BA in CS vs. BALS w/ CS Concentration

[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.