MIS vs. Comp Science Options

[pebkac]

I'm going to go back to school this fall, and I'm trying to decide something. I'd like to do something working with computers and networking, but I don't neccessarily want to be a computer programmer.

Which would be better for me to major in?

[Billy]

Computer Science pays more. Also, it's harder to find an MIS job now a days.

[woody]

CCNE/MCSE

[jonathan83]

i know tons of people who switch from CS to MIS because MIS is easier or something. MIS is more business-related and deals with networking more I think? while CS is mainly programming? i think?

[Dogmeat]

MIS = babysit computers and answer calls about broken mice
CS = Have somone else do that for you while you do actual programming

go for CS

MIS is basically the computer-equivelent of an "engineering tech" degree instead of an actual engineering degree, except it's not even that hard.

I mean for instance, if I put my resume up against yours going for the type of position people with MIS degrees usually get I'd probably get hired instead of you and I don't even have a college degree in MIS, but for what the job would be I've got GOBS of experience doing it. If you had a CS degree on the other hand, you'd probably get hired over me

[Seeker]

go with computer science and take computer networking with sobolewski, then when you run out of undergrad classes take his graduate networking class, these two classes will benefit you greatly, more so than any MIS class, if you want to go into networking

that's what i did and now i'm a software/networking engineer designing carrier-grade voip equipment

majors are meaningless though, it all depends on how dedicated the student is

[Hartmann]

Computer Science pays more.  Also, it's harder to find an MIS job now a days.

WTF?

I've received more offers from good companies than most of my Comp Sci friends. But that's beside the point, they are two completely seperate fields.

Computer Science is very focused on just that, the science in programming. It's theory based and there's a reason you take engineering courses. Most computer science majors get jobs programming or doing security work. The type of programming they do is different though, it's usually not business applications but compilers, telephone systems, etc. instead.

MIS majors are business people. We are taught the business aspect of IT. We take all of the core business classes and then our programming classes. When MIS majors graduate they usually go to work for risk consulting groups or software firms to build business support applications (HR apps, accounting, etc.).

Dr. Durrett, one of the professors in the MIS department, told us yesterday that they are changing the curriculum next semester to have to seperate focuses in the area. You can go the programming route and take more of those courses or focus on networking.

You should definitely talk to him, he is a Computer Science guy from UT. Very smart and really cool. His website: http://jdurrett.ba.ttu.edu/4383/index.html (if you click on Syllabus you can get his phone number, it's easier to reach him by calling)

Fastest growing industries: http://www.acinet.org/acinet/indview1.asp?id=8&nodeid=45@


[edit]
I love how everyone assumes what MIS does. We aren't tech support. Most of us don't want to do what Lance is doing (sorry Lance, it just ain't for me), we'd rather be working our way into management positions. Our function is to support the business from a software side of things, not answer calls and fix people's mouse problems. It just proves the common misconception.[/edit]

[Seeker]

instead of working my way into managment positions working for other people, i'll be starting my own company working for myself sometime within the coming years

also, engineering students whether it be CS, EE, ME, ChE, or whatever usually get hired on at a company and then have that comany pay for them to go back to school and get an MBA, then they move into managment positions

an engineering degree + an MBA = more jobs + money than a guy with an MIS degree

[Hartmann]

majors are meaningless though, it all depends on how dedicated the student is

Totally agree.

[Seeker]

Totally agree.

yeah just from being in the job market for a year i've seen people without college degrees 10 times smarter than someone with one, and vice versa, just depends on the person

[Hartmann]

instead of working my way into managment positions working for other people, i'll be starting my own company working for myself sometime within the coming years

also, engineering students whether it be CS, EE, ME, ChE, or whatever usually get hired on at a company and then have that comany pay for them to go back to school and get an MBA, then they move into managment positions

Starting my own company is the plan. I was just stating that MIS people have the business background to grow within a company. Ever try talking to an engineer? It's freaking impossible, even for me (I'm generalizing but you know what I mean).

Engineers aren't the only ones to get paid to go back to school. Every job offer I've received comes with the incentive to return to school to get whatever degree I choose, even if it isn't an MBA, though those are encouraged.

[impala454]

Finding a job has nothing to do with your degree. Landing a job does. You'll have a much easier time landing a job as CS than MIS. My boss has an MIS degree and is also the DBA and doesn't know much about programming other than SQL stuff. When we hire a new person, even him (the MIS degree) says hell no we're only looking for CS.

CS is a much harder degree, and employers know that. Either way though it just gets your foot in the door. Once you're in it doesn't matter, except the CS people make fun of the MIS people

[Hartmann]

Finding a job has nothing to do with your degree.  Landing a job does.  You'll have a much easier time landing a job as CS than MIS.  My boss has an MIS degree and is also the DBA and doesn't know much about programming other than SQL stuff.  When we hire a new person, even him (the MIS degree) says hell no we're only looking for CS.

CS is a much harder degree, and employers know that.  Either way though it just gets your foot in the door.  Once you're in it doesn't matter, except the CS people make fun of the MIS people

I guess I'm just odd then because from experience it feels like I have learned more than the CS majors I've talked to.

I had to present at some CS class last semester about cryptography and multi-key hashes and most of the class looked at me dumbfounded and at the end I actually had a few of them come up to me and ask me what a public and private key were

It's all a matter of opinion. I think that if you want to get into networking then MIS may be the way to go, but I suggest you go talk to professors in both departments and lay it out for them. Don't talk to the advisors, they know very little about the majors besides what classes you have to take.

CS is harder because of the engineering classes? I can believe that, but then again, MIS majors have to take finance, accounting, and 3 semesters of economics, the focus is a little different and it's all in your opinion of what's hard. I know some very smart people who can't figure out finance for the life of them...

This whole thread is kind of a testament to what the one problem with CS majors is, the "holier than thou" attitude. I don't have a problem with it, y'all are smart folks, but in certain environments it pisses people off.

[Seeker]

there's smart people in both mis and cs

[Spectatrix]

I had to present at some CS class last semester about cryptography and multi-key hashes and most of the class looked at me dumbfounded and at the end I actually had a few of them come up to me and ask me what a public and private key were

WTF? Even I know about public & private keys and I'm a freakin' M.E. I've had a couple of C++ classes, but that's it and we certainly didn't cover cryptography.