Computer science and engineering encompass a wide variety of skills and career paths, from artificial intelligence and cryptography to software engineering and web development. With so many options and opportunities available, it can be tricky to know where to start. On Coursera, you'll find expert resources to support your goals, whether you're just starting out or are ready to take the next step in your career. Explore computer science and engineering topics, including:
Computers are an essential part of our internet-enabled lives today, but what does it mean to study computer science? Computer science, often referred to as CS, is a broad field encompassing the study of computer systems, computational thinking and theory, and the design of software programs that harness the power of this hardware to process data.
Those studying computer science may end up taking a similarly broad range of career pathways. Many CS majors focus on building skills in software programming, coding, and web development, all of which are highly sought after by a wide variety of companies. However, others may focus on more specialized topics such as algorithmic problem solving, machine learning and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and even robotics!
Studying computer science means learning some complex topics like algorithms and coding. With the right motivation, patience, and an interest in computers, you can find success in this challenging field.
If you’re organized, pay attention to detail, and enjoy problem solving, computer science could be a good fit. Enhance your understanding of technology and learn skills to empower you to work in the computer careers of the future.
The time, effort, and monetary investment of earning a degree potentially opens up well-paying job opportunities in many in-demand fields. Check the job requirements of some positions you’d like to apply to in the future to see if a computer science degree aligns with your career goals.
![[Featured image] A full-stack developer wearing a blue and red-striped sweater sits at a wooden desk in a home office working on a desktop computer.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/6jlzejupy0wivgSFx7rgpA/f9110a109222f6a7e6f1f691f7d911f7/GettyImages-968890648.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured image] A DevOps engineer is sitting on their desk in the office.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/5PSM1ednx6xZRKvYR0pLBr/be5b4565928ed0b6b1a78c26488d440d/GettyImages-1271693999__1_.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A man works on a laptop computer in an office.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/4NAwrInfpEhTT3Kti5eMA6/e5e7a301fc824d01dda224830a065135/GettyImages-1341554760.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured image] A UX project manager stands in front of a whiteboard and gives a presentation to their team.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/jSd6NPPNiEjwPCKbgem8u/59c8c0d95457848d8dc10fd7c84a3b13/GettyImages-1437209178.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] An IT professional writes code at his desk in an office with several other workstations and computers.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/3RaOdXRwhyVCqWGK2uTzm8/8c17613a9de14227b7c5b82e0762d460/GettyImages-1852594145.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured image] A software developer learns to conduct grey box testing to ensure optimal performance.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/6L7oSluVb1nvmGKZgrVrDd/435f0b0eb43c5617136ed66c7b121d54/GettyImages-1171809278.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] Two graphic designers collaborating on a project, using in-demand graphic design skills.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/2jMVBNu6Yk8YfUMAibsKoR/9f15661dfc85107c07975edc1355c6f0/GettyImages-642293251.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured image] A woman wearing safety goggles sits at a desk and works on a computer during one of her electrical engineering internships.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/7oqzjMXljmRhJOCwhxKAzM/dd1334b15d6d2bf7f76a4000a5cd04d6/GettyImages-1278575711.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured image] A man is learning how to become a software developer without a degree on his computer.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/2xp8lX29OblOW3lk8aUdrk/94fb38ef338bb35d24bee306b2fd2fff/GettyImages-1167494087.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A programmer sits at his desk and helps his company integrate AI.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/7hGjnTVVzXd3ZAXyjn2X7E/c0bcb8ba1df8088e2758068cd9ad9a7d/GettyImages-1440556683.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] Two extended reality (XR) developers sit in an office and experiment with a VR headset.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/1y3qrSWUuP4QdWaQGasbBq/f337fa0e0133da912620f7d3367b5ef8/GettyImages-1133530466.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Feature Image] A man sits at a laptop in his home and takes a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) exam prep course online.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/6W5m4ngMydDBOZzlMaOYxw/7b3c53e188c52721d5c065e1d087bc37/GettyImages-1385982154.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A UX data analyst wears a headset, sits at a desk in her office, and uses a computer to look at data to determine whether her organization's product is user-friendly.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/2jTvA7ctwAyNrnFFLXZ1Xa/72288114d85cab388f0d41da3ffd30ed/GettyImages-1191627970.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A build engineer looks over some code using a tablet and a computer while sitting at a desk.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/6HSjTRpLiuHiEJDyWv3qo8/f0f80f25692480ac48fd21fe86ef00c8/GettyImages-1351714411.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
![[Featured Image] A young web developer sitting in front of a computer and discussing their coding with a coworker.](https://images.ctfassets.net/wp1lcwdav1p1/3iTJ4aKO85xuPPitiBDeBk/de7c31036e8b0387bcce36a349123336/GettyImages-1437209110.jpg?w=330&h=216&q=60&fit=fill&f=faces&fm=jpg&fl=progressive)
