<p>Accountants are expected to be able to produce reports and analyze them. MIS majors are expected to oversee a business’ systems and processes as it relates to their technology. One is a leadership path, the other is not.</p>
<p>We can agree to disagree.</p>
<p>So much ignorance in here. It’s not different than being an accountant who “MANAGES the financial reporting”. Stop being biased to your majors. The best is prob being in audit, 2 years then you are a senior MANAGING the audit testwork and your staff. Also being a main contact with the client is just another plus.</p>
<p>CS > MIS imo.</p>
<p>Exactly. No one truly “manages” anything until they have experience and have staff that report to them. If you believe otherwise, then you are pulling wool over your own eyes.</p>
<p>So why do so many people seem to hate audit?</p>
<p>Uhh because most people don’t have good work ethic? Many young people can’t handle the stress of having so much responsibility? </p>
<p>The more I think about your question, the more ■■■■■■■■ I think it is. It’s like me saying. Doing triple majors in Math Accounting and I don’t know… rocket science have all these benefits. Then you responding to me… “So why doesn’t everyone do it?”</p>
<p>Well I think it also has to do with the Big4 unethically demanding such outrageous hours (now that doesn’t mean people should not give it a shot if they think they can handle it - looking for ethics and fairness in business is like looking for honesty and integrity in politics) just to stay on the job. Now that doesn’t mean that is the sole reason, it is just the reason for the majority of the Big4 workers. The chances are high to begin hating any kind of grunt work (whether accounting or technology) when you are forced to work around the clock, sacrificing everything else, just to keep your job.</p>
<p>Serious 101 - I agree with you. </p>
<p>People will start hating their work if they have to work extremely long hours going through the same process everyday.</p>
<p>Accounting jobs are going to grow more numerically than computer science/IT majors. However, are those jobs going to be high level Accounting jobs? By high level, I mean more technical and complex Accounting jobs that do actually require a degree - not the A/P clerk, A/R clerk, or bookkeeping typing.</p>
<p>I think it depends on the current state of the economy/government - Accounting fluctuates with the latest regulation/financial scandals, while Information Technology fluctuates with the economy. So in general, they are pretty much equal numerically (with the qualifications you stated). However, when you start including all the other jobs for which Accounting qualifies you, like Finance, Accounting takes the lead numeric growth, even when barely-college-level jobs such as bookkeeping are disregarded. Take a look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics if you have not already.</p>
<p>Inmotion12, I think your comment does not make sense. Information systems does not exist without business departments like accounting, marketing, and purchasing. Information systems is used to support business activities. Just like information systems needs these business departments. The business departments also need information systems in order to function well. They complement each other. That’s why information systems is about business and technology. Each business department needs its leaders like managers and these leaders need to manage each business function. </p>
<p>Accountants can also specialize in IT. That’s why there is a certification called CITP (Certified Information Technology Professional). The certification is only for CPAs (accountants). Thus, accounting is not limited to produce reports and analyze them.</p>
<p>FYI, I will be graduating with my master’s in information systems this May. I took a double major in accounting and information systems in my undergrad.</p>
<ol>
<li>I am going to go out on a limb and say that you have found solid employment. (Assuming you did ok academically).</li>
</ol>
<p>If you are an MIS major…you will need to take some core CS courses.</p>
<p>If you are a CS major…you will need to take some MIS courses.</p>
<p>Either way, a good list of CS/MIS courses consist of the following</p>
<p>Object-Oriented Programming (Java or C++)
Algorithms
Data Structures
Concepts/Theory of Programming Languages
Operating Systems
Database Systems
Computer Networks
Software Engineering</p>
<p>goose7856, yeah I got a job already =)</p>
<p>86reasons, I didn’t draw any of the conclusions you are accusing me of drawing. When did I say that IS exists on its own?</p>
<p>MIS sucks. Just a watered down CS. Take the real thing.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>…which is why I ALWAYS tell MIS majors to take the CS core.</p>
<p>@Inmotion12: I was talking about the leadership path.</p>
<p>@Dawgie and GLOBALTRAVELER: I had the same opinion like you guys before I took classes in Information Systems. The more classes I took, the more I realized the importance of Information Systems. I learned a lot about business-IT alignment. In my Information System classes, I learned a lot about IT Governance, IT performance, IT risks, etc. I also learned about costs and benefits for implementing IT like NPV, cash flow, etc.</p>
<p>Also, some companies do not want their CIO report to the CFO because both of them have different goals. Many CFOs love to reduce their operating costs without understanding IT initiatives. How do CFOs know about the long-term goals of technology if they do not have IT background at all? How many CFOs understand about virtualization, storage area network, network address translation, etc? This is why a CIO is recommended to report to the CEO about the benefits of IT. How many IT/CS people understand the difference between debit and credit transactions?</p>
<p>I put two links below if you guys have time to read:
[YouTube</a> - Business/IT Alignment<a href=“Oracle%20-%20Business/IT%20alignment”>/url</a>
[url=<a href=“http://www.cio.com/article/353363/Are_You_Hiring_the_Wrong_IT_Staff_to_Achieve_Your_Alignment_Goals_]Are”>http://www.cio.com/article/353363/Are_You_Hiring_the_Wrong_IT_Staff_to_Achieve_Your_Alignment_Goals_]Are</a> You Hiring the Wrong IT Staff to Achieve Your Alignment Goals? CIO.com](<a href=“Business/IT Alignment - YouTube”>Business/IT Alignment - YouTube)</p>
<p>If you think MIS sucks, why many CPAs take a CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) certification? why many big four firms recruit in my school? btw, I will be working as an external auditor for an accounting firm so I am really neutral.</p>
<p>“If you think MIS sucks, why many CPAs take a CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) certification?”
Huh? </p>
<p>"why many big four firms recruit in my school? "
What does this have to do with MIS?</p>
<p>Just stop please.</p>
<p>“Huh?”
Of course you are confused with this question because you don’t have a clue about CISA/information systems at all. After studying both accounting and information systems, I can understand why information systems is important. That’s it. If you dont have a clue about information systems, of course you will say MIS sucks forever. </p>
<p>“What does this have to do with MIS?”</p>
<p>Many Information Systems graduates in my school are recruited by big four firms. If they think MIS sucks like you, why would they even hire MIS students?</p>