Career Opportunities for Information System Majors?

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I want to major in CS or IS. I've searched the web for the career oppts. of IS majors, but I can't find any info on future growth. Does anyone have any thoughts? I live on the eastern seaboard (see my profile name...) and will most likely be looking for a career in the DC or Baltimore Area. Right now, I have applied to these two programs:</p>

<p>Information</a> Systems - UMBC</p>

<p>Undergraduate</a> Program - Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, College Park</p>

2

<p>IS has been trending upwards lately because people don’t want to major in it. It is a good was to actually get a good job out of business school.</p>

3

<p>is IS all data base management junk or is there more too it? The last think I was to do is get a masters degree and come out to do database management. However I would be interested in the design, budgeting, and implementation of large computer or networking systems as I have a TON of experience in it on my own.</p>

4

<p>willpower: What you just mentioned is pretty much the definition of Information Systems. It involves helping companies implement large systems that will allow them to gain a competitive advantage. in some way shape or form. There are many job titles that an IS major are qualified for, but in essence what I stated above is the overall mission staement per say. With that being said, this conversation is probably better for the business forum.</p>

5

<p>Ummm…</p>

<p>Data Architecture (more of modeling databases) and database management are huge for corporations mainly in business but the more scientific companies are getting more into database design. Outside of operating systems experts and networking experts…its near the top of the most sought after expertise.</p>

<p>Since database courses are not usually required for many Computer Science programs (undergrad or grad), this leaves a void in the engineering industry. Folks (like myself) just sit back and receive e-mail after e-mail and recruiter call after recruiter call.</p>

6

<p>See this is what I think of database management. I had an Access class once. It was all about building databases for storing and recalling tons of information for simulated clients. It was the dryest crap I’ve EVER done. No offense. I just had to drag myself to do it. However networking is like an amazing beautiful puzzle to me and I already know a lot about it. I need to get my net+ and CCNA which I think i could have in just a few months. I know the database admin position at a web company in Nashville pays 80k but I don’t like the work.</p>

<p>So then I see Masters in IS, IT, etc and look at their course requirements and see a lot of database classes at some colleges. I haven’t compared a whole lot of those programs so I’m not sure about all of them. But I don’t want to get in and hate it. (the infs sys major here at mtsu is all very dry database driven web app design. We’re not talking neat stuff like blippy, we’re talking employee records handling and the like.) This is why the other part of me is leaning towards a technologically focused mba instead. Opinions?</p>

7

<p>^^</p>

<p>Oh…you said Access. That will sour anyone. The big projects use Oracle. SQL Server is good for medium-sized projects because it only runs on Windows, but once you put Oracle on a Solaris box…you are humming. Oracle can handle large terabyte and now petabyte-sized databases to store images and spatial data (very huge in the defense/INTEL industry).</p>

<p>Now the actual “data architecture” of a system is really the fun part and then you turn over your design and implementation over to a DBA. Just doing pure DBA work can be boring (although you get paid a lot).</p>

<p>Please do not let Access or My SQL give you a viewpoint for database management.</p>

8

<p>Interesting info… but what about the career oppt.? Anyone have any ideas about the future, esp. from empirical evidence?</p>

9

<p>Put it this way…</p>

<p>I have been doing it 15 out of my 20 years since undergrad and get recruiter calls every day for job opportunities or asking me if I know anyone with database architecture/DBA experience.</p>

<p>With Oracle finalizing the partnering with SUN, I doubt it is going anywhere anytime soon.</p>

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<p>Globaltraveler, you said that you graduated with a math and engineering degree? I’m somewhat interested still in the fields of CS and IT… I’m thinking about doing a minor in it but I’m not sure if it would be effective should I want to do something in that field. Do you need any sort of certificates, other credentials to work with database systems?</p>

11

<p>Hadsed…the answer is both yes and no when it comes to certifications.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that certifications really are associated with database administration (DBA). The DBA basically manages and administers the database. This may include:</p>

<ul>
<li>Physical design of the database objects</li>
<li>Backup of the database system</li>
<li>Performance tuning of the database system</li>
<li>Maintenance of the database system</li>
</ul>

<p>The two big boys in database systems Oracle and SQL Server both have certifications that can help you greating in securing employment, BUT keep in mind…nothing and I mean nothing replaces actual work experience. There is the “book” way and there is the practical way of database administration. If you have very little experince, obtaining an Oracle certitication is the way to go. If you have years of experience, being a Borders Book Store rat will help more than a certification.</p>

<p>Now I left out a part called logical design of the database system. Sometimes, the DBA will also perform that task and sometimes a data modeler will create the logical database design and pass it to a DBA once the database system is in production. The best (my humble opinion) database-related position is the data architect. A data architect is a person responsible for ensuring that the data assets of an organization are supported by an architecture supporting the organization in achieving its strategic goals. The architecture should cover databases, data integration and the means to get to the data. Usually the data architect achieves his/her goals via setting enterprise data standards. A Data Architect is also referred to as a Data Modeler. This is in spite of the fact that the role involves much more than just creating data models. Usually, the data architect is responsible for</p>

<ul>
<li>Data strategy</li>
<li>Data integration</li>
<li>Data Migration</li>
<li>Data Security</li>
<li>Data Quality</li>
<li>Data Modeling (mentioned earlier)</li>
<li>Data Backup & Recovery </li>
<li>Implementation of the database system</li>
</ul>

<p>There are no real certifications for data architecture. You have to gain this really through experience although focusing on the above 8 bullets that form the basis of data architecture.</p>

<p>Now for the slightly downpoint of the above job titles/positions. In order to save money, companies try to find folks who can be a data architect and DBA. In the defense industry, they call the position “database engineer” which means you have to perform both tasks.</p>

<p>I myself call myself a data architect although I have to also be the DBA (many times unwillingly).</p>

<p>As far as undergraduate education, it would help to take of course the database systems courses and their prerequisites and IMMEDIATELY take a 5-day training course in Oracle or SQL Server. I would not trust colleges/universities to be your ONLY source of database knowledge. One of my courses in grad school was a Data Warehouse & Data Mining course. Yes, I took for an easy ‘A’ but expected to at least learn a few new concepts. I had to correct the professor many times because he was giving just flat wrong advice on Oracle. I think he wanted to give an “academia/textbook” approach while I was like “no no no…you don’t do this in the industry.”</p>

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<p>GLOBALTRAVELER, can you expand on what education is needed in order to be a database professional? I’ve heard some people say that all you need are certs. However I do not have a technical undergrad degree, so I would really like to go back to school to make up for this (in addition to getting certified).</p>

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<p>BadSeed,</p>

<p>In my honest opinion, a database “professional” should be able to tackle any of the areas needed to produce a database system. If we look at the software/systems engineering approach to producing sound database systems, the breakdown is:</p>

<p>1) Requirements Analysis (data modeler)
2) Design (data modeler and/or database developer and/or database administrator)
3) Development (database developer)
4) Testing & Verification (database developer and/or database administrator)
5) Implementation (database administrator)
6) Sustainment & Maintenance (database administrator)</p>

<p>Data Modeler - needs background in requirements analysis and database systems. A “Requirements Analysis” course is usually part of an Information Systems/Technology or Software Engineering program. A database systems course is part of either an Information Systems/Technology program or a Computer Science program.</p>

<p>Database Developer - Needs to be able to write database programming logic/code; Needs to know the basic programming concepts of program flow, local/global variables, loops, if-then-else constructs, arrays, object-oriented programming, etc and can APPLY those concepts to database and SQL programming. Programming background SHOULD come from the computer science program. You can also get it from the I.S./I.T. program but I WOULD trust the computer science program more. A database systems course is part of either an Information Systems/Technology program or a Computer Science program. Sometimes a database developer needs to make the database work with an object-oriented language like Java or C++. A course teaching either of those would help too.</p>

<p>Database Administrator - Basically maintains and sustains the operational database. I would NOT trust colleges/universities in teaching these concepts UNLESS they actually teach courses in Oracle or SQL Server. Going to an authorized Microsoft training center for SQL Server or an authorized Oracle training center is the best way to learn Oracle database administration when you have no experience. NOTE: While there are some jobs where all you do is database administration only, those are dwindling. Employers want you to be at least a database developer/administrator or database modeler/developer/admin combo. Instead of paying 3 folks $80K-$100K/year and having two of the individuals done with work by before Phase 5 (above), they rather just pay one person $120-$150/year and that person does it all.</p>

<p>To review the academic courses needed:

  • Requirements Analysis
  • Database Systems
  • Programming</p>

<p>Keep in mind, database systems run on certain operating systems and need to communicate of computer networks, so it would not hurt to take courses in:

  • Operating Systems (teaches you how operating systems work in general)
  • Computer Networks</p>

<p>Now just about all the above courses I mention have prerequisites and they are usually:

  • Beginning Programming
  • Analysis of Algorithms (helps you write quality programming coding solutions)
  • Programming Languages (teaches you how languages work in general)</p>

<p>Then tie all of that up with a SQL Server or Oracle database developer and/or administration course from an authorized training vendor.</p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

14

<p>So taking note of the courses you suggested to badseed, I would think that a minor in CS or IT would make me marketable in the field of data architecture/development out of college?</p>

15

<p>^</p>

<p>Yes, because all you really have to take at the university is the database course (hopefully junior/senior level) and it’s prerequisites. Usually the ordering of the prerequisites are:</p>

<p>Intro to Programming–>Algorithms & Data Structures–>Database Systems</p>

<p>Then you also take: Programming Languages–>Operating Systems–>Networks</p>

<p>Yes, that should end up close to a minor. I would go even further to say that you would qualify for other I.T. positions outside of databases too.</p>

<p>Let those research types take all of that Automata Theory and Computability/Church’s Thesis mess…lol</p>

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<p>What do you think of a program like this? [Program:</a> Computer Science Post-Bachelor’s Certificate - George Mason University?](<a href=“http://catalog.gmu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=5&poid=3311&returnto=84]Program:”>http://catalog.gmu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=5&poid=3311&returnto=84)</p>

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<p>BadSeed,</p>

<p>George Mason has a pretty good rep here in the DC/VA/MD area. I do not know how seriously they are taken elsewhere. Also, what would be your undergraduate degree?</p>

<p>University of Maryland University College has a bunch of I.T. certs. I personally like this one: [Certificate</a> in Database Management - School of Undergraduate Studies - UMUC](<a href=“http://www.umuc.edu/programs/undergrad/certificates/db_mgmt.shtml]Certificate”>http://www.umuc.edu/programs/undergrad/certificates/db_mgmt.shtml)</p>

18

<p>Global Traveler: You seem to be very knowledgeable about CS/IS fields. </p>

<p>Why do you get so many recruiter calls? You seem to be “older” than the contractor age…</p>

<p>Also, isn’t UMUC a open university? Anyone can get that Cert with the right bg. It is not a competitive. program w/ admission criteria.</p>

19

<p>Armaryland…</p>

<p>I just happened to “luck out” and specialize in a high-demand area…databases. To know the high-demand areas, one needs to know what help companies and projects go. You can go through all the different technologies and specialties but I.T. revolves on the the usage, transmission and storage of information. Usage would be the front-end applications for end-users. Transmission basically relates to computer networks and the storage/retrieval relates to databases. An I.T. company AIN’T an I.T. company unless they can do at least those 3 basic things. This also carries over to defense contractors. Also, those 3 areas ALL need an operating system to run on. That is why you always see my posts mentioning databases, networks, operating systems and programming/languages. It’s nice to specialize in other areas…but keep something that will always keep the checks coming.</p>

<p>As far as age in contracting, yes…non-defense contracting has younger engineers because older fellas like me want more stability and less travel. Defense contracting and especially contracting for the federal INTEL agencies gives you:

  • private industry pay
  • government-like work environment
  • greater job-security</p>

<p>So you will see many older engineers doing contracting when it relates to defense/INTEL.</p>

<p>As for UMUC…you still must be admitted but yes, their admission criteria will not be like U of Maryland College Park or U of Maryland Baltimore County but when you are dealing with defense and INTEL hiring…just finding folks with a clearance is hard so recruiters cannot be all that nitpicky about who went to MIT, Cornell, GT, etc.</p>

20

<p>GLOBALTRAVELER, I already have a bachelor’s degree in a non-technical field. Now I am evaluating my options because I realize I should have majored in CS (or IS). I am going to create a new thread since this is starting to go way off-topic! :)</p>