BA in CS vs. BALS w/ CS Concentration

[CarpeDiem8]

Also a lot of support jobs WILL be phased out by AI, it's not a matter of IF, its a matter of WHEN so unless you are like 45+ look into being more skilled than just support.

Hey armstrongsubhero!

Thanks so much for your thoughtful post! I agree with everything you have shared and echo it firmly. 

However, I am 45, and a late bloomer adoptive mom. Already have had lots of past experience working in management and then had our own web development company with my husband for 15 years. The pressure is shifted now to ensuring our child is a good human while working remotely in tech support, so this chapter in my life is entirely different than my 20's and 30's. 

My husband is a senior software engineer / web developer (autodidact, no degree), so I know what it takes to be really good at his job and I have ZERO desire, in fact, less, knowing what I know of his job. LOL! I've had loads of opportunity to learn along with him and just don't want to. Light coding is about as far I want to take it and that's where support engineering comes in. This bridges your argument that AI is taking over a lot of the tasks that support has done in the past (such as, "where is my order?") and is leveling up the support profession. Does that make sense? While I see the value in a CS degree, I just don't see me doing much with it. Aside from the fact that Discrete Math and Calc would probably kill me. LOL

Thanks again!

[armstrongsubero]

@CarpeDiem8 ahhhh you're in a very favorable position. At your age and place in life, honeslty it won't matter what you do!

If I were you I would finsih comm or business. At this stage the degree is more about 'personal fulfilment' than employment.

Do whichever one you enjoy doing most!

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And you are right, AI is levelling up the support profession! But at this stage in your career you'll be mostly safe...

[CarpeDiem8]

But at this stage in your career you'll be mostly safe...

Right, exactly.

I wanted to share that, with so many jobs now requiring degrees and with the change with Study.com now having all the CS courses, my hubby will be looking to get the BA in CS from TESU to check that box for him. He's had NO problem getting jobs with his extensive experience and is very much in demand, gets promotions, etc. but maybe at some point he will need to look at a master's so getting the BACS is the first step. I told him he'd probably be done before me. LOL! This BACS is such a super opportunity and I have been bookmarking all your threads, thanks so much for them!

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I decided on the business side of things a few months ago, and I must say, it's an easier run, I feel less pressure to keep up with all the buzz words and hype and my life feels more relaxed. It also gives you the freedom to learn the technology you want to learn rather than what you must learn.

Also, this is a great point - I've seen this with the changes in his profession. Between all the AWS certs and all the different languages, his job has so much more pressure in terms of having to learn, all the time. He loves what he does, but he works all day then comes home and has to work on side projects as well to either keep the portfolio fresh or take a new cert, etc. It's literally all-consuming.

[Merlin]

Get the computer science degree, it is the Gold Standard tech degree. IT, IS, ICT, CIS and BSBA in CIS are just wasting time.

If you need the "IT" knowledge, then you can always get certs Net+, CISCO, CEH, CISSP, CISM etc. You may regret not doing the CS degree if you do anything less.

While you make a lot of good points, I don't agree with all of this. Yes, CS is the "gold standard" degree for people who want to work in computer science, but that doesn't apply unilaterally across all of technology, or even information technology. A degree isn't even needed in a lot of tech fields, and where they do require degrees, a CS degree is just as good as many other related degrees. The only place a CS degree is really required is for research jobs in computer science. Most people will work in applied technology where any reasonably close degree will generally work. Getting other degrees is certainly NOT a waste of time. Some degrees are more appropriate for different types of technical disciplines.

For a software developer, a degree in Software Development or Software Engineering is just as good as a CS degree, if you have a degree at all. A BSCIA is seen as superior to a CS degree for people working in networking and information security. For someone working in data science, a BSIS or data analytics degree may be looked at more favorably than a CS degree. For someone working in hardware engineering, an EE degree is superior to a CS degree (though an EE/CS is ideal). For someone working in IT operations, a BSIT or BSIS/CIS degree is seen as equivalent or often superior to a generic CS degree. Though really, most IT hiring managers are more interested in technology-specific certifications, such as those you mention above, rather than any specific college degree. There are many other examples of where a CS degree isn't really a blanket win for tech roles.

For someone who has an interest in management level roles in IT, a technical degree combined with a business degree is never a bad idea (particularly a combination of like a CS or IT degree plus an MBA or a BSBA with an MSCS/MSDA/MSIT). Though a combined degree like a BS in IT Management or a BSBA CIS may also be well received depending on the type of work you do or the position you're looking for.

Either way, I don't think it is a good idea to suggest that any single degree is the best degree for anyone in technology since it just isn't true. It doesn't hurt to have a CS degree by any means, but it isn't the gold standard in tech either. At least not here in Silicon Valley.

[davewill]

I haven't got as clear a picture as I'd like what career the OP is trying to target. I do know that technical managers who have CS, EE or Comp Eng degrees are highly sought after, even if they do not necessarily have engineering experience. The emphasis on web technologies made me think of the WGU Software Development degree as a possibility. Otherwise, I'd be inclined to go with a BSBA-CIS. If a technical degree is just not their cup of tea, then maybe the Communications degree, and look to add a NanoDegree or such in web development later.

I wish I could recommend the BALS in CS, but I think it would be hard to sell that one to prospective employers, although it would certainly check the box if that's all they want/need to do.

[armstrongsubero]

@merlin I did say a degree isnt required for most jobs.

The reason why I say its gold standard is because of its versatility.

You want to work in web dev? a CS degree or web dev degree or none will work there.

Want to work in data science? A data analytics degree or math or cs degree and/or short course will work there.

Want to work in cyber security? A cybersecurity degree or cs degree and a CEH will get you the job.

Want to work in IoT or embedded systems? An EE degree or CS degree will get you in the door.

Want to work in IT or Dev Ops? An IT degree or CS degree with CCNA and a few certs will get you in the door.

Want to work in game or app developement? A software engineering degree or software development/game development or CS degree will get you in the door.

No other degree can be applied across as many domains within technology.

If you're already in a role or are 100% sure, then a specific IT or Cyber security degree or whatever will be best, however most people in college don't know what exactly what they want to do cant go wrong with CS. It is the most applied. CS in tech is like Mechanical Engineering in engineering. Its the degree you do if you dont have a fixed path.

Oh I know you have experince in Silicon Valley, but I regularly speak to persons in China, Japan, the Philippines and of course here in the caribbean as well as the UK, Canada and the US, a lot of who are into hiring because I didnt know what country I was going too up to last year, so I was asking around and it seems that anywhere you go CS is most applicable and provides the most opportunities.

Of course in something like embedded systems especially applications engineering an EE degree is more applicable and is best, but as a hiring manager I think I would choose the guy with CS over one with IT.

If you didnt get the embedded job, then you with CS can always transition into dev ops easier than say someone with an IT degree looking to get into embedded systems development.

I repspect your experience in tech. But I still hold my view that if you want to work in tech CS is the best choice.

[CarpeDiem8]

I haven't got as clear a picture as I'd like what career the OP is trying to target. 

Hi Dave! Thanks for your reply!

Great question! I thought perhaps sharing an example for an entry-level support engineer job may help illuminate the picture. I'm *sure* you are familiar with Wordpress (run by Automattic), so their support jobs are a great example:

https://automattic.com/work-with-us/happiness-engineer/

It isn't the entire picture, but it is my understanding that communicating clearly and effectively is an absolute must, then having some web development experience comes in 2nd. A degree is not required. The job is remote (which I need to retain for my son).

I am currently a senior / lead help desk rep, working remotely, and I love everything that goes along with being a lead, just do not want to manage people directly (been there, done that). I am not involved in IT nor networking or anything else that may conjure up typical "help desk" images. I help folks navigate websites, application or web based systems, SaaS, etc. The future for remote support jobs on a whole that I have seen are growing in a direction that you must have some knowledge of basic/intermediate web development, depending on the job (bc of AI). I already have a Help Desk Analyst certificate from a university.

I hope that helps! Thanks again for your insight!!!

[sanantone]

I haven't got as clear a picture as I'd like what career the OP is trying to target. 

Hi Dave! Thanks for your reply!

Great question! I thought perhaps sharing an example for an entry-level support engineer job may help illuminate the picture. I'm *sure* you are familiar with Wordpress (run by Automattic), so their support jobs are a great example:

https://automattic.com/work-with-us/happiness-engineer/

It isn't the entire picture, but it is my understanding that communicating clearly and effectively is an absolute must, then having some web development experience comes in 2nd. A degree is not required. The job is remote (which I need to retain for my son).

I am currently a senior / lead help desk rep, working remotely, and I love everything that goes along with being a lead, just do not want to manage people directly (been there, done that). I am not involved in IT nor networking or anything else that may conjure up typical "help desk" images. I help folks navigate websites, application or web based systems, SaaS, etc. The future for remote support jobs on a whole that I have seen are growing in a direction that you must have some knowledge of basic/intermediate web development, depending on the job (bc of AI). I already have a Help Desk Analyst certificate from a university.

I hope that helps! Thanks again for your insight!!!

Hmmm. I don't think one needs a communications degree to be good at customer service. Now, there are two fields sort of related to this job: user experience and user interface. In addition to your typical tech degrees, these jobs also desire degrees in human factors and cognitive psychology.

[davewill]

Interesting. The job as they state it wouldn't appear to need a degree at all, which means you could really choose almost anything. I'll go back the idea of finishing your Comm degree, then adding some web knowledge through a nanodegree or some such. It also sounds like maintaining a blog or other sort of web presence that shows that you know how to both communicate in writing and do web site building would be very helpful.

[armstrongsubero]

@sanatone while I agree with you on the psychology, part the OP's job isn't designing UIs or UXs (which along with HCI a degree is not necessary AT ALL), I had such a role already, its all about knowing your way around the CMS and giving instructions and a lot of listening (and patience!) She'll be communicating with customers so comm isnt bad at all.

Also TESU dosent have a degree in HCI or UI or UX design. Based on the choices she has Comm isn't too bad. But psychology will be a better fit.

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@davewill you are on point! I was thinking the exact same thing.

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@CarpeDiem8 Communications is your best choice and as a second choice psychology