Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!

Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!

  • Congratulations Mike Lewis on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

Best degree to pair with IT degree

Status
Not open for further replies.

smk7579

Programmer
Aug 10, 2005
11
US
I have a Bachelor's in Computer Information Systems and work in the field as an "IT generalist". Based on my education and experience, I seem to have hit a glass ceiling in my career. An IT degree doesn't seem to be enough anymore and I'm looking to further my education. I really don't care to go the certification route because they have to be renewed every 5 years while a degree is for life.

Here are some options I'm considering:

1) MBA and MS in MIS
2) BS in accounting and MBA
3) BA in psychology and MBA

At the present time I'm leaning toward a BA in psychology (with a possible MBA down the line). I find the subject matter interesting and most of the electives are out of the way. I figure that it would be a nice complement to an IT degree.....how many IT workers out there also have a good understanding of people as well as technology?

I'm looking for the path with the most opportunity and security, not necessarily the potential to make the most money. Any recommendations?
 
Hi,
I would start looking at learning a foreign language or two and look into some management courses. It appears that outsourcing is here to stay and is one of the reasons that you have it a glass ceiling. I read an article somewhere a couple of months ago that stated, pretty hard in fact, that the programmer and IT guy was going to be moving back to the dark basement again so to speak. The person with the management and language skills and the IT and programming skills will be rising among the others.

So, to make a long message short, I would suggest some types of courses is foreign langauges and management to some degree.

Hope this helps and God Bless!

nb



---------------------------------------
Noble D. Bell
 
I agree with Dean on the foreign language. The USA seems to be about the only country in the world were most people don't know a second language. When I have more time, I plan on getting my Spanish back to a fluent level.

 
Mandarin would probably be a good choice of foreign language.

Chip H.


____________________________________________________________________
If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first
 
A Master's degree would give you more opportunities and security than a second undergraduate degree. You can get a Master's degree and make up and deficiencies before you start your program of study.

The most common language in the world is English and it is the language of international business. (Although knowing German may impress a German client, it would be more for your own knowledge, not a business decision. The reason: you are not going to conduct business in your non-native language that you are not fluent in and legal wouldn't allow it anyway.)
 
Since IT is a support function of Business, I think that a strong business education & background would be most beneficial. I'd go for the MBA first.
 
Something like electrical engineering would give you more insights into how comptuers really work (on the inside).
 
I just finished my Bachelors of Computer Science in Network Administration, and am going the MBA route to stay way ahead of things. At my current career level, I am still fairly entry level. I am at just over three years experience, but started that three years right out of high school (only 21 now). I figured, by the time I have my MBA, if I am still in Tech I will really be able to jump up in the tech world.

Jay, BSCS
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor

Back
Top