<p>I'm stuck between these 2 majors and can't choose whether to take one or double major because I'm much more interested in Info. Tech. because of the preparation i'd get for certifications such as CompTIA A+/Net+/Security+, Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Microsoft Certified Network Engineer (MCSE). Though whichever college that is on my list has a Five-Year MS/BS program for Computer Engineering, and i'd like to know how the hardware works but im not that interested in coding despite knowing that it would be useful and interesting to learn. Both courses give me a broad range of career choices, and in the long term pay is pretty good so im not that concerned about it, so i've decided to make this thread in hope i could get insight from students who are participating in either program in college.</p>
<p>Also, im a junior in HS</p>
<p>In general IT and Computer Engineering are totally different. IT is managing information systems: maintaining networks, debugging software programs, and keeping systems working. I imagine a lot of IT jobs are boring and tedious: but I know of many challenging, exciting, and high-paying IT jobs, so I think that it’s something of a mixed bag. A lot of the IT people I know that undergrad degrees in CS or something different. I’ve never heard of anyone having an IT degree, b. I know of a few community colleges that offer “Computer Information Systems” associates degrees. I imagine that is what CompTIA, CCNA, etc. is related to. </p>
<p>Computer Engineering usually means designing computers: designing digital circuits, building microprocessors, FPGA, all that stuff. There’s also some study of control systems and at some schools there is a focus on programming large, specialized systems. Maybe there are computer engineering degrees that aren’t like this. A CompE degree may actually be a not-so-great preparation for an IT job. Knowing VLSI and the details of how hardware works probably doesn’t do very much for someone managing a unix system. On the other hand, a CS degree might help even if it is overkill.</p>
<p>Thanks al6200, despite your first statement being a tad obvious, most of that stuff i already knew, so now im looking for the pros and cons of either choice despite being much more comfortable with IT. I just thought computer Engineering was interesting and that i shouldn’t leave out the possibility of majoring in it.</p>
<p>If you don’t want to code, then I suggest you don’t major in IT. At a minimum, I think in IT you have to understand code and most people probably write code as well. With Computer Engineering, I think you will be mostly doing hardware design.</p>
<p>IT is not coding heavy - it sounds like exactly what the OP is looking for.</p>
<p>@ricegal - Is this from experience/validated source because that’s basically the opposite? Computer Science involves the understanding of the coding of software and how in interacts with hardware and its functions depending on its design as well. Information Technology is the one that actually deals with hardware, the software that operates it, and networking. There is no real reason to know coding unless you’re going to examin the coding of the software and try to repair it rather replacing the necessary files. My opinion of C.E. is from the info given by multiple colleges, and I for Info. Tech., that is from info from multiple colleges also, and I am dual-enrolled in a vocational school in their Computer Systems Technology course. This is why my interest for IT is higher.</p>
<p>I think the term IT encompasses a wide range of activities - both hardware and software. CMU defines their master’s in IT as having three tracks: information technology mgmt, information security and assurance or software design and management.</p>
<p>At my huge multi-national company we have tons of different kinds of IT professionals, everything from the high school graduate who maintains my PC to the help desk personnel who are the gateway for any IT problems I have to the software team working on large complex company specific SAP programs to the network experts that manage our cloud. I think being able to write application software enables you to progress more easily within the IT department. For example, the manager of the guy who maintains our PC’s would like to see him write some small programs to help us with some of the factory analysis that we need to perform. He views that as a growth path to higher pay for the guy.</p>
<p>The difference between a CS degree and an IT degree is that a CS degree is more theoretical and prepares you to write system level software (OS, compilers) in addition to application software (aps for the Iphone, large database applications like SAP or PeopleSoft).</p>
<p>BTW, I have a masters in CS so I do know what I’m talking about. I think your definition of IT is a very limited one and is oriented toward the lower-paid maintenance-type jobs.</p>
<p>I’m sorry if you’re offended. I’m glad you have much experience so can you or anyone you know tell me of the pro’s and cons of either major i specified? I know it would help be very successful to learn coding, i just haven’t been given the motive, which yes very lazy of me. Can you tell me why you decided to major in Computer Science?</p>
<p>No offense taken. I majored in EE, actually, but landed a job at a computer company upon graduation. After working in marketing for a few years, I decided developing software seemed like more fun so I went back to school and got my masters. I originally majored in EE because I hated writing papers and analyzing literature, I was abysmal at foreign languages, and I liked math and science. Engineering seemed to be practical at the time and I was fascinated by computers from the time my elementary school class toured the computer room of a local bank. There was no such thing as an IT major at the time. Maybe, I would have chosen that, I don’t know.</p>
<p>I think, though, that most engineers like building things. CS geeks tend to like solving puzzles. I’m not sure what attracts people to IT. IT is basically a maintenance job. It’s about keeping the organization running. It’s not really about building new products. Maybe people like it because they like keeping things running. Similar to a car mechanic versus a mechanical engineer who designs car engines.</p>
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<p>That is likely true, because a lot of IT departments are staffed with people who have mainly a business background, without much actual technical skill with computers. At some schools that offer an IT or MIS major, it is mainly a variant of a business major, with some lightweight (by CS major standards) computer application courses.</p>
<p>Someone going into IT may want to take the introductory CS courses for CS majors, and perhaps the operating systems, database, and/or security courses for CS majors to get a stronger background than most IT people. But there would be no need to major in CS to go into IT.</p>
<p>This is why i wanted opinions because i was originally conflicted on what to do due to current goals of wanting those certifications when i could be doing something else and possibly get them anyway.</p>