September 3, 2024

‍

Attending a liberal arts college will help you gain a solid computer science foundation, but probably won’t give you the opportunity to learn industry-standard tools in the classroom. But, there is no need to worry! There are plenty of ways that you can keep up technologically and use your liberal arts education to stand out. 

As a liberal arts student, it would be good to supplement your coursework by learning about the latest technologies, career specializations, and build some small projects. The good news is it doesn’t take much time to do these things. 

‍

Select Your PathWe recommend starting by figuring out the general field you want to work in. Are you aiming for a Data Science role? Software Engineering (web development, full stack, cloud engineering, …)? Product management? UX/UI Design? We explain a bit about each of the major roles in our module on Types of Tech Internships.

Identify Industry-Standard ToolsOnce you’ve figured out what areas you might be interested in, do some research on what technologies are standard for those positions. You can do this by looking at the skills required in internship postings, full time job postings, and asking Google. Because your school most likely doesn’t offer coursework in these areas, you will have to learn about them elsewhere. Lucky for you, there are some amazing resources on the internet to learn.

‍Learn By DoingOne of the best ways to learn is by doing, so make a small project using your target skills. We have a ton of ways you can find portfolio projects here. Creating a project is the most important step to standing out in a competitive field. Seek out projects with your school’s faculty, create something with your friends, participate in a hackathon, or build a passion project on your own. 

‍Utilize the Benefits of Liberal ArtsEven though you aren’t getting extensive technical instruction, going to a liberal arts school can give you an edge. The community of students who have attended liberal arts schools is tight. You can network with alumni from other liberal arts colleges easily given your shared background. Most people will be more than willing to help. 

In interviews, you can also emphasize that the liberal arts education has allowed you to approach problems holistically as a result of your interdisciplinary education. Additionally, your education has honed your writing and communication skills, which are extremely valuable in the tech industry.  

‍ConclusionIn all, as a liberal arts student you can emphasize your well-rounded experience to employers while creating side projects to showcase your technical abilities. Good luck!