Hmmmm... a degree in Computers... or Information Technology... let me tell you what I see from the inside. I work for a major data processing company ( Oracle ) and have been in the field for over twenty five years. And yes... I started with MS-DOS!

So let's use some computer logic: the IF / THEN statement from computer programming.

IF - you want to learn something everyday and be up to your elbows in bits and bytes, THEN computer science or computer engineering is the way to go... i.e. geekville... You will be involved in taking care of lots of servers and lots of interconnecting software to keep your user's applications and networks going. And... there's always enough to do to keep you out of the way of the end user's, unless of course, you want to interact with them! And that would be a good thing !

IF - you want to get into programming - then you need to realize that you will probably not be re-inventing the wheel but will be working with existing applications and already created programming languages. But it still can be fun and can be creative as well... especially web design and hosting. Keep in mind that a lot of programming services are being sent 'offshore' but there is a need for people to maintain code, and write business requirements for new applications.

IF - you want to get into MIS - i.e. - Management of Information Science ( and this is what I would recommend ) then you can go just about any direction you might want. Management... programming... software design... application design... even though the degree is primarily for managers, it's flexible enough to give you a foundation in all the areas of DP.

IF - you want to secure your spot in the field, there are two areas you can focus on regardless of the DP degree you select. The first one is system administration, after all, these systems don't run by themselves... and database management, or a combination of both. So... a good recipe would be an MIS degree where you major in one of these, or both! Lots of demand out there for these two areas.

Here's the real challenge for you. Not so much the bits and bytes, but how the data is used. Look at it this way: it's not the PC on your desk that's valuable. It's the information in the database or on the web or in the file that you just accessed that's valuable. The message here: Challenge yourself to not only learn the techie side and the management side, but learn the value of knowledge and information, and how to apply it. That will give you a little bit of an edge in an already well populated field.

In closing...

Let me say again - you will always learn something new and you can always challenge your self to learning a new programming skill set or discipline or learn about new developments in the field of computer science. Combine any of the above with some business and marketing courses and your investment will pay off many times over.

Remember - Knowledge is Power - Go For It!

Learn more about this author, Michael Hall.
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