Anyone a CIS major?

[Q]

Trying to decide what to major in and I like computers, obviously but don't want to program (heavily) and was wondering what your experiences were, what you do at your company, how you like it, and how you liked your college courses in this subj.

Any info would be great, thanks!

PS. What would a good minor be w/ CIS?

 

[gamepad]

Isn't a CIS degree geared more towards management? I may be wrong.

 

[Q]

Originally posted by: gamepad
Isn't a CIS degree geared more towards management? I may be wrong.

Fine with me, kind of what I prefer

 

[Auryg]

Originally posted by: gamepad
Isn't a CIS degree geared more towards management? I may be wrong.

Not at my school (St. Scholastica, Duluth MN).

Basically, for my school at least, CIS is a more "practical" CS. By practical I mean you'll get a broader education (for instance, i took a networking, security, and javascript/php class this semester alone, AI next semester, I took a mobile java course, etc). What they take out to make room for this is the math - although we're still required to take discrete math.

I really like it. I learn stuff that I can apply right away, and that makes it actually interesting. School's never been hard for me so I can't comment on difficulty. And no, I didn't say that to brag, I just am really good at taking tests. Suck on homework though

 

[knawlejj]

Im going into CIS (currently a sohomore in college). Basically Auryg above me described what CIS invovles, with a bit of Business/Accounting classes mixed in.

Im going for CIS Major, and probably a Business Minor if not Major.

 

[Analog]

We have a CIS degree and CNS (Computer Network Systems). CIS is generally for those who can't hack CNS, which is more hardware oriented.

 

[QurazyQuisp]

Do what I'm doing! Go for Computer Science and a business major... More knowledge in both areas combined with two B.S. degrees when I finished. I'm finishing in a total of 5 years instead of 4, so not too bad.

I do plan after 5-6 years working to get my MBA. I've also considered Grad School for CompSci, but I'm not sure...

 

[Q]

Originally posted by: QurazyQuisp
Do what I'm doing! Go for Computer Science and a business major... More knowledge in both areas combined with two B.S. degrees when I finished. I'm finishing in a total of 5 years instead of 4, so not too bad.

I do plan after 5-6 years working to get my MBA. I've also considered Grad School for CompSci, but I'm not sure...

Heh one reason I veered away from business is b/c of Econ

Too much school for me. I don't want to program (too much) which is why I'd like CIS I believe.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: QurazyQuisp
Do what I'm doing! Go for Computer Science and a business major... More knowledge in both areas combined with two B.S. degrees when I finished. I'm finishing in a total of 5 years instead of 4, so not too bad.

I do plan after 5-6 years working to get my MBA. I've also considered Grad School for CompSci, but I'm not sure...

You should skip two undergraduate degrees and go for a Masters right away.

 

[manlymatt83]

Is the CIS major popularity increasing again?

 

[fishmonger12]

Originally posted by: QurazyQuisp
Do what I'm doing! Go for Computer Science and a business major... More knowledge in both areas combined with two B.S. degrees when I finished. I'm finishing in a total of 5 years instead of 4, so not too bad.

I do plan after 5-6 years working to get my MBA. I've also considered Grad School for CompSci, but I'm not sure...

Economics != Business

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: QurazyQuisp
Do what I'm doing! Go for Computer Science and a business major... More knowledge in both areas combined with two B.S. degrees when I finished. I'm finishing in a total of 5 years instead of 4, so not too bad.

I do plan after 5-6 years working to get my MBA. I've also considered Grad School for CompSci, but I'm not sure...

You should skip two undergraduate degrees and go for a Masters right away.

Agreed.

I also agree with someone else that posted that a CIS degree is sort of meh. You would be much better off with a CS degree. CIS is database management, the boring aspect of IT. And don't say I am over-simplifying or ignorant on the matter. If you want to do business, then aim for middle management at a software or hardware company.

Get a solid engineering degree and an MBA and you are set.

Edit: As a side note, the University of Texas at Austin has a program called ERB (Engineering Route to Business). It is a great launching pad for an MBA program.

 

[Q]

Originally posted by: mjuszczak
Is the CIS major popularity increasing again?

huh

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: Safeway

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: QurazyQuisp
Do what I'm doing! Go for Computer Science and a business major... More knowledge in both areas combined with two B.S. degrees when I finished. I'm finishing in a total of 5 years instead of 4, so not too bad.

I do plan after 5-6 years working to get my MBA. I've also considered Grad School for CompSci, but I'm not sure...

You should skip two undergraduate degrees and go for a Masters right away.

Agreed.

I also agree with someone else that posted that a CIS degree is sort of meh. You would be much better off with a CS degree. CIS is database management, the boring aspect of IT. And don't say I am over-simplifying or ignorant on the matter. If you want to do business, then aim for middle management at a software or hardware company.

Get a solid engineering degree and an MBA and you are set.

Edit: As a side note, the University of Texas at Austin has a program called ERB (Engineering Route to Business). It is a great launching pad for an MBA program.

Yup. Solid engineering degree is the way to go. And that's what I always push people to do EECS when possible, or EE, and take some software stuff. Honestly, software can be picked up in no time, and if you're talking about programming which CIS is heavily into, then that's not even class-worthy. Work a bit, and then get that MBA. You don't need an MBA immediately. Hell grad school for engineering might be good too... an MS is always nice. 1 - 1.5 years is definitely doable.

 

[Q]

Sure engineering is the way to go, but it's extremely hard.

I still can't decide whether to do CIS or Marketing. I lean to marketing since I can get a MS at my University in one year, but not sure if I will enjoy the classes. Plus marketing seems like it is easier to advance up while CIS doesn't seem that way (to an extent)

I just want to find something I enjoy

 

[ICRS]

A decent CIS program should require atleast 1 years of calculus, and this should be the same calculus taken by math or engineering majors.

 

[Imdmn04]

Call me old fashioned, but I don't believe all of this CIS, CNS stuff.

In my book, there is Computer Science, and there is Computer Engineering/Electrical Engineering. If you want something that applies to the business, take MIS from the Business School.

You look at schools with top 10 CS/CE programs, how many of those also have CIS/CNS programs? I just don't think CIS/CNS are as recognized in the working world as the traditional degrees.

 

[Q]

Are there any MS's that can be obtained from a CIS major?

 

[JasonK]

CIS major here, at our school there were 4 tracks, Telecom, Db, Web design, and programming. I chose telecom. MS's that are usually obtained were IT auditor, security, etc..

 

[ultimatebob]

I was a CIS major, and ended up becoming a UNIX and Windows Systems Administrator. My course load had a lot of programming, database, and project management coursework as well, but I never liked programming and avoided taking a job that required it.

I wouldn't recommend CS unless you REALLY want to be a hard core systems programmer, which it sounds like you're not interested in. Besides, I wouldn't want to go into programming right now anyway, since many of those jobs are being outsourced overseas.

A minor for most CIS courses would be business or finance/accounting. You'll be taking a lot of those courses for your CIS degree anyway.

 

[Q]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
A minor for most CIS courses would be business or finance/accounting. You'll be taking a lot of those courses for your CIS degree anyway.

After dong some thinking, I think Marketing is the best way for me to go. I feel that CIS is too...focused? job wise and I want to have a wide range of opportunities when I graduate...plus I can get an MS as well.

Thanks for all the info everyone

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
Besides, I wouldn't want to go into programming right now anyway, since many of those jobs are being outsourced overseas.

I disagree with this because from what I can see, the demand for programmers in the US is higher than ever.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: Quintox

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
A minor for most CIS courses would be business or finance/accounting. You'll be taking a lot of those courses for your CIS degree anyway.

After dong some thinking, I think Marketing is the best way for me to go. I feel that CIS is too...focused? job wise and I want to have a wide range of opportunities when I graduate...plus I can get an MS as well.

Thanks for all the info everyone

In your first year, you'll probably have a lot of broad classes anyway, lots of prereq's. I would find a combination that lets you go with either degree choice after your first year, and fills as many requirements from each side as possible.

Also, nothing about you, but any major you choose, will require hard work. They will all boil down to learning new concepts, and so don't let econ or math classes scare you. If that's all that's holding you back from getting a better degree, find a tutor or someone to help you with those classes.

 

[Q]

LOL I said DONG!

OK, in all seriousness, I just feel that Marketing is the better choice since it's so much more broad and gives me the choice to go into practically any company once I graduate, since EVERY company has to market something to the consumers.

 

[SunnyD]

I have an AS in CIS... pretty generic courses... everything from how to use a computer, business apps, and a fairly heavy dose of programming (Assembler, C/C++, Pascal, Cobol). Of course it was an AS, so they were expecting you to transfer to a 4-year BSCS degree anyway (Which I did).