Which degree should I go for?

C.Fountain

Hey everyone!
I'm switching to a four-year university, and I have some options for which IT/Cyber Security degree I want. I generally want a career as a sys admin. I want to set up systems, test them ,secure them, etc. Buy/rack servers and networking equipment. I don't want to sit at a desk and write policies (though I know there will some of that). I just don't want to make a career out of it. I also like coding, but also don't want to make a career out of it.

The degree options I have are:
BS: Cyber Security
BS: Computer Networks and Security
BS: Computer Science
BS: Information Systems Management

So what should I do? I do eventually plan on doing a Master's program. Not sure if that will play into my choice at all.
Thanks!

Danielm7

If you can hack it I'd go for the straight computer science degree, it'll give you more options down the road. What you're describing isn't even what is considered "security" at a lot of companies, so getting a security specific degree might not be as helpful. Straight CS though is never a bad thing to have. If you really like CS in general and want to do a masters Georgia Tech has a great CS masters now that is super cheap and all online.

C.Fountain

Thanks!
I've done hacking in test labs at school, and I have an okay knowledge of code, so I could do a CS degree. I'm not that great at math, though. The CS degree at my school requires Calc II, and the Master's goes even further. I could always alter what I want out of my carerr. Ending up as a penn. tester would be ideal. But I'd need the sys admin and coding experience first.

jcameron

The sys admin job you described is pretty broad, but it seems like you're leaning towards network security, so the top 2 degrees seem like the best choices, but as Danielm7 said, the Computer Science degree is more open-ended. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them, but here's a thought -- go for the Computer Science degree and complement that with certifications specifically related to security such as the CISSP.

C.Fountain

Thanks jcameron!
I guess I'm just worried about getting a CS degree when I don't plan on starting a career in CS. I'm more interested in coding as a hobby rather than a career. I know I'm not stuck in the CS field just because I have CS degree, though. I could always major in Cyber Security then go back for a BS or a minor in CS? Then do the security-related certifications?

N2IT

BS: Computer Science if I had to pick one in your situation.

stryder144

As several have said, go for the CS degree.

Here is my reasoning:

1. There are a lot of jobs for sys admins that want a bachelor degree in CS/IT/MIS/etc.

2. If you want to get into pen testing, an understanding of the underlying architecture of processors, operating systems, etc, makes your job that much easier.

3. Plus, a lot of organizations that employ pen testers want people who can code and the easiest way to open that door is to have a CS degree on your resume. Remember, there aren't that many certifications right now that deal specifically with programming languages, of those not many have received wide, general public acceptance (which means that the HR-types may not understand what that cert means), and a lot of pen testing certs assume that you understand programming to begin with.

4. Lastly, as the importance of cyber-security takes off in the eyes of the general public, you will see more and more positions for application security testing open up...jobs that will surely make the CS degree very, very valuable when paired with the right certifications.

Good luck with your decision and keep us posted!