<p>I just completed my freshman year at UMD, and I'm trying to choose between Finance and Information Systems. For me, Information Systems sounds more interesting, but I'm a little afraid to major in Information Systems because I've never learned programming and I don't know if I will be good at it. I would like to try though.
I also plan to go to graduate school at UMD since the Master of Science in Information Systems is ranked the 5th in the nation. I just don't know if it's a good idea to study Information Systems in undergrad years and continue in grad school.
I want to hear your opinions on this major especially if you have taken classes in Information Systems, and if you don't think getting a MS in Information Systems is very necessary in opening up job opportunities. Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>Pick up a book that teaches you how to code (most likely you’ll be required to learn either C++ or Java). If you’re okay with it, and it’s not too difficult, then take some courses and see how you like it. If it’s tough (because, in reality, you’re learning a whole new language), then it’s up to you to decide if you want to pursue that field. Just don’t be discouraged if learning to code at first, or even for the first semester, is difficult. Of course it’ll be. Just hang in there and practice, and you’ll eventually get the hang of it. Just make sure you have the patience to learn it.</p>
<p>Getting both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in IS is, in my opinion, unrecommended. If you want to do something with computers, I’d say you’re better off with computer science as your major. The computer skills are something that need to be learned, and business can be learned after.</p>
<p>I don’t know if getting a Master’s in IS is even a good idea to start with, but other people on this forum would know better. I guess all I’m saying is that computer science is more recommended.</p>
<p>Unless you a) want to teach on the college level or b)if the job req’s require it I’ve never understood why people would get a masters in the same thing they got their undergrad in.</p>
<p>Most IT jobs do not require a MS, so do you want to teach one day?</p>
<p>Don’t choose to avoid I.S. because you’re scared. You’ll regret it, especially if you get stuck doing some lame ass banking or sales job with your finance degree. I’m scared as hell because all of a sudden I’m choosing to do a math major, which is considered by some the most difficult major possible, but that’s half the fun-- not knowing whether or not I’m going to overcome the challenge. And there’s not much of a cost of trying because If I suck at upper-level math, I’ll just do accounting or something.</p>