Since you'll be completing other programs, consider the benefits of finding creative ways to combine your interests in CS with studies in another field. This is a great way to create a unique profile for job and grad school applications.
Explore our resources on combining CS with other programs to make a plan that brings together your multiple areas of interest to develop a unique set of qualifications.
Many roles — both at tech companies, and in many other industries — are designed for people with interest or experience in a non-CS field, along with some core CS skills. Here are some examples of entry-level roles where some CS knowledge — but not extensive experience equivalent to a Major or Specialist — is listed as an asset, but where experience in other areas is also essential to the role:
Junior Narrative Designer
Job description: As a Junior Narrative Designer you will engage in the crafting of a game’s story. You will conceive, create, and advocate appropriate narrative features, and write narrative content.
Qualifications:
- A good understanding of linear and non-linear narrative;
- Must be able to demonstrate a broad writing proficiency or a writing expertise;
- ...
- Some knowledge of game design or programming is a plus;
Junior Analyst, Decision Support and Evaluation
Job description: ... supports quality assurance activities and clinical data analysis and reporting at the organization. This is an entry level position for applicants looking to build skills working with data and stakeholders in a health service setting.
Qualifications:
- Undergraduate degree in Health Studies, Applied Research, Statistics, Epidemiology, Social Science or relevant education and experience;
- Knowledge of relational databases;
- ...
- Working knowledge of R or Python a strong asset;
Students enroled in a Minor or taking CS courses can complete unlimited 200-level courses. 200-level courses provide essential foundational CS skills that can be applied in a variety of academic or professional contexts, and can build a foundation for targeted upper-level CS studies or further self-directed or on-the-job learning. Explore more information about 200-level courses, including how they connect to upper-year studies: Completing Second-Year Courses
Since you’re limited to 3 upper-level CSC courses (1.5 credits), you’ll want to identify courses that are aligned with your interests and goals. Here are some ways to identify the courses that will be most relevant to you:
Check prerequisites: When you find upper-level courses that look like great options, be sure to check the prerequisites to make sure that you’ll be eligible to take the courses on your preferred schedule, and within your three upper-level CSC courses. Prerequisites are also a signal about which courses will help you build foundational skills in your areas of interest.
Explore CS Focuses and subfields: Use Courseography and the Focus descriptions to identify the courses that relate to specific CS subfields. For example, if you’re interested in artificial intelligence, explore the upper-level courses that count towards the AI, Computational Linguistics & Natural Language Processing, or Computer Vision focuses, and that are clustered under artificial intelligence on Courseography. While you won't be completing a Focus, its requirements can help point you to courses that are relevant to your interests.
Identify relevant skills in job ads: Look for job ads that interest you, and see whether particular skills or subfields of CS are listed in that job ad. Then, review CS course descriptions and course outlines to identify the courses that will help you build skills in those areas, and that will help you demonstrate that you have relevant experience in an interview or on a resume. For example, these are two entry-level roles that CS students have completed as part of the ASIP program:
DevOps Developer Intern — IBM Canada Limited
A DevOps Developer Intern will have worked in an agile, collaborative environment to build, configure, and maintain systems, which may include software installations, updates, and core services. In this role, students will have crossed and merged the barriers that exist between software development, testing and operations while keeping existing networks in mind when they design, plan and test.
To prepare for a role like this one, you might choose upper-level courses such as:
CSC301H: Introduction to Software Engineering; CSC302H: Engineering Large Software Systems; CSC410H: Software Testing and Verification; CSC457H: Principles of Computer Networks
Cyber Security Analyst Co-op — TD Bank Group
As a Cyber Security Analyst, students will have operated cyber security tooling, executed processes and procedures related to cyber security, and provided defense in-depth capabilities related to technology, data, applications, infrastructure, and Cloud environments. There is a focus on operational execution of security controls and tooling in order to better defend, identify, and secure systems and technology. Students will have gained experience working in a team environment with a focus on managing technology and information security risk.
To prepare for a role like this one, you might choose upper-level courses such as:
CSC303H: Social and Information Networks; CSC369H: Operating Systems; CSC458H: Computer Networking Systems
Explore grad school admission requirements: If you think you might be interested in grad school, explore the admission pages for individual grad programs of interest. Research-focused programs in CS will likely expect to see CS experience equivalent to at least a Major, but professional Master's programs and graduate programs in other fields that incorporate a focus on data, programming, or other CS topics, may only require a few upper-level CS courses. Admission requirements might include a list of courses or topics that programs will expect applicants to have completed, and these can inform your upper-level course choices. For example:
Master of Science in Applied Computing (MScAC) — University of Toronto
In general, you must show knowledge equivalent to:
Master of Biotechnology, University of Toronto Mississauga
The Digital Health Technologies stream
- You will be required to demonstrate an aptitude for quantitative analysis, which can be illustrated through at least two upper-year courses in the following subject areas: statistics, population genetics, biometrics, econometrics, computer science, applied chemistry, physics, etc.
Courses aren’t the only way to develop and demonstrate CS skills. Summer jobs or internships, research projects, and projects completed as part of a contest or student organization can also be great opportunities to learn and to create projects that can be included on a resume or in a portfolio.
Read 5 ways joining a CS club or student organization can help you in the CS job search.
For example:
Interested in building software development skills to contribute to social good? UofT Blueprint builds software and apps for non-profit organizations
Need some examples of coding projects to share with potential employers? You can participate in a Hackathon like UofT Hacks, or coding competition like Project X
Research labs in a range of areas need research assistants with programming skills – search for faculty working in areas of interest to you, and reach out with your resume to see if they require assistance in their lab
You can search for internships or summer work programs that are seeking students with introductory CS skills. The Career Resource Library can help you target your job search.
If after exploring all the courses and opportunities available to you, you decide that you’d like to continue your studies in CS at the undergraduate or graduate level or build advanced CS skills, you’ll have a number of options:
You might find that a college program or bootcamp prepares you for advanced work in particular CS fields
You can pursue a second undergraduate degree and complete CS programs
Some CS graduate programs are designed specifically for students without undergraduate specialization in CS
Some institutions offer bridging or post-baccalaureate programs that allow you to take additional CS courses to prepare for graduate study in the field. Some graduate programs without a formal bridging option may also accept you provisionally, with the expectation that you will complete courses during your first year to fill in any gaps in your academic preparation