Bachelor Degree (BCIS)

[Max187Boucher]

Hello Everyone,

I am currently looking into what i should study for, I want to have a career that has to do with computers.
Something i would like to do for example would be, Programming (Software mostly or Games), Network Administrator, Network Security. Another example of what i would like to do is a bank "Network Administrator" (not sure if that is the right Profession/Career Name) or any med-big company.

I would like feedback about if BCIS is the right degree for me or what kind of careers will i be looking at with this degree?
Also if CIS diploma would be good enough to get in a good career or if i should do the full BCIS Bachelor Degree

Thanks for taking the time to read my post!

See all Courses i can choose from

More Information About The Degree:

The Bachelor of Computer Information Systems (BCIS) is an eight-semester, five-course-per-semester, degree program, designed to provide you with in-depth information necessary to use computing within an organization or business.
The first two years of the degree are identical to those of the Computer Information Systems (CIS) diploma when you take the program in this school.
The final two years give the student the opportunity to look at selected topics in more detail.

[InvisibleDuncan]

I think this is something that's likely to vary by location. I would be inclined to look at job advertisements in the area you want to work in, and see what they're asking for. You'll often see a list of minimum qualifications - check whether the course you're looking at makes regular appearances in those lists.

[techgnome]

Talk to a counselor... CIS degrees tend to be quite broad in scope. So if there is a specific line you want to get into, look deeper. When I was looking at degrees a number of years ago, there was CIS, MIS, BIS, and more... when I talked to the counselor at the college I was looking at, I found the differences: CIS was broad, but focused more on servers, networks, and infrastructure. MIS - Management Information Systems -- basically it was a management degree with a concentration on technology... for those who want to be CTO or CIO some day. BIS - Business Information Systems - this was the programming degree. Working with business users to get requirements then designing and developing applications.

And that was close to 15 years ago. I'm sure that today it's even more fractured. In fact, now that I am in a position to go back to school and finally get my degree... I'm not even considering a programming or computers degree any more. I'll actually be looking to get some thing called a Discovery Informics degree. It's a cross-disciplinary degree that includes computers, math, and even psychology. It's basically a degree in data mining... processing high-volume data at high-speeds looking for data and patterns and then extracting them. It's something I already do in my job (to some extent) ... this would allow me to do it even better.

While Duncan's idea of looking at the local adverts can help... unless you're going to stay in the local area, it may or may not be a good indicator. Also consider, that's what they are looking for NOW... 4 years from now, it maybe different. Also, some of those if not most are written by HR who often don't know what degree to ask for. I can't begin to count the number of "computer degree or related field" ads I've seen.

Something else to consider... dual degrees. Major in computer programming, while minoring in something in business or other area of interest - like if you want to do games, I'd look at a fine arts or a graphic design minor). OR vice verse... major in graphics while minoring in computers. Those options could open doors to other opportunities besides games too... like computer animation.

One more thing to consider is the reputation of the college/university ... not all schools are created equal. Some are considered "better" overall (think Yale, Harvard, Oxford) ... while others are considered better in certain fields - New York College of Fine Arts probably isn't going to have a strong computers department (if they even have one at all) while MIT probably isn't going to be giving out ballet scholarships any time soon.

Bottom line, I'd first take a look at what you really want to do... as a network admin, odds are you may not do a whole lot of programming (but you'll probably get to learn a lot of scripting) but as a developer, you won't be doing much cable pulling either. And talk to the counselors at the college/university... you don't even need to be a student there. Just tell them that you're trying to consider where to go, and that you want to talk about the different programs they have (be sure to mention which ones, some counselors will know more about certain degrees than others) and help to decide which might be the best fit. -- and I would look/talk to several... at least 2 or 3... the CIS at one maybe different from the CIS at another, and exactly like the BIS of yet another one as well.

-tg

[Max187Boucher]

Duncan thank you.
I did look a bit at ads for jobs and stuff but if i take the degree its 3-4years so like techgnome said it might change in 4 years, but they will still need network administrator etc... The thing is i am currently doing a hard job and getting decent money but i would like to have a profession that is a bit easier and make more money for me and my family. I drive crane trucks, delivering drywall which is not the highest paying job and i like working with computers more than anything else. I am not 100% sure of what i want to do yet.

Techgnome thank you.
I have an appointement with an advisor next week the only problem is i did not finish my school (high school) so i might have to finish that first which wont take more than a year. But i will ask the consellor what kind of jobs, how much will it pay and all the information about the course. There is just a diploma i could make(2 years) but i would like to have the degree. Also i think people thT are working in the computer field should know what is good to have, thats qhy i posted in here. All the information i can get is good for me. I learned vb6 on my own and i think i did a good job and i liked it so thats why maybe programming i would like but when i look for those jobs it does not (looks like) pay thAt much compared to a network administrator or project manager and other computer jobs. B

Thanks guys if you think about more information let me know. Next wednesday 26 oct) is my appointement with consellir i will see what they say but i think learning from you guys is also very valuable to me

[techgnome]

"but when i look for those jobs it does not (looks like) pay thAt much compared to a network administrator or project manager and other computer jobs."
That doesn't surprise me... at the entry level, coders are a dime a dozen and it takes time to climb up through the ranks. My opinion (and it's jsut that) is that there is less upward mobility in the hardware side of thigns. For some people that's fine. Something you may want to consider is seeing if your company has an IT shop of some kind, see if there's a way you could do bits here and there to help out and maybe get your foot in the door. I used to work for a construction company, the IT department was fairly sizable. You could also try a vocational or technical college... where you could get a certificate, or an Associate's degree.

-tg

[Max187Boucher]

thanks techgnome for the replies.

my company (my branch anyway) barely use computers or know how to use computer so i did help them a bit here and there, but the thing is my company branch in this city likes to do all manually so it is a no go for that

I would not mind fixing computers and such i like to do that but i would like my degree so i have it to back me up when i apply for good jobs. I would also like to have experience, not only on my own computer but at this time it is not the case. sorry if i'm wrong but you suggest me taking IT instead? i do not know EVERYTHING about fixing computers of course but i have a good idea on how to do it, i have built and fixed some computers, and still do once in a while. What i like would be doing a job that pays a bit more $$, sorry again if i'm wrong maybe IT would get me better jobs i do not know, but i will talk to advisor and see what options i have then i can let you know what they said and what i think.

My plan (right now) is to get ready for next year (hopefully) i am just saving money and doing that kind of stuff right now, and learning vb6 on the side which i am getting pretty familiar with. but I know vb6 is kind of dead for job opportunity, I was thinking learning more vb.net/C# just to give me a little head start in the programming. What i would like to do as I said in my first post (what looks interesting) is network administrator/security, but i do not have a server of 100 computers in my house i have a laptop and a wireless router, this does not give me a head start at all but since i'm good with computer i think i could learn easily. Only problem since i've been out of school would be mathematics.

To be realistic i want to have many job opportunities not only one, that is why i thought the bachelor degree would be alot better than having the IT or IS or CIS diploma. I will take in consideration what you told me about the schools (which ones are better than others) and i will ask for sure about this to advisor (hopefully i get a good one).

Also with my degree in the future (possibly, maybe) i would like to open my own network/computer fixing business (after some years experience). but for now i will try to do one step at a time. The reason why i posted here is people like you (and others) have jobs in this departement already so it is good to hear from you what you think (not that i will follow 100%) but the more information i get the better idea of jobs or future career i will have.

All i want is getting good pay with work i like to do!! Not having to work 10 times harder to get less $$ when i know a lot in computers (easier work)

I am still young (25), but getting older pretty quick so i think it is time for me to move on and study a bit before its too late