Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Computer Support Specialists
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Columbia Southern University, Troy University, John C Calhoun State Community College, and Jefferson State Community College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Troy University, University of West Alabama, Auburn, and University of North Alabama.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Wallace Community College Dothan, Oakwood University, Talladega College, and James H Faulkner State Community College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Athens State, Troy University, J F Drake State, and Chattahoochee Valley Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Oakwood University, Columbia Southern University, Tuskegee University, and Samford University.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Talladega College, Birmingham Southern, Oakwood University, and Spring Hill College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Auburn, Samford University, Birmingham Southern, and UA Hunstville.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Alabama State, Alabama A & M, Spring Hill College, and Oakwood University.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Birmingham Southern, Tuskegee University, Amridge University, and Alabama A & M.
Working as a Computer Support Specialist in Alabama
Computer support specialists provide guidance and technical assistance to people who use computers. Computer support specialists install, configure, and remove data and software as and when required. They troubleshoot problems with computer hardware, software, or systems. They also regularly monitor computer systems and recommend fixes or upgrades. Sometimes they are also required to write manuals for users. Read a detailed Computer Support Specialists job description and schools overview.
The UAHuntsville's student chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery provides information regarding conferences, and in general, promotes educational learning in the field of computing.
State Requirements
The State of Alabama does not require professionals to obtain any licenses or certificates to pursue this profession. However, for the majority of computer support specialist positions, employers in Alabama prefer candidates with an associate's degree or certification. In some cases, it may also be necessary to have a bachelor's degree in computer engineering, computer science, or information systems.
Major Industries
Computer support specialists work in various industries in Alabama. Some of these industries are:
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services
- Colleges and Universities
- Electronics and Appliance Stores
- Religious Organizations
- Management of Companies and Enterprises
- Insurance Carriers
- Architectural and Engineering Services
- Commercial Goods Merchant Wholesalers
- Software Publishers
- Elementary and Secondary Schools
Major Employers
A few of the major employers of computer support specialists in Alabama include:
- Auburn University (Colleges and Universities)
- Seimens Vdo (Electronics and Appliance Stores)
- Elmore County Bd Of Educatiion (Elementary and Secondary Schools)
- Cas Incorporated (Computer Systems Design and Related Services)
- Regions Financial Corporation (Management of Companies and Enterprises)
- Briarwood Presbyterian Church (Religious Organizations)
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Alabama Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Birmingham, Huntsville
- Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Master
- Locations: Birmingham
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- Degrees: Bachelor, Master
- Locations: Bessemer, Madison, Mobile
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate
- Locations: Birmingham
- Programs: 3 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Certificate, Diploma
- Locations: Birmingham
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
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Study from Anywhere at Online Schools Related to This Career
- Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Master
- Programs: 3 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
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- Degrees: Bachelor, Doctorate, Master
- Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Master
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
Keiser University eCampus Online
- Programs: 3 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Samford University • Birmingham, AL
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2011)
• 10/11/2011
"I feel prepared for what lies ahead, and professionally I am ready for my job. Also, I met my wife at Samford so I feel pretty good about that!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Samford is not known as a computer science school. But the experience is like no other. The small school atmosphere is very friendly, but can get old after 3-4 years. If you love the school and campus, go there. If not, don't! |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Samford is not known as a computer science school. The nursing school and law school are the two most well-known programs at Samford. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The program taught me the basics of electronics. I have felt prepared for every problem I encountered, even new issues. |
| Instruction | 8 | The teachers were very knowledgeable. They prepared me for each certification test, and made sure I would be prepared for the job I had after graduation. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Technology came naturally to me. The part I had to work on the most was memorization. My memory is not very good! |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program is dominated by book learning. Hands-on learning was something that was done more on my own time. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | Classes are from 8:00 to 2:30 Monday through Friday. Not much exception. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The library selection could have been better. I made use of the inter-library loan system several times. The computers in the library were not very new either. |
| Social Life | 6 | I was lucky that I found several very good friends at Samford. I was not a member of a Greek organization. The football spirit is not very good! |
| Placement Services | 5 | I never participated in the job placement or career services. I preferred to find my own job without any help from the school. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | Financially, the alumni support Samford well. Other than that, I don't know. Alumni were never very active on campus. |
Auburn University • Auburn, AL
Studying Software Engineering (completion in 2008)
• 10/30/2011
"They could have done a better job of preparing us with real world applications. Otherwise they gave us the tools that we needed to succeed."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend the school to others, but I'd tell them to make sure to do the business/software degree and do an internship. I would also tell them to take time outside of their classes to work on personal projects. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Auburn was one of two schools at the time that was currently teaching the major. Those who made it out generally found good jobs. |
| Program Quality | 6 | It was a very good program that taught a lot. The only problem is that there is only 1 of 2 programs like it, so no one knows exactly what it is or what it teaches. |
| Instruction | 4 | Majority of the professors barely spoke English, so no matter how smart they were they were unable to communicate well with students. Tools to learn were provided to more than adequately cover the needs of the courses. |
| How Difficult | 10 | I was one of five that graduated when our class started with a hundred plus. There were a lot of tough classes that were there to weed out people who were not cut out for the program. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The first couple of years were completely hands on and interactive. As you went further along in the program, you got less hands on work and more book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | Many of the classes were only offered on certain days and times. You could generally choose what classes you wanted to take each semester as they were offered year round. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | We had state of the art computer labs and access to the second largest library on the eastern seaboard. Labs were accessible at all times of the day. |
| Social Life | 8 | We had a large student union that planned a lot of fun events. The only thing I knock the student union for is not having some things to do at the union or rec center for days when nothing was planned. |
| Placement Services | For looking for part time work while in school they offered a lot of help. They also helped you find full time work when you graduated. I did not participate in either so I do not feel I can rate it. | |
| Alumni Network | 3 | My alumni network never contacted me or assisted me in any way. The only contact I've had from my alumni association was to ask me for money immediately after graduation. |
Middlesex County College • Edison, AL
Studying Communication (completion in 2009)
• 11/3/2011
"Overall it was ok. I can't complain because it was decent."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | The recommendation would depend what you are looking for. This sort of community college is really a last-resort. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The school is average, explaining the rating of five. |
| Program Quality | 1 | I studied for my certificate by myself. The school was a waste of money. |
| Instruction | 5 | I did not get any instruction and did it all myself |
| How Difficult | 1 | I read the material in order to take and pass the test. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I did not do any hands on work except for with the radio. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | The school is almost always full. They need a bigger facility to provide us with a more flexible education. |
| Academic Facilities | 1 | We lacked facilities when I was there. |
| Social Life | 10 | The people were very nice and I made a few friends. |
| Placement Services | 1 | This school does not have any assistance for jobs. I found work on my own. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | It's more like a high school than a college. The alumni network was poor. |
Arizona State University West • Glendale, AL
Studying Telecommunications (completion in 2009)
• 11/10/2011
"Satisfied is all I can really say. I believe I got what I paid for."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It takes a lot to impress me. I didn't really get much of that feeling from ASU West. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | ASU West is not ranked very high in the I.T. department. They're average at best. |
| Program Quality | 6 | I feel the professors, rather than the school, could have done a better job. Also the material and equipment seemed to be sub par. |
| Instruction | 5 | The staff could have been a bit more educated. And perhaps more funding used on relevant equipment. |
| How Difficult | 2 | Information and technology comes very easy to me. I had no troubles in my studies and found them to be rather enjoyable. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was very book oriented. I recall nothing but lectures and very boring labs. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | It's very flexible in regards to class selection. Classes are every day into the late afternoons and offer online classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | There's a very nice library with computers and study areas. The campus itself is also very nice. |
| Social Life | 8 | I focused on my studies. I did not live on campus nor did I participate in school spirit. |
| Placement Services | 7 | That the information and the assistance was readily available. But you had to do most of the hunting and placement your self. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | They were definitely on the ball in regards to the high speed wireless hotspots and locations and distance of available signal. |
University Of South Alabama • Mobile, AL
Studying Accounting (completion in 1994)
• 11/23/2011
"If I had it to do over again, I would have selected another school. I was not very satisfied at all."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | The quality of my experience was just not that good. There are numerous other schools within the state that I believe would offer a much better experience. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I know some individuals who have gone on to have a successful career in accounting from this university. I bear some of the responsibility for not having one. |
| Program Quality | 2 | My school did not adequately prepare me for a job in the field of Accounting. With a minor in Computer Science, I was able to get a job in the software support business. |
| Instruction | 3 | I don't think the instruction adequately prepared for a career in my major. The curriculum was dated, and there were too many foreign professors whose English skills were not sufficient. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The concepts were not extremely difficult. The instructors were not that demanding. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | In total, I can only think of 3 or 4 hands-on type learning experiences associated with the university. Everything was tied to the textbook information. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | My attendance was before the internet offerings that are common now. As a result, it was much harder to get senior-level classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | Accounting lab hours were almost nonexistent. When they were open, sufficient help was often not available. Had to pay for additional tutoring. |
| Social Life | 2 | The bulk of the student population does not live on campus. As a result, many activities were not well attended. |
| Placement Services | 1 | The process was never clearly explained. Getting information from them was very difficult. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I have no other frame of reference; this is the only university I have attended. The alumni network is active. |
Herzing Institute • Birmingham, AL
Studying Information Systems (completion in 1993)
• 12/27/2011
"I was very satisfied with the program. I believe I received an adequate level of training for the price of tuition."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It was a very good experience and I learned a lot. However, I would only recommend an associate’s degree program to someone who was completely opposed to a four-year college. These days, many colleges offer an adequate level of technical training that was not available when I completed the associate’s degree program. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | It is a for-profit school, so those typically have lower reputations. In the mid-90s, this was fine, because there was no good technical training at 4-year colleges, but that has since changed. |
| Program Quality | 10 | It was an excellent program and provided great technical training at a reasonable price. It allowed me to work as an analyst for many years, without the need for a 4-year degree. |
| Instruction | 8 | Since it was a technical school, the instructors were not "trained" educators. They were basically technicians from the corporate world, and the lack of formal educational training was apparent. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The instructors were not trained well enough. The technical information was sufficient, but the teachers could have been much better. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | As a technical school, the majority of the classes were hands on. In addition to hands-on programming classes, there were hands-on hardware repair classes. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | It was fairly flexible, with classes offered from 8am until 9 or 10 at night. But essentially, most people chose either morning or afternoon classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | The facilities were only average. The building was very old at the time, although the technical equipment was sufficient. |
| Placement Services | 7 | I believe they did a decent job of career placement. They were able to place me in a related field immediately upon graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There is no alumni network. Some of the graduates keep in touch via online communities, but there is no formal alumni network that I am aware of. |
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