Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: -ammo- on July 12, 2002, 03:46:38 PM

Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: -ammo- on July 12, 2002, 03:46:38 PM
Which degree would you pursue considering the job market and the types of work to be seen?  I need to make a decision:)

1) Bachelor of Science; Computer Science

2) Bachelor of Science; Management/Computer Information Systems
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: udet on July 12, 2002, 04:07:11 PM
neither... the computer boom is over :)
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: AKDejaVu on July 12, 2002, 04:13:23 PM
Degrees to get as I see it (in order of hireability):

Materials Engineer
Chemistry
Chemical Engineer
Physics
Electrical Engineer
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: udet on July 12, 2002, 04:21:53 PM
what about aerospace engineer?:(
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: Swoop on July 12, 2002, 04:22:24 PM
Ammo,

depends what you're gonna specialise in.  Mate of mine did a computer science degree and concentrated on programming and graphics.  Now he works for Acclaim doing playstation 2 conversions.

Another mate of mine did same but stuck to heavy maths and electronics and now works for Zuken-Redac writing apps to design printed circuit boards.

(http://www.boomspeed.com/swoop/logo_small.jpg)
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: Gadfly on July 12, 2002, 05:47:10 PM
If you want to impress, go for a B.S. in comp-sci.

If you want to learn the skills that will help you in the real world, you will be forced to take a general studies degree.

I elected to do the latter, and took useful courses in both fields, and skipped the junk.  If you follow this course, you will have to sell yourself, and then produce, whereas the former will get you a useless job making more money up front, but leave you with less skills for the long haul.
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: fd ski on July 12, 2002, 06:47:42 PM
You really should aquire the skills for the Computer Science stuff yourself. Books, internet, outside of school training. Most schools will teach you Word, Excel, some C++ and theory of design. Usually all of which is at least 5 years old. If this is your real interest, you'll pick up without school.

I would however recommend degree in Bachelor of Business Administration of Information Systems.
It leaves the gate wide open for MBA down the road, and gives you some management opportunity, if you are so inclined. Whatever technology the school will teach you today, will be outdated in 5 years. Management BS slinging, is good forever :D
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: senna on July 12, 2002, 09:36:38 PM
Transporter room panel programming
Starfleet weapons systems
Warp drive engine technology
Alien engine theories and propulsion systems
Tackyon field and plasma heat transfer engineering principals

Just to name a few, any others...?

I would start there as by the time the economy starts to get better those are the skill sets we will be needing. The Starfleet academy is rather difficult to get into these days but perhaps you could qualify for a Community StarFleet Colledge within your own city or alien district.
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: bloom25 on July 14, 2002, 12:46:16 AM
Truthfully, it matters a lot where you live and where you plan to work.

A computer science degree means you mainly deal with software (i.e. programming).

You might also consider a computer engineering degree, which is a mix of software and quite a bit of hardware design as well.

I personally enjoyed circuit design and decided to focus on that and not confine myself just to digital integrated circuits.  Analog circuit design is much more challenging than digital circuit design IMO.  


(I have a BS in Electrical Engineering.)
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: Aqualung on July 14, 2002, 04:47:08 PM
As said  before, a BS in Computer Science usually translates to jobs dealing with engineering (Software, Network, Systems, etc.).  The courses are generally more difficult then those that make up a CIS degree because of the math and science involved.  Those who get CIS degrees usually end up as Network Administrators, Web-Developers, Tech-Support, etc., those that utilize the technology created by the Computer Science guys.  The dot-com crash had a large effect on these types of jobs.  Though there are still jobs out there for the CIS/IT grad, the market is a little flooded with those whom whom have lost their jobs.

IMO there will always be available jobs for those with a CS degree.  There is still a void in the market for software engineers.  I graduated a little over a year ago with a BS in Comp Sci, and when I was job hunting, I would receive at least 15 emails and 5 calls a day from companies who were interested.  Even now, I still get an email every once in awhile from a company trying to solicite me for a job.
Title: Re: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: Kanth on July 14, 2002, 05:42:56 PM
They are hiring a buttload of nurses for good money these days...

Quote
Originally posted by -ammo-
Which degree would you pursue considering the job market and the types of work to be seen?  I need to make a decision:)

1) Bachelor of Science; Computer Science

2) Bachelor of Science; Management/Computer Information Systems
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: ArceBandit at 6 on July 14, 2002, 07:04:03 PM
-ammo- my brother has a Bachelor in computing and he's a builder right now.So i'd say neither
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: whgates3 on July 15, 2002, 11:07:27 AM
-ammo- IMHO any hard science degree will get you all the computer learnin' you need, and some education about another field as well.  I'd 4 (actually 5.5) years hear labour in physics, most of it in front of an EMACS window, and had pals in geology, math, astronomy & engineering and it was the same for them too.  the math is just too tough to do it pen & paper (or sliderule)anymore
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: Wlfgng on July 15, 2002, 01:48:33 PM
ba computer science myself..

either are good since all the degree REALLY does is get you in the door... you learn the stuff you REALLY use by doing..
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: Eaglecz on July 15, 2002, 02:23:01 PM
degree ????
eehhh ???

all you need is certification mate... or you can be a programer and burn out your brain ....
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: Manedew on July 15, 2002, 03:08:31 PM
I'm getting my degree in computer networking.... seems like a good idea :D
 
But it's a diffrant area then what your asking about and as you may note I don't have a degree yet :rolleyes:

Really can't give you advice; as i don't know. but knowing what other folks are up to can help.  (in San Antonio the best computer jobs i know of is at SWRI  http://www.swri.org)  You may find a few job decriptions there of what a good company is looking for in a 'computer man'
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: StSanta on July 16, 2002, 04:55:44 AM
Heh toejame d00d, programmers do not burn out their heads.

We're simply 'readjusting neurons'.

I'd go for comp. sci. degree. The 'softer' degrees are far simpler and hence there are more people with them. If you got a degree in comp. sci., you WILL get a job.

The dot com era is over, but during that time they hired mostly people without any deep technical skills. Doesn't take much to do most web stuff, really.
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: -dead- on July 16, 2002, 01:44:21 PM
Do the one which looks most interesting to you.

1) It's a degree, it takes a while & can be a bit of a drag might as well at least be interesting.

2) A degree is a step towards a career. Which means work. Work will take up most of your time in life (assuming a 9-5, 5/7 existence - if you wanna be CEO of a Megacorp, it takes up almost all your time), so you might as well do work that interests you.

Otherwise life sucks much more than it really has to.
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: nuchpatrick on July 16, 2002, 02:05:31 PM
Ammo...

Bro, I have two that I don't use any more be more then glad to send them to you:) .. Got lay'd off two years from AT&T Wireless's big cut..and decided I didn't want to go through that again.. So I run the Family business...the only way to really go any more is to run your own biz.

Any how.. I have a A.S. in Electronics Engineering Technology, and a B.S. in Telecommunication...

Any how I can do anything from Networking to being an RF Engineer. Call it over qualified if you want..but being able to know soild state boards.. and networking is kind of a plus.  

One you can go to work for Nokia or Motorola..if their hiring..Had the chance to take job at Nokia but didn't want to move to Texas..no offence to you Texans...

Anyhow if you have any questions shoot me an e-mail.
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: Vulcan on July 16, 2002, 03:36:50 PM
Ammo it'd pay to check out some industry certs as well, theres big money in places like them thar Cisco hills :)
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: -ammo- on July 16, 2002, 05:09:12 PM
I appreciate all the reponses, really do.  I am not decided yet but I am getting more informed daily through folks like you and my own avenues of research.

Its a shame all the time and resources I have wasted through the past years, and here now at 34 years old, with 14 years of AD US Air Force behind me, Three children and a wife,  I dont have a degree. I have had alot of oppertunity and just didnt do it. I have now made up my mind but to be honest, I am a little scared of college.

Thx for the comments!
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: StSanta on July 17, 2002, 04:04:05 AM
Never too late to study. And your experience in the Air Force will really help ya. It'll have instilled discipline and a good 'work moral' in you that most other college students cannot equal.

I'm a lazy SOB. A really lazy SOB. If I cannot postpone anything til tomorrow, I'll try to postpone it to the day after that :). If I can get any kind of degree, anyone can, even gun toting Christian conservatives :D

Best of luck Ammo :)
Title: Educated Computer Gurus please
Post by: -ammo- on July 17, 2002, 05:41:23 AM
thx santa. you're very encouraging.  I will come evangelize you after I am done:)