Hello, I am a Information Systems major and I will soon be graduating, I will finish up my classes most likely this coming Summer. I was wondering, though is it worth staying an extra semester or so and getting a minor in Computer Science?
Will this have any benefit in landing jobs or higher salaries? Or will it be a waste staying a whole extra semester just for a minor in Computer Science while my major is in Computer Information Systems?
I’ve been thinking of this for a while but just hoping for some advice.
What would you learn from the CS minor that you haven’t already learned from your major? If it turns out it’s mostly redundant, which wouldn’t surprise me in this case, then don’t delay graduation. If it wouldn’t be redundant, ask yourself 1. whether you can afford another semester and 2. whether the extra knowledge is worth however much another semester will cost you.
Personally, if it were me I absolutely wouldn’t delay graduation just for a minor, especially in a field that’s already similar to my major (at least at the depth a minor would likely go into).
I am already taking courses over the summer which are my classes remaining for graduation. It would require an extra semester for me if i were to go for it, and I am not sure if it is worth paying extra just for the minor.
Employers don’t care about minors. They care about skill sets. That’s what you’ll be emphasizing on your resume anyway. Not “I completed a minor in X” but “I can do A, B , and C.” So maybe you missed a course in data structures or heaven forbid basic circuitry. Can you write decent code in a common language like C++ or Java? Are you a regex guru? Do you have a demonstrated aptitude for learning new skills?
What classes do you need to complete in order to complete information science? what about classes need for CS?
You can always list “relevant coursework” emphasizing CS on you resume.