academics who are researching the latest advances in computer science, and often, the department collaborates with industry so you will also be able to access real-world learning and emerging trends through these partnerships.

The other aspect discussed in our comprehensive video about the department is the possibility of combining strengths in maths and computer science, with the option to choose later on during your degree which modules you'll focus in on. Why not take a look for yourself?

We appreciate it's a bit of a way off though we will be having open weekends next June and September 2026 - keep an eye on this page for updates on the dates and you can also sign up to receive our updates on the University and department through signing up for email updates.

I hope this helps!

Good luck in your research,

J :smile:

Reply 2

polarisedray

4

Original post

by heartsnkisses

I am in y12 right now, and I’ve always wanted to study compsci at uni, but everyone, including my teachers, is telling me that it is pointless since lots of junior roles in the field are being replaced by AI and I’m better off studying something else like maths. My teachers also say I can still get a job in IT without a compsci degree. Should I do compsci or something else eg, Maths or Engineering? I study Maths, further maths and physics for alevel if that helps, and I have experience in programming.

You should choose your subject based on what you enjoy and would find interesting, not based on a hypothetical career. The CS market has been highly competitive for a long time now and there's never been a guarantee of a CS job after graduating. But a CS degree still looks good on your CV for many other careers. The tech industry changes rapidly and will likely look different by the time you graduate anyway.

I think companies that replace junior devs entirely with AI will crash and burn anyway. AI is empirically found to be worse than junior devs, and can be wielded effectively by seniors but then how do you get seniors? They don't fall from the sky; they get trained up from juniors. Not to mention that LLMs are not profitable at the moment; eventually companies like OpenAI will have to up their prices and most people will stop bothering with it. Companies can get better quality code for cheaper if they just hire a person to do it. So I wouldn't worry.

Reply 3

StaffsRep Aura

Official Rep

9

Original post

by heartsnkisses

I am in y12 right now, and I’ve always wanted to study compsci at uni, but everyone, including my teachers, is telling me that it is pointless since lots of junior roles in the field are being replaced by AI and I’m better off studying something else like maths. My teachers also say I can still get a job in IT without a compsci degree. Should I do compsci or something else eg, Maths or Engineering? I study Maths, further maths and physics for alevel if that helps, and I have experience in programming.

Hiya! Deciding on your future degree can be tricky, I remember being in your position a couple of years ago and not knowing what to specialise in. I'm currently in my final year at the University of Staffordshire studying Computer Science as I chose to do the generalised route.

While there have been recent redundancies in the field, this is the perfect opportunity to find an understanding for what to go into. AI has allowed for us to become more efficient in our roles but with it comes new challenges. It cannot replace humans as someone will always be needed to secure it, check over code, test it and more. This article from bet365 perfectly covers how AI is being utilised in the industry currently and its limitations. Additionally, this post about the creation of a recent Hackathon challenge for the Staffs Computing Society also gives an insight!

Computing also isn't just coding! There is a misconception that this degree can limit you. Throughout my degree I have been able to learn networks, cyber, cloud computing and virtualisation which helped me find my place in the cyber industry, as seen through the placement I undertook at IKEA and later internship in the banking sector. Personally, I am horrible at programming! Sometimes, being able to know many hats can be a major advantage and unlock more roles for you than specialising might. There are many many roles out there in technology, have a look at some placement and graduate roles that often come up here alongside the skills they require.

I recommend you look into some Universities that pique your interest and their exact modules to see if they sound like something you might enjoy. From there see if they allow you to specialise (if you wish) or explore more. If you want to stick to one route and go into cyber, AI, networks or software development, go for it too! My current course supports us into getting industry grade certifications such as CCNA, AWS Cloud Practitioner, Linux Essentials and Sec+ which can be brilliant bonuses, this is mainly due to our Tech Industry Gold and BCS accreditation. There are many routes into tech, also including degree apprenticeships.

At the end of the day please consider where your strengths and passions lie, as this is something you may end up doing for the next 3-4 years of your life! You want to enjoy it and make sure you have the right prospects after graduating. IT is a good entry point into tech but quite competitive currently and not for everyone due to the manual labour aspect it may at times involve.

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any further questions!
Aura, Uni of Staffs rep.

(edited 4 weeks ago)

Is it still worth studying Computer Science at uni?

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