Post: #1

I need help trying to choose the right major. I already changed it to IT a few weeks ago and I start the curriculum next semester. I figured that IT would be good for me because I learn the basics of computer science while maintaining healthy social interaction as well when it comes to customer relations, considering that IT specialists must keep up good interactions with their customers or coworkers.

I thought it would be a healthy mix of isolation and social interactions. I'm an introverted guy so I wanted to have a valuable STEM career that wouldn't necessarily have me cooped up in a lab or office all day without some type of motion. I'd be doing something productive while also developing my social game per se.

I google the differences between it and computer science but most results come from college websites just trying to get people to come to their school. Can anyone clarify the true value and differences of each degree?

My plan is to graduate with an IT bachelors for now, research more computer science subjects such as mobile computing in my free time so I can learn to build mobile applications, hopefully land a job in a city that will be a good place to continue developing my game, conduct more research on starting a business and then travel the world on some residual income. In due time of course.

Post: #2

(12-08-2013 10:42 PM)daddysanchez Wrote:  I need help trying to choose the right major. I already changed it to IT a few weeks ago and I start the curriculum next semester. I figured that IT would be good for me because I learn the basics of computer science while maintaining healthy social interaction as well when it comes to customer relations, considering that IT specialists must keep up good interactions with their customers or coworkers.

I thought it would be a healthy mix of isolation and social interactions. I'm an introverted guy so I wanted to have a valuable STEM career that wouldn't necessarily have me cooped up in a lab or office all day without some type of motion. I'd be doing something productive while also developing my social game per se.

I google the differences between it and computer science but most results come from college websites just trying to get people to come to their school. Can anyone clarify the true value and differences of each degree?

My plan is to graduate with an IT bachelors for now, research more computer science subjects such as mobile computing in my free time so I can learn to build mobile applications, hopefully land a job in a city that will be a good place to continue developing my game, conduct more research on starting a business and then travel the world on some residual income. In due time of course.

/thread-29053....ing+lounge

PM these fuckers or comment on their thread

Post: #3

At any decent university, both a CS and IS degree will teach you to build applications.

IS adds in the business side, and less of the theory side, compared to CS. Generally, there is more demand for IS than CS. Software companies hire CS people because you need people who really understand theory. In reality, most IT in the corporate world is using existing tools and integrating them, so that's IS. You'd be hard-pressed to find a corporate IT person who has written a sort routine in ages -- existing tools already do this. A CS person may need to do this if they're writing some framework or high-scale system and need to optimize, but that's just not most of the IT world.

Post: #4

Going the IT route will land you a better paying job sooner out of school. You may not even need a degree.
Get your Cisco Certification and you can be making like $70k. There's tons of work.

Computer Science is a little tougher field to crack. You need to be on the Master's or PHD level before they
let you do anything cool and before you make anything close to what IT pays. Long term I think CS would be
better and more interesting.

I say do both if you enjoy them. Do IT while you get your Master's in CS.

Post: #5

Avoid corporate IT. http://brucefwebster.com/2008/04/11/the-...ea-effect/

Post: #6

I was in the same predicament as you, here's an article which might help you make the choice - http://online.king.edu/information-techn...gy-degree/ . The article says that computer scientists are actually Scientists who understand, change and invent code. While IT specialists are people who use technology, existing operating systems, software and such. I honestly think you should do IT unless you have a deep love for long hours of coding and an inventive mind.

Post: #7

When I went to university they called it Information Science or Information Systems. It focused on the design and building of databases, it also included some programming and other topics. Lots of boring lectures about database theory.

In Computer Science almost all the subjects involved programming. They focused on algorithms and problem solving and used a range of programming languages.

Info Science

Databases
Loads of theory and management speak type lectures
More normal people in the class
Could possibly bullshit your way through the degree with not knowing much
Assignments were easier than Computer Science
70% males in class


Computer Science

Programming and algorithms
Concrete theory taught in lectures
Harder than Info Science in that you can't bullshit and have to put the time in
Have to spend loads of time in the computer lab
Full of nerds
Very hard to get top of the class as the nerds live this stuff 24/7. If you have a life you won't get in the top portion of the class.
90% males in class

You will learn to think and problem solve in Computer Science. If you like doing IQ test/problem solving exercises you will probably like Computer Science. You get great satisfaction when your program finally works after spending ages programming it and trying to find the errors.

Info Science can also be rewarding but the lectures are pretty boring. If you want to got out and party at university and meet normal people I would recommend it over Computer Science as you have to put less time in to pass, plus you will have some cool people to hang out with in class.