computer engineering or business information systems?

[parsley007]

hi, i'm currently a junior cpe (computer engineering) major. however, i just don't know if it's what i want to do. i've always been interested in networking and the like, and even contemplated a 2-year technical degree. however, i figured it would be better to get a 4-year degree for better job opportunity. so i went into computer engineering as a transfer student, and i really don't think it's what i want to do.

i've heard about the bis (business information systems) major and was interested. i just figured that a cpe degree would probably land a better job in the networking field b/c it's harder...maybe not. the only thing about changing degrees is i would essentially have to start over b/c hardly any of the course path is the same. that's ok, i just want to make sure before i take the plunge and not regret it later.

any suggestions?? tia

 

[dighn]

computer engineering doesn't really have much to do with the common "IT" stuff

 

[Asharus]

I switched out of Computer Engineering to Computer Programming/Information Systems. I didn't really care much for circuits, OHMS and capacitors...

 

[Ranger X]

Just complete your CE degree. BIS sounds like a major for computer science drop outs who want to go into sales.

 

[BlamoHammer]

I'm in the same situation as you parsley. I want my major to be computer related, but after really looking at what CS and CE majors study...it changed my mind. I am more interested in the application of the technology than the creation or development. That's why I decided to focus on MIS (basically BIS with a different name). Right now it's tough to get a job anywhere but I dont think your major will have as much impact as you might think on your employment search when you graduate. When it comes to IT, not only do you need a strong technical background, but also effective communication skills. How many frustration stories have you heard from people who just couldnt get their problem solved? Judging fro my experiences hiring people, I think resumes and educational history are fine and dandym but interviews are where you get/lose the job. If you can tell the interviewer what they want to hear AND have sufficient background expertise in the field then you're in the money. There were dozens of instances where I hired a lower qualified applicant because I felt he was a better fit because of the way he conducted himself in an interview.

My advice is do what you want. The last thing you want to see happen is to get burned out later in your education than you already are and then be up the creek without the paddle. BIS will get you the oh so important degree and then back it up with some certifications and go out and get EXPERIENCE! That is the key. It also helps to know people who can hook you up.

 

[BlamoHammer]

Originally posted by: Ranger X
Just complete your CE degree. BIS sounds like a major for computer science drop outs who want to go into sales.

Not everyone needs to know how to build a semiconductor to work in the IT field

 

[DaveSimmons]

If you don't want to develop software or design hardware, you need to change majors. If you keep on the classes will just get harder, you'll hate them more, and your grades will slip.

A 3.4 GPA and BIS (or other IT/IS) degree is more likely to help you get the jobs it sounds like you want than 2.8 GPA and a CE.

 

[Rainsford]

Never been too big a fan of IT degrees because I don't see a lot of IT people with those degrees, because the field moves so fast and because a lot of those programs are way too heavy on the non-technical stuff like finance and marketing. As far as Computer Engineering, it's what I'm doing right now, even though I'm fairly sure I'll end up in IT. Why? Because it's a bigger challenge, because the field interests me even if it's not what I'll eventually do, and because "Engineer" is a nice thing to have on a resume. Yes, "building a semiconductor" doesn't have a lot to do with IT work, but it shows you are smart enough and motivated enough to complete what is, at most colleges, a pretty tough program. And like it or not, no MIS or BIS or whatever is going to come close to being as much of a challenge. A really good, tough, MIS type program is what I was intially looking for, but all I found was "CS-light" with a bunch of business crap that didn't interest me at all.

JMHO, but on a personal note, my roomie is an MIS major and he gets good grades without doing all that much work, and even though he's in his third year, I still know way more about IT than he does. So tell me, how valuable is his degree going to be?

 

[BlamoHammer]

Originally posted by: Rainsford
Never been too big a fan of IT degrees because I don't see a lot of IT people with those degrees, because the field moves so fast and because a lot of those programs are way too heavy on the non-technical stuff like finance and marketing. As far as Computer Engineering, it's what I'm doing right now, even though I'm fairly sure I'll end up in IT. Why? Because it's a bigger challenge, because the field interests me even if it's not what I'll eventually do, and because "Engineer" is a nice thing to have on a resume. Yes, "building a semiconductor" doesn't have a lot to do with IT work, but it shows you are smart enough and motivated enough to complete what is, at most colleges, a pretty tough program. And like it or not, no MIS or BIS or whatever is going to come close to being as much of a challenge. A really good, tough, MIS type program is what I was intially looking for, but all I found was "CS-light" with a bunch of business crap that didn't interest me at all.

JMHO, but on a personal note, my roomie is an MIS major and he gets good grades without doing all that much work, and even though he's in his third year, I still know way more about IT than he does. So tell me, how valuable is his degree going to be?

Well I cant personally speak for him, but I think you get out of college what you put into it. If your roommate doesnt know as much its because he isnt interested in getting as much out of it. You could argue the fact that there are many people who never went to school that have forgotten more about their resepctive field than most graduates ever knew. Its all relative. Im starting to think more and more that it really doesnt matter WHAT you major in if you want to be in IT. Classroom theory is fine and dandy but real world application rules all. I dont disagree that having engineer on your resume is a nice feather in your, but as DaveSimmons said it is beter to have the hgher GPA in BIS and the lower in CE. The reason I'm taking MIS is because I dont think the major matters as much as people like to think and at least by taking MIS, I can take classes that I have a personal interest in rhater than kill myself with stuff I just dont like.

 

[parsley007]

thanks for all the input guys. i was thinking the same thing that davesimmons said about "A 3.4 GPA and BIS (or other IT/IS) degree is more likely to help you get the jobs it sounds like you want than 2.8 GPA and a CE." i feel like i can get a better gpa in bis than in cpe, and i don't think i want to design hardware the rest of my life, i'd rather deal with the actual implementation. like networking computers, designing networks, making sure they're efficient, etc...

 

[parsley007]

bump for the night crowd...

 

[Ranger X]

Originally posted by: AngryPirate

Originally posted by: Ranger X
Just complete your CE degree. BIS sounds like a major for computer science drop outs who want to go into sales.

Not everyone needs to know how to build a semiconductor to work in the IT field

And who said anything about needing to know semiconductors to work in the IT field? You're obviously ignorant and have absolutely no clue as to the backgrounds of most new grads entering the job market.

What you study is NOT necessarily what you'll be assigned to once you're out of college. I know plenty of computer science majors working with hardware and vice versa for computer/electrical engineers. My former lab partner has a BS in computer engineering and MS in electrical engineering. He's doing documentation for Northrop and Grumman. Now, does he necessarily need all the background acquired from his studies to do that?

 

[discopalace]

I have a jaded view of college, but I can back it up with observations as someone in the IT industry. My take is that what you actually learn in college is fairly useless. I started in EE and realized doing Fourier transforms and circuit diagrams was not my cup of tea. So I ended up graduating with a CS degree. I learned things here and there, but once I got my IT consulting job, I realized most of the background was either too academic or not enough. There were many things I would never have learned in college. There were many things I did learn that were useless in the real world.

So my recommendation to you is to graduate with any degree that's close enough. Doesn't matter if it's CS or EE or MIS. To an employer, it's all the same - you are a clueless college kid who will get trained. What you need to do in college is 1) graduate, 2) graduate with a decent GPA, 3) don't burn out. Employers won't ask you if you can build your own compiler, or if you know the 7 layers of networking. They will see if you have leadership experience, if you have worked in teams before, if you have done an involved project, etc.

Even better, get some internships or jobs that are somewhat related. Like doing a website for a company, or networking your uncle's small office. These things will show you have at least some view of the real world. If you have the chance, do jobs in different areas, so you can try new things out. For example, I wrote DB reports for an auditing office for a summer.

Probably the biggest misconception I think college students have is believing that their major will define exactly what types of careers they will have. It's true that it might steer you in one way or the other, but it's just a general direction. You have a ton of freedom once you get a job. And once you get your first job, people will forget what you did in college.

Make sure you look good in order to get your first job. 4-yr degrees look much better to HR folks than 2-yr degrees, as well as any certs (MCSE, etc). Actually most big companies will only hire people with 4-yr degrees. Keep a decent GPA. If you don't like your major, change it so you don't burn out (and drop GPA). I would definitely have burned out if I had stayed in EE. Taking classes you enjoy makes college a much cooler place. But also don't take 20 yrs to graduate either. Keep it reasonable. Suck it up if you only have a few credits remaining. Just remember that your college education is only useful til you get your first paycheck.

In IT, I have worked with people with the following degrees: CS, EE, MIS, MechE, CivilE, Business.... even people with English degrees, foreign relations, theology, nutrition - you name it. I can't correlate the quality of an individual with his degree in college, either.

 

[fonzinator]

I started at Purdue as a CompE major and switched, 1-1/2 years into school, to Industrial Management and MIS. I kept all the math and science classes that my CompE degree required for the MIS major. Upon graduation, I felt really prepared to do anything relating to business or MIS. Only problem is (was), there are no jobs. I get interviews here and there, but there is always someone else in the pool more qualified (and with more experience) than I. FYI, I graduated in Dec '01. I have a low skill job to pass the time, working with Amazon.com's backend for a LARGE retailer.

For those of you saying, "Get certifications," they won't mean crap if you don't have experience. Time and time again, I've heard interviewers tell me they laugh when they see people with no experience, and lots of certifications, to make it look like they do.

Bottom line: Don't go through a major for the ellusive pot of gold; learn what you enjoy. I switched out of CompE because I realized I was far more interested in the business side of IT than the nitty, gritty details of engineering. After switching, I enjoyed my classes so much more and my grades went up because I enjoyed the work. You'll thank yourself in the end.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Ranger X
Just complete your CE degree. BIS sounds like a major for computer science drop outs who want to go into sales.

there's a lot more money in sales than any engineering position.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: discopalace
I have a jaded view of college, but I can back it up with observations as someone in the IT industry. My take is that what you actually learn in college is fairly useless. I started in EE and realized doing Fourier transforms and circuit diagrams was not my cup of tea. So I ended up graduating with a CS degree. I learned things here and there, but once I got my IT consulting job, I realized most of the background was either too academic or not enough. There were many things I would never have learned in college. There were many things I did learn that were useless in the real world.

So my recommendation to you is to graduate with any degree that's close enough. Doesn't matter if it's CS or EE or MIS. To an employer, it's all the same - you are a clueless college kid who will get trained. What you need to do in college is 1) graduate, 2) graduate with a decent GPA, 3) don't burn out. Employers won't ask you if you can build your own compiler, or if you know the 7 layers of networking. They will see if you have leadership experience, if you have worked in teams before, if you have done an involved project, etc.

Even better, get some internships or jobs that are somewhat related. Like doing a website for a company, or networking your uncle's small office. These things will show you have at least some view of the real world. If you have the chance, do jobs in different areas, so you can try new things out. For example, I wrote DB reports for an auditing office for a summer.

Probably the biggest misconception I think college students have is believing that their major will define exactly what types of careers they will have. It's true that it might steer you in one way or the other, but it's just a general direction. You have a ton of freedom once you get a job. And once you get your first job, people will forget what you did in college.

Make sure you look good in order to get your first job. 4-yr degrees look much better to HR folks than 2-yr degrees, as well as any certs (MCSE, etc). Actually most big companies will only hire people with 4-yr degrees. Keep a decent GPA. If you don't like your major, change it so you don't burn out (and drop GPA). I would definitely have burned out if I had stayed in EE. Taking classes you enjoy makes college a much cooler place. But also don't take 20 yrs to graduate either. Keep it reasonable. Suck it up if you only have a few credits remaining. Just remember that your college education is only useful til you get your first paycheck.

In IT, I have worked with people with the following degrees: CS, EE, MIS, MechE, CivilE, Business.... even people with English degrees, foreign relations, theology, nutrition - you name it. I can't correlate the quality of an individual with his degree in college, either.

This man speaks the truth.

 

[parsley007]

looking for any other input bump ...i'm currently leaning towards bis, but still unsure

 

[Regs]

According to Stevens Institute of Technology New Jersey, Business Information systems is a fastly growing career field that offers lots of choices.

 

[parsley007]

bump...

 

[Elbryn]

It pretty much comes down to what you want to do. If you are interested in the building/design/improvement of computer technology and decide thats what you want to do, stick with CE. You will not find a job doing any real engineering work in a company with a CS or MIS degree. If you're sliding towards IT, then it really doesnt matter what degree you get. What will matter more is what experience you have and how you are going to stand out from any other joe in the field. Either way, I strongly suggest going on co-op/internships because that will accomplish two things: 1) tell you if thats what you expect out of the job field and 2) give you practical experience in the job market. I'll be frank though, IT is pretty tough to get into these days. There are alot of people out there searching for jobs. I graduated with a ECE(electrical-computer engineer, more EE than computer) about a year and a half ago. Spent roughly 6 months searching for a job, got two interviews. Those two interviews received over 180 resumes for two positions. I got neither job despite having a couple baseline certs with 3 years of tech support for the university backing it up. Finally landed a part time tech support gig for a hospital and worked my way through a couple ranks after proving my worth. People often also forget about volunteering. If you go up to a company and offer to volunteer your time in a department you are interested in, you might get the chance to get a foot in and get some practical experience as well. Since you're still at university, try going to the IT department, they more than likely employ students so it wouldnt be that wierd if you asked to help out.. then when a job opens up, you'll already be there. Networking is a beautiful thing.

 

[LordMagnusKain]

Originally posted by: Descartes

Originally posted by: discopalace
I have a jaded view of college, but I can back it up with observations as someone in the IT industry. My take is that what you actually learn in college is fairly useless. I started in EE and realized doing Fourier transforms and circuit diagrams was not my cup of tea. So I ended up graduating with a CS degree. I learned things here and there, but once I got my IT consulting job, I realized most of the background was either too academic or not enough. There were many things I would never have learned in college. There were many things I did learn that were useless in the real world.

So my recommendation to you is to graduate with any degree that's close enough. Doesn't matter if it's CS or EE or MIS. To an employer, it's all the same - you are a clueless college kid who will get trained. What you need to do in college is 1) graduate, 2) graduate with a decent GPA, 3) don't burn out. Employers won't ask you if you can build your own compiler, or if you know the 7 layers of networking. They will see if you have leadership experience, if you have worked in teams before, if you have done an involved project, etc.

Even better, get some internships or jobs that are somewhat related. Like doing a website for a company, or networking your uncle's small office. These things will show you have at least some view of the real world. If you have the chance, do jobs in different areas, so you can try new things out. For example, I wrote DB reports for an auditing office for a summer.

Probably the biggest misconception I think college students have is believing that their major will define exactly what types of careers they will have. It's true that it might steer you in one way or the other, but it's just a general direction. You have a ton of freedom once you get a job. And once you get your first job, people will forget what you did in college.

Make sure you look good in order to get your first job. 4-yr degrees look much better to HR folks than 2-yr degrees, as well as any certs (MCSE, etc). Actually most big companies will only hire people with 4-yr degrees. Keep a decent GPA. If you don't like your major, change it so you don't burn out (and drop GPA). I would definitely have burned out if I had stayed in EE. Taking classes you enjoy makes college a much cooler place. But also don't take 20 yrs to graduate either. Keep it reasonable. Suck it up if you only have a few credits remaining. Just remember that your college education is only useful til you get your first paycheck.

In IT, I have worked with people with the following degrees: CS, EE, MIS, MechE, CivilE, Business.... even people with English degrees, foreign relations, theology, nutrition - you name it. I can't correlate the quality of an individual with his degree in college, either.

This man speaks the truth.

good to hear, i was planing on going to a double masters business/computer science. would this be a waste?

 

[ajpa123]

A small factor would be If you have any contacts or know people who may be able to get you a job in either of those fields.
(Ideally, you should study what you want, but sometimes that's not always practical)

I say this because (in most cases) it's not what you know, and where you went to get your piece of paper, but its who you know.

Just my opinion of this 'new economy'.

AJ.

p.s. Programming and networking were 2 degree choices that have been popular recently, so i think you'll have lots of competition with new grads out there. That bis sounds good. BPR is interesting too, maybe E-strategy too.

 

[pillage2001]

Originally posted by: ajpa123
A small factor would be If you have any contacts or know people who may be able to get you a job in either of those fields.
(Ideally, you should study what you want, but sometimes that's not always practical)

I say this because (in most cases) it's not what you know, and where you went to get your piece of paper, but its who you know.

Just my opinion of this 'new economy'.

AJ.

p.s. Programming and networking were 2 degree choices that have been popular recently, so i think you'll have lots of competition with new grads out there. That bis sounds good. BPR is interesting too, maybe E-strategy too.

New grads?? have you ever thought of those people that were laid off before?? Their experience would be an advantage compared to fresh grads.

 

[ajpa123]

True,

There's tons of bright individuals out there who are hurting!
I think it stinks when people get laid off from something they are wonderful at and enjoy and get forced into doing something they dislike for half the freakin pay!

Like is stinky poopy sometimes

Oh Well..

 

[Mean MrMustard]

Originally posted by: Ranger X
Just complete your CE degree. BIS sounds like a major for computer science drop outs who want to go into sales.

Wow.