UMBC tops in computer and information science degrees
Update: In this post, originally published Friday, Jan. 15, I initially omitted the University of Maryland, College Park in the table below. I updated the table to include UMCP figures. Also, on the jump, you'll find a letter from two deans from UMCP who were distressed with my omission. It was an honest oversight made in manually transferring the data into a new table; my apologies, folks. -Gus
The CyberMaryland report released this week by Gov. O'Malley is chock-full of interesting factoids and charts, one of which I republished (and modified a little) below.
You'll see a list of Maryland colleges and universities in alphabetical order, followed by the number of bachelor's and graduate degree students they have in computer and information sciences.
I added the "percent of total" column to give us all a sense of each school's computer/info science geeks relative to their entire student body.
As you can see, UMBC in Catonsville stands well above the rest, and churns out many, many undergraduates in the fields.
Hopkins, on the other hand, has a good number of graduate students. Now, who wants to see some statistics on how many of these students actually stick around and work in Maryland after they get their degrees?
HERE’S THE DEANS’ LETTER:
Friday’s [BaltTech] blog offered a somewhat misleading “factoid” from the Maryland report on Governor O’Malley’s Cyber Security Initiative. First, you neglected to include the University of Maryland, College Park in the table. The original state chart rightly included Maryland’s Flagship University. Second, this particular metric itself offers a very limited snapshot of the state’s educational resources in the area of cyber security.
Adding College Park to the mix increases the total number of graduate and undergraduate computer and information science degrees by a total of 239. Indeed – as we believe the state’s table intends to show – Maryland has truly impressive assets in cyber research and workforce development to offer the nation.
But, it’s important to remember that “cyber” graduates and research cross many disciplines, including engineering, math and physics, not just computer and information science. For example, cryptology requires a mathematics background. The National Security Agency (NSA), based in Maryland, notes on its Web site that it is the largest employer of mathematicians in the nation.
Another example: quantum computing research may ultimately provide technology with a dramatically higher standard of security. College Park just won a major federal award to build one of the nation’s most advanced quantum science labs.
To more accurately reflect what the state will need to become the “epicenter” of cyber security, we really should look at STEM degrees – physical sciences, engineering and mathematics. Government and industry will principally need workers with these kinds of background as they ramp up to meet the cyber security challenge.
In this arena, the state’s Flagship University plays a leadership role. The state’s cyber report notes that College Park “produces the largest number of STEM graduates in the state and is the only public university on the East Coast with top 20 programs in math, physics, computer science and engineering.” Last year, more than 1,000 of our undergrad, graduate and PhD. students earned STEM degrees. No other university in the state came close.
As for quality, College Park’s graduate computer science program is ranked #13 nationally by U.S. News and World Report. The graduate physics and math programs are at the top among east coast public universities. The Clark School of Engineering is ranked 9th in the nation among public universities and is the top public graduate engineering program in the Mid-Atlantic area.
The high quality of College Park’s advanced research and education in a wide variety of fields adds great value to the state’s cyber dreams: http://www.umresearch.umd.edu/VPRPubs/cyber%20security.pdf
Look at the NSA Web site and you’ll see the backgrounds that the Agency puts at the top of its recruiting list: computer/electrical engineering; computer science; mathematics; foreign language; and intelligence analysis. It will take a lot of teamwork and all the state’s assets to achieve leadership in a competitive field such as cyber research. As the state’s Flagship University, College Park is gearing up to do its part.
Dean Darryll Pines,
A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland
Dean Steve Halperin,
College of Computer, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Maryland
Categories: East Coast, University Tech
Comments
Why was UM College Park left off the list?
Posted by: Dave | January 15, 2010 11:39 AM
What a stupid article.
The numbers simply don't tie. Just eyeball the thing and compare the percentage for Capitol College, the Naval Academy and UMUC.
Where is the University of Baltimore? - And yest they have a program.
Next, the comment regarding "who wants to see some statistics on how many of these students actually stick around and work in Maryland after they get their degrees?"
Maybe someone should consider that UMUC caters to distance learning with students around the world. Not too many folks from New Mexico are going to move to Maryland after they get their degrees. Besides, there are limited legitimate jobs in the IT sector in Maryland. If you have an IT degree, slack off and work for the gubmint. Unless you are a gamer, there's not much in the area.
Posted by: Kevin | January 15, 2010 12:30 PM
Kevin,
FYI - The area of Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia are considered the greater Washington Metropolitan area, and has been relatively recession resistant in the IT sector. That's not to say there have not been RIF's, layoffs or furloughs, but it should be noted that this is still one of the most prolific and key areas for IT employment, with many industries that branch off of work in and around the federal government. There are also many IT firms that provide innovation in many areas of CompSci and IS, BioSci.
There are plenty of IT jobs in the area, but with the economy in the shape it's in, there is much more rich competition for those jobs, so if you cannot break you way into the industry, it may be because of experience over credentials.
It's one of the reasons Northrup Grumman is moving it's headquarters from California to this area to this area.
To the article's author - I also wonder why St. Mary's and Frostburg were included, but UMCP was not?
Emery Rudolph
Owings Mills, MD
Posted by: Emery Rudolph | January 16, 2010 11:59 AM
I'd bet leaving UMCP out was a simple omission. UMCP is in the report. See http://tynt.com/3eQx
Posted by: Jeff Martens | January 17, 2010 12:33 AM
Where is Stevenson (formerly Villa Julie) on this list?
They offer both undergrand and Masters degrees in IT/S.
Posted by: bryanintowson | January 19, 2010 8:37 AM
Is Capital College evn accredited??????
Posted by: Larry Lohman | January 19, 2010 1:26 PM
Why is it a stupid article?
I went to UMBC for undergrad and Towson for graduate school. I highly recommend both programs. Also, I still work in MD in the IT sector.
I am not a gamer.
Posted by: Mike | January 20, 2010 10:17 AM
Dean Pines and Dean Halperin must've mentioned Flagship University at least a million times.
The chip on their shoulder is so transparently veiled throughout their rant, ahem, I mean statement.
I don't think they should've gotten their panties in a twist over the fact that their school isn't taking centerstage.
I understand their concern over having their school accidentally left off the list. But, to get so sensitive about it, come on, get a life!
Posted by: JAC | January 26, 2010 9:37 PM
I'm surprised too that University of Baltimore didn't make the list. Maryland is not a place to settle for everyone. I've been here 3 years and hate it. There is a racial tension in MD that I've left behind in NYC back in the 80s. So as soon as I have my IT degree, I'll be outta here.
Posted by: Vonna | January 28, 2010 12:29 AM
Is Capital College evn accredited??????
The correct name is "Capitol College" and yes they are accredited by all academic accreditation boards: State of MD, Middle States, and ABET. I wouldn't have obtained a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from there if they weren't.
Posted by: Capitol College Alum | January 29, 2010 10:48 PM
I stand 100% behind my comments.
1) the statistics make absolutely no sense (open your eyes and compare Capital College - whatever that it is, with JHU).
2) UB is completely missing.
3) UMUC is the on-line version of UM. The vast majority of students are worldwide (90,000). Suck it up and admit to it
4) No shit Maryland is generally recession resistant. Government jobs help out there.
5) There are UT jobs in the area but don't think it's like Silicon Valley. NSA, military and defense contractors help.
6) Emory: Northrup is moving to NoVA. And it's just a handful of high-end folks joining those already working in NoVA. Even more O'Malley-impacted-bad-news:-BAE is moving out of MD and to NoVA .-My company, which offers software, moved to Florida.- B&D which requires substantial IT support for product development, will move that to CT. Admit it - we all pay too much tax because government and not-for-profits in the state do not contribute. And the IT jobs there do not lend to the economy as much as a regular corporation.But in the end, Maryland has great programs (I have a MS from one) but no place for us to excel.
Posted by: Kevin | January 31, 2010 9:31 PM