College/University

Hello, I have a simple question and that is what is a good college or university to attend for IT/Computers. I live in miami, Florida so any school around here would be appreciated but if it is out of state it would be alright also. I am a senior in high school now so i am applying to different places but would be interested in a recognized or recommended college for computers. Also one question iv'e always had, normally all university have the same degrees under computer which is computer science, my question is and i still have to research this, if I want to be lets say a network administrator, would that be under computer science?? My point is, is computer science the only degree for the it field.... also iv'e seen CIS and MIS which are basically the same right? if so what would does degrees enable you to work in as. Hope you guys can point me in the right direction, thanks.

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Aldur

I don't know of any good schools in FL but if you want to do networking I would stay away from a CS degree. I'm just finishing up my CS degree and it has mainly been programming.... and I have found that I hate programming

I have alot of friends who are getting a telecommunications degree and they are learning nothing but networking, really wish I would have went that route. Oh well, such is life, I guess some IT degree is better then none.

paintb4707

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_science

Basically... It's programming. I have the same concern if you read the thread I started a few days ago. I'm not a fan of programming so I'm trying to steer clear.

If you look around you might be able to find a Computer Networking or Security major but it's hard to come by.

Not to say a CS major doesn't count for anything when applying for a Network Admin position. A LOT of (if not MOST) IT pros are CS majors. In fact, I've seen tons of job postings where they ask for a Bachelor's in CS. It really just depends on what direction you want to go with your education and where you think you will succeed. An IT degree is an IT degree in the eyes of employers I think, they all hold the same importance.

Aldur

paintb4707 wrote: »

Not to say a CS major doesn't count for anything when applying for a Network Admin position. A LOT of (if not MOST) IT pros are CS majors, it really just depends on what direction you want to go with your education.

I agree, a CS degree does count, especially since most IT pro's have it. I think the big difference is what you'll learn and you'll be so much further ahead if you learn what you need to know for what you want to go into.

shednik

CS may have a large portion of its curriculum dealing with programming but really from what I have seen in encompass much more then that. You will really learn the inner workings of how a computer works, how a compiler works, taking a very analytical approach to things. By all means though if you want a degree in networking go for a Telecom major. I'm in my Masters of Telecom right now actually...it encompasses alot of CS,CE/EE, and Security aspects. I had a course dedicated on networking with TCP/IP from each of the 5 layers, but I also had to do socket programming, and I believe it really helped me understand some things about networks. If you do enroll in a CS program however they many times will have a Networks and Security track option where you can focus a number of courses there. If I could do it all over again I would have gone where I go now for my BS in Information Science which is a mix of CS and Telecom but with some business and communications aspects, then gone back for the Masters of Telecom.

nel

Aldur wrote: »

I don't know of any good schools in FL but if you want to do networking I would stay away from a CS degree. I'm just finishing up my CS degree and it has mainly been programming.... and I have found that I hate programming

I have alot of friends who are getting a telecommunications degree and they are learning nothing but networking, really wish I would have went that route. Oh well, such is life, I guess some IT degree is better then none.

+1. Like aldur says, they still count for something though. However with mine, about 95% of my degree i could not take into my network admin job. Its frustrating as hell to be honest for me. Ive found that i have gained more technical skills from my cisco studies/reading. Dont get me wrong i realise this may be the case for many but for me - a degree is something which requires alot of effort, time and dedication and i feel you should really get more out of it than i have. Roll on when i finish and concentrate on those cisco certs!!!

paintb4707

nel wrote: »

+1. Like aldur says, they still count for something though. However with mine, about 95% of my degree i could not take into my network admin job. Its frustrating as hell to be honest for me. Ive found that i have gained more technical skills from my cisco studies/reading. Dont get me wrong i realise this may be the case for many but for me - a degree is something which requires alot of effort, time and dedication and i feel you should really get more out of it than i have. Roll on when i finish and concentrate on those cisco certs!!!

Agreed. I'd hate to spend 2 years in school learning a majority of material I'll never take with me on the job.

nel

paintb4707 wrote: »

Agreed. I'd hate to spend 2 years in school learning a majority of material I'll never take with me on the job.

Its took me 3 1/2 years so far and i have 1 year left!!!!!!! haha.

I do the course part time. Im itching to dropkick it into touch and start those cisco studies. but those can wait for after. thankfully im getting good on the job exposure otherwise i would of had no chance of landing a networking gig coming out of uni!

Aldur

nel wrote: »

about 95% of my degree i could not take into my network admin job.

I couldn't agree with you more, with my job, and the job I just recently left, I can only think of one class that applied to it in my entire CSBS degree, that was a entry level CCNA class. That's 1 class in all the years it took to finish my degree...

Granted I did enjoy all the other stuff I learned and the instructors, well one of them, was amazing with providing extra help, but I agree with that it's frustrating that all that time and money didn't apply with the current line of work that I'm in.

nel

Aldur wrote: »

I couldn't agree with you more, with my job, and the job I just recently left, I can only think of one class that applied to it in my entire CSBS degree, that was a entry level CCNA class. That's 1 class in all the years it took to finish my degree...

Granted I did enjoy all the other stuff I learned and the instructors, well one of them, was amazing with providing extra help, but I agree with that it's frustrating that all that time and money didn't apply with the current line of work that I'm in.

Well if i get in a similar position to you in a few years i wont be complaining!!!

Sadly i do not share the same love for my lecturers!!!

Darian929

thanks a lot for all the answers guys, I have never really thought about programming and who knows maybe I like it more than IT, however how would i get a feel of what programming is? I know a bit of html .... so learning java, and C++, and other languages be programming?

shednik

nel wrote: »

+1. Like aldur says, they still count for something though. However with mine, about 95% of my degree i could not take into my network admin job. Its frustrating as hell to be honest for me. Ive found that i have gained more technical skills from my cisco studies/reading. Dont get me wrong i realise this may be the case for many but for me - a degree is something which requires alot of effort, time and dedication and i feel you should really get more out of it than i have. Roll on when i finish and concentrate on those cisco certs!!!

I used to feel the same way about my BS that I never really needed half of the classes I took. Now after being done for a year I find myself using alot of things form my degree...even the programming. If you didn't learn how to program you wouldn't be able to create scripts to automate those horrible tasks that are so repetitive. The working in groups and learning how to communicate and work with not only technology but other IT people. I could go on more about different things I've noticed but I hope you can see my point, having a very general undergrad degree with a mix of different aspects of IT I think is the best ESPICIALLY if you aren't sure what you want to do. Now for someone like nel or Aldur I could see a Telecom degree being best suited for them because they already have field expereince but it won't hurt to know how to write a perl/python script to automate some network management tasks, and having some business and communication type courses to learn more of how to work with people as well as how the business itself works.

Aldur

Darian929 wrote: »

how would i get a feel of what programming is?

I would say the best way to get a feel for programming would be to take a role of tin foil, rip it up into small tiny balls, throw them all in your mouth and chew till you pass out from the pain

ok, in all seriousness now, programming will encompass C++, java, javaScript, C#, asembly, as well as others.

Don't let my hate for programming detour you, I have many friends who love programming and hate networking as much as I hate programming. Of course I think they're all nuts

Aldur

shednik wrote: »

it won't hurt to know how to write a perl/python script to automate some network management tasks

now that you mention it you do have a point, there is scripting that can be done with the routers I work with. Working at JTAC I was never exposed to it and so never had a chance to use it. But working as a RE I'm sure I'll have plenty of chances to script and my CS degree won't feel like such a waste

kalebksp

Darian929 wrote: »

how would i get a feel of what programming is??

Check out Standford's free courses: http://see.stanford.edu/see/courses.aspx (Go to Programming Methodology, then View Lectures and Materials)

You can download or watch the lectures on YouTube. The teacher is very good, it should give you an idea of what a good programming course is like.

shednik

kalebksp wrote: »

Check out Standford's free courses: http://see.stanford.edu/see/courses.aspx (Go to Programming Methodology, then View Lectures and Materials)

You can download or watch the lectures on YouTube. The teacher is very good, it should give you an idea of what a good programming course is like.

In addition to that I found a goldmine of courses on MITs OCW site...this one in particular could be useful for you. I went through it and enjoyed the reading and exercises.

http://tinyurl.com/66zyov

Kasor

It is always good to have a undergraduate degree. Remember 4 years not get to you to be the expert of something. It is only provide you more opportunity to get to know yourself.

Graduate school is where you will get all the fun to know about IT because every courses you took is all about Computer/Network or Information System.

I will go for M.S if possible. Ph.D is a waste.

Darian929

First off, i want to thank everyone for answering and giving me an insight, and no matter what i will go for a b.s but was not sure and wanted to get some inside info on what degree would be best to get into the network side of computers or IT but maybe i end up somewhere else like in security.... who knows.

ThePistonDoctor

For what it's worth, I have an AAS in CIS and a BS in MIS, and I just got a job as a network administrator. A CS degree as has been said will be much more focused on programming, code, scripting, etc. the CIS/MIS combination allowed me to get a solid base of programming and coding experience (I know roughly 10 languages) and top it off with business administration, management, HR, finance and accounting courses.

In other words, you will see tons of IT pros (network/system admins, IT security practitioners, programmers) with CS and CIS degrees, and many of the people at the top of the business (CIO, CFO, Director of IT, etc) are MIS, while many have a masters in something like accounting, corporate finance, or an MBA.

I guess what I'm saying is if you want to be a network administrator or a programmer forever then CS will do that for you, but if you dream of one day being the big shot at the top you're going to want to aim for something like MIS or a mix of accounting/finance/technology. I have never seen a CIO with ONLY a computer science degree.

Edit: also keep in mind that once you get your BS you can easily land a job that will pay for your MS. Take it and run!

rfult001

http://www.cis.fiu.edu/programs/undergrad/it/single.php

This is the BS I did at FIU. You will spend 2 years working on your pre-reqs before you get to the fun stuff. From there you can follow the Networking elective track.

I am currently working on my MS in Telecommunications and Networking at FIU as well. Go this route if you want to get deep into the protocols, network and infrastructure design, and new technology.

http://it2.fiu.edu

PM me for more info.

- Robert

hypnotoad

Well, we can go on forever over the value of CS over MIS or theory vs. application or nature vs. nurture...so responding to the original poster...

There is a school out there for anybody. If you want an AS, you can get one. If you want a BS, you can get one. Answer these questions:

0. Do you want to be a hardware guy or a software guy?
1. What do you want to study?
2. What do you want to pay to learn it? How much debt are you willing to take on?
3. How much of it do you want to learn? Do you want an AA or a BA?
4. Where do you want to learn it at? Online? Urban? Rural? In state? Out of state?
5. How will this influence my work and family? Are you going part-time, full-time, will you work? Do you have a family to feed?
6. How do you feel about taking english comp, chemistry, econ, etc? You will take classes that have apparently nothing to do with computers.
7. Do you want to go to a big school or a small school? Both have advantages. Big schools you will blend in and meet more interesting people. They will offer a wider variety of courses and have more teachers so you aren't stuck taking that 8:00 AM Calculus class with the guy who you dont get along with. Small schools will give you more attention. What do you want?
8. Do you want to party? Do you want to meet a girl or guy? Or are you going to study 12 hours a day? In what way does college fit your personality and lifestyle?
9. Do you want to use cutting-edge technology? If so, go to a research school.
10. What do you want to do with your life? It can be changed later, but it's good to have ideas and a rough outline.

There are a million questions that will determine exactly which school is ok for you. And you know, you can always transfer, you can always change majors. The question isn't whether you can or can't do that -- the doors are always open if you are willing to commit to certain things.

If you want to go to a research school, blend-in, pay a decent price, party, and get recognition, go to a Big-12 school. If you want personal attention, a potentially higher price, and a more well-defined experience, go to a private college.

ThePistonDoctor

Oh yeah, BTW! GA Tech is close to you and is very well recognized for computing/engineering.

BradleyHU

the degree depends on the school you're going to. cuz at some schools, you might do more than just programming in the CSC major. I was a CIS major when I was in undergrad. And like it was stated, sometimes those programming classes come in hand for when you need to do scripting...

here's the course sequence for both CSC and CIS at my alma mater...

http://www.hamptonu.edu/academics/schools/science/comp_sci/csc_curriculum.htm
http://www.hamptonu.edu/academics/schools/science/comp_sci/cis_curriculum.htm