*Different* CS vs CIS question...any info appreciated!

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>Someone told me to post this in here instead, so here it is.</p>

<p>Here is my dilemma...</p>

<p>I am an adult student (28 y/o) who returned to school about a year and a half ago to change my life. So far so good in that respect. Over the course of my time at school, I have been flip-flopping continuously between various majors and programs across multiple local schools trying to figure out goals and direction that I can see myself living with for a considerable amount of time. Given my age and the amount of effort and sacrifice I have gone through thus far, I am committed to finding a career path that I will be happy and satisfied with for a long time to come, hoping to not have to do this again.</p>

<p>That said, I am still unsure of the <em>exact</em> career I want, but I have slowly been learning where my interests lie, which is opening up more and more doors for me. I have always been interested in some kind of business degree, but have found myself uninterested in the typical marketing, financial, and accounting courses and am looking for either a supplement or an alternative. My school offers both Computer Science and Computer Information Systems degrees, and am considering pairing one with an Accounting degree. I have looked into both extensively but still find myself constantly flip-flopping and re-evaluating because I am unsure of the <em>actual</em> market and job opportunities that would be available to me upon graduation.</p>

<p>The CS degree would require about 11 or 12 (minimum) additional courses. The CIS degree would only require 6.</p>

<p>I am looking for input from people in <em>actual</em> fields of interest who can give me some perspective. I know I would like to somehow incorporate programming/computer skills with financial information, possibly creating or assessing the programs that financial institutions might use, or maybe something with databases. This is not set it stone, so feel free to direct me someplace else. My biggest question at this point is this: Is there anything that a CIS major would have over a CS major in this situation, or vice versa, considering that I would already get any necessary business knowledge with my Accounting degree?</p>

<p>The CIS degree seems to implement some CS topics in business situations (Java programming, Database programming, Systems analysis and design), but I'm not sold on how thorough this program is. I guess I am questioning the <em>quality</em> of the CIS degree simply because it's taught through the business school. My judgement says the curriculum covered in these classes doesn't have to follow the same high standards as CS curriculum does. Am I right in this assumption? Does this make a difference? The CS program definitely seems better in this respect, but lacks the business application of things which I think I might need...or do I? </p>

<p>Would I be better off double majoring in Accounting and CS, or Accounting and CIS? Would I be missing out on anything if I did CS or vice versa? Would I be going through way more work than necessary if I did the CS?</p>

<p>I might also add that I've taken some introductory programming courses which I've really enjoyed and have done very well in. The concepts, logic, and problem solving comes very natural to me. I am an INTJ/P personality if this helps at all.</p>

<p>I'm about to complete all my gen ed requirements for a business degree and have a 3.94 GPA. I am not afraid to work hard and sacrifice my time for something I really want. I have the motivation and ability to do well in anything I put my mind to. That said, I understand CS would be the more difficult choice, but I am not about to cop out of the better choice because it would be tougher to accomplish. That just makes me want it more.</p>

<p>I also briefly considered doing a CIS/CS double major, but am still drawn to the flexibility that the Accounting degree would provide.</p>

<p>I am also a female <em>gasp</em>. </p>

<p>I'm torn. Please help.</p>

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<p>Actually, you could left this question in the Science forum (where you originally asked it), since CS is not part of engineering at every school. As some schools, CS is part of the Math department and at other schools, CS has it’s own department in the college of Arts & Sciences. Still, there is more traffic on the Engineering threads than the Science threads.</p>

<p>Having said that, forget the “template” curriculums, take the needed courses. Right now (and it has been this way for quite a number of years), most software jobs revolve around the manipulation (programming), distribution (networks) and storage/retrieval (databases) of DATA. In that sentence alone, I just gave you 3 courses you need to take:

  • Programming (C++ or Java)
  • Computer Networks
  • Database Systems</p>

<p>Guess what?..all of the above areas need to run over an operating system. I just gave you your 4th course:</p>

<ul>
<li>Operating Systems</li>
</ul>

<p>One note about the Computer Networks and Database areas. Schools that offer business/MIS courses offer Networks and Database courses. It would be better (in My opinion) to take Networks and Database courses through the CS department.</p>

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<p>I guess this is my biggest dilemma. It looks like many of the CIS courses parallel similar CS courses, and I’m worried that the quality of the CIS courses wont match the CS ones. I guess I need to talk to my adviser and figure out if certain CS courses are considered equivalent to the CIS ones and if taking those instead would be much of a problem.</p>

<p>[Accounting</a> and Computer Information Systems Department - Requirements](<a href=“http://ric.edu/accountingComputerInformationSystems/cisProgram_bs.php]Accounting”>http://ric.edu/accountingComputerInformationSystems/cisProgram_bs.php) - CIS curriculum
[Mathematics</a> and Computer Science Department - B.A. in Computer Science](<a href=“http://www.ric.edu/mathcomputerscience/csProgram_csciBA.php]Mathematics”>http://www.ric.edu/mathcomputerscience/csProgram_csciBA.php) - CS curriculum</p>

<p>I am looking at the B.A. in CS <em>only</em> in the interest of saving time. It requires less science and math courses, and I would be able to use the business courses I’ve already taken as electives.</p>

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<p>CIS/MIS/IT courses in the business school generally aim to prepare you to manage computers, while CS courses in a CS department generally aim to prepare you to design computers and their software. A CS graduate will be able to handle the technical parts of CIS/MIS/IT, but a CIS/MIS/IT graduate will have difficulty handling what a CS graduate is expected to do, unless the CIS/MIS/IT graduate goes significantly beyond the CIS/MIS/IT curriculum in self-education.</p>

<p>Even if you want to go into CIS/MIS/IT, it may be helpful to take the CS versions of operating systems, networks, and databases courses.</p>

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<p>In looking at that B.A. in CS program…it covers what you need.</p>

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<p>GLOBALTRAVELER: I’ve seen you post regarding similar questions on this site many times, you definitely seem to know what you’re talking about, so thanks for helping me figure this out. I’ve seen you recommend taking a combination of courses in both programs to other people and am curious how you would apply that to my choice of programs specifically. </p>

<p>Is there something specific in the CS program that you think I would benefit from over te CIS program? I know I’m probably way over-analyzing this situation but its my nature to make sure I have included all information possible before making a decision like this.</p>

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<p>And thank you ucbalumnus for your insight as well.</p>

<p>I think managing computer systems within a business might be something I would be interested in down the road, but as with most things, I would probably need experience working with said computer systems before I was able to take on the kind of responsibility. I don’t see how a college degree can prepare you to manage anything, I think experience is way more relevant in that respect, and I think most employers would agree with me.</p>

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</p>

<p>For some types of jobs (design of computers and software), CS will prepare you for them, while CIS will not be sufficient. For other types of jobs (management of computers and software), people with either type of degree can do them, but people with CS degrees are likely to be able to handle technical aspects, new technologies, and unusual problems better.</p>

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<p>Shaylinchic,</p>

<p>UCBAlumnus summed it up nicely.</p>

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<p>Thank you both!</p>

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<p>All the courses globaltraveler mentioned are very important. Especially the Database system class. Understanding the database is always going to be crucial. You will see what I mean when you start doing big projects. It should be a required class IMO. Also I recommend learning C++ now regardless of the path you are going to take. It is not hard and it will teach a lot concepts</p>

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<p>I suggest majoring in CS and maybe minoring in finance or something. And get an internship with a financial company like you want. Finance companies recruit cs majors all of the time.</p>

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<p>TomServo, the only reason I’m considering the double major is because I didn’t decide, or realize, that I was interested in the computer side of things until recently. I am about to complete my gen eds for a business degree, which is what I <em>thought</em> I wanted at the beginning of this journey. If I could go back and do it all again I would definitely do as you suggest, but the last thing I want is allow the last two years of hard work to go to waste, so a double major is my only option at this point.</p>

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<p>To sum it it up, never major in CIS and go for CS instead?</p>

<p>CS can handle most of what CIS people does and if a CS grad even does a minor in business/finance, there is absolutely no advanatage that CIS person has over the CS person.</p>

<p>Am I oversimplifying it or is this the consensus?</p>

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<p>^^^I would like to know this as well.</p>

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<p>The only other CIS to consider is Computer Information SCIENCE. Notice that the C and the S is still there…computer science. Computer Information Science, just focuses more on the information aspects of computer science…which happens to soak up most job openings.</p>

<p>Computer Information SYSTEMS is along the lines of Management Information Systems (MIS) and sometimes Accounting Information Systems.</p>

<p>To sum up what others have already said…</p>

<p>CS or Computer Information SCIENCE can do Computer Information SYSTEMS/MIS/AIS jobs…</p>

<p>Computer Information SYSTEMS/MIS/AIS do many CS or Computer Information SCIENCE jobs.</p>

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</p>

<p>I don’t think one can really put it that way If you look at the specific curriculum above.</p>

<p>From my observation, many CS people don’t like doing IT jobs. IT people don’t and probably can’t do CS jobs. It seems to me some IT jobs are being affected by the advancement of Cloud and virtualization. We used to need to go to IT to get all hardware resources. Now we go directly to AWS some of times because the cost is so low and we can just expense it easily.</p>

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<p>I should probably mention a few things here…</p>

<p>I know for a 100% fact that I do not want to go into IT. I don’t want to set up networks and systems within a business, I don’t want to work a help desk, and I don’t want to be the techy within a business that fixes the system when it breaks down.</p>

<p>I want to create things, improve productivity, implement <em>ideas</em> that will benefit the business itself, make things happen better than they already do. </p>

<p>Does this make sense? Working as a techy would be a torturous hell for me. Sure, I like gadgets and stuff, but I have close to zero interest in installing and fixing them all day. I can have great ideas within my ideal environment, and I enjoy learning how and why things are done, and coming up with ways to make them better.</p>

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<p>Let’s get down to the nitty gritty:</p>

<p>Which of these is better for Ethical hacking? It seems CIS gives a better understanding of networks.</p>

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<p>IT may know better about the network hardware and setup. All these things are being virtualized. Today, you can build a virtual private network with hundreds of machines without touching a wire.</p>