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<p>Actually, a lot of system and network administrators have only business oriented MIS or IT degrees at most, perhaps with some certifications (and the low level ones are far more common than the good ones like CCIE). However, the likely result is lack of adaptability to unusual problems and new technologies, which may be why IT departments in companies are often very conservative in accepting new software versions or even security patches (IT has to be fairly conservative, since mistakes can impact a lot of people’s productivity, but sometimes they seem too conservative).</p>
<p>Someone with a CS degree should be able to handle system and network administration if s/he has the mindset for it. However, a full CS degree or equivalent self-education is not necessary; someone going into IT should be able to handle the technical aspects after selected CS courses like the introductory sequence, operating systems, networks, databases, and security.</p>