Enrollment in computer science classes is declining at MSU.
George Stockman, a professor of computer science and engineering, said in his 20 years at MSU, he's seen waves of student demand in the field.
"When I came here in 1982, we were graduating a lot of bachelor's degree students, and not so many graduate students," he said. "It dropped down in the early '90s, and perhaps we were only graduating 75 students a year."
Now, however, the decline is noticeable in computer science and engineering classrooms, Stockman said.
"Our classes used to fill up," he said. "The students are finding out the job market's not as good as it was two years ago."
In spring 2002, 618 students were enrolled in computer science. This year, 498 students are enrolled in the program.
In the 1980s when computer technology was relatively new, students were rushing to enroll in MSU's program, Stockman said.
"The field was expanding," he said. "We had more women who wanted to be in it, too."
Stockman said interest decreased in the early 1990s and then boomed with the dot-com industry toward the end of the 20th century.
"We had to control our enrollment," he said. "If the dot-coms hadn't collapsed, I think we'd be right back there now."
And Stockman said he's confident student interest won't be down for long.
"It'll come back," he said. "It's a very recent downtown - it appears to be turning down in the last year," he said. "Students are a little worried. I think there's a lot of people out there without jobs."
But Ryan Kramer, technical recruiter for the Farmington Hills-based Compuware Corporation, said there's been a fairly constant interest from college graduates.
"There's a steady flow of applicants coming," he said. "We're always actively recruiting computer science graduates.
"I actually just hired two people from (Michigan) State."
Computer science graduate student Bo Hu, who is graduating in May, said he's worried about prospective jobs.
"I've been looking for a job for one year," he said. "I'm having trouble."
Hu said if he doesn't find a job in the next year, he'll have to go back to his native China earlier than planned.
"Before I go back, I wish (I) could find some work experience in America," he said.
Working experience in the states will help him find a job in China, he said.
Although some students are concerned for their career futures, computer science senior Nick Clark said people knowledgeable in computers are still needed.
Clark said it's difficult to see if his classes are growing sparse because he's at higher level classes, which are generally smaller.
"The jobs are there for the people that are skilled," he said. "I do have some concerns, and obviously I'm not sitting here with people calling me left and right, but as long as you enjoy it and pursue it, it'll all work out."
