Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Why Women Should Try Computer Science

I am a traditional woman. As much as I value education and useful careers, I want to raise children and be at home for them. To put homemaking and motherhood first, I'll drop anything I must. So why am I breaking from tradition and studying computer science?

First of all, I like it. That's a good reason for anyone, male or female, feminist or otherwise, to look into a particular major. But I also enjoy art, music, and psychology. I chose computer science because it's practical. It's in high enough demand that when I graduate I'll easily find a job in my field, and it's logic-based enough that I won't hate my job if my inspiration runs dry.

Computer science is especially practical for moms who want to be at home for their children. Software development offers many part-time jobs that can be done from home at flexible hours. So a computer science mom can step into her home office and work for a few hours a day while the baby is asleep or the kids are away at school. She probably even gets paid better than many of the other working moms who worry about commutes and babysitters.

If computer science fits so practically to a variety of lifestyles, then why do so few women study it? Here are my thoughts on that.

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