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Should I study business or computer science in university?

I have some background on business, my sister studied computer science and made me interested in looking into the computer science. I feel that I have equal interest in both business and computer science. #college #business #career

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Kristen’s Answer

Both of these studies are great majors to choose. You really can't go wrong with either one. A computer science degree might be more appropriate for an engineering/developer role while a business degree with a specialty in information systems can also lead to a career in technology.

It's more important what you choose after graduation that will determine where your career takes you. For instance, I have a degree in International Studies, first career was a recruiter in Human Resources and 15 years later I'm a product owner in Human Information Systems. Most notable was my on the job training and completed certifications throughout my early career to gain knowledge in specific area.

I recommend a dual major or major in one and minor in the other. An internship would greatly assist in your decision or consider job shadowing someone in the industry. Wish you luck!
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Brayden’s Answer

Like many of the above responders have said you should do what makes you feel happy and you enjoy. While these two lines of work (business and computer science) both have there own challenges, you have to ask yourself what you like about both occupations and where you want to do with your degree. In case of either degree they allow you to go so many directions so a business degree doesn't mean you have to own your own company, and a computer science degree doesn't mean you'll be writing code all day.

When I was deciding what to go to school for I sat down and looked at what jobs I could get with the degree I was seeking. To my surprise there are so many jobs that a Mechanical Engineering degree can get you, so doing a little research of the jobs you find interesting will go a long way in solidifying for decision. Regardless both are great careers and you'll find success and both.
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Alanna’s Answer

Hi there! Great combo!

Completely agree with the above response. At the end of the day it should 100% be your decision!

From personal experience, I started out as a business major and switched to industrial engineering, because, like you, I loved computer science, data management, information systems, and MATH! Now working in a business role, I very much think that having my STEM heavy background has been differentiating, both making me competitive for business roles and in adding value to the positions I do currently hold. If I were to do it all over again, I would choose engineering 100 times over.

That being said, your decision of business vs comp sci is very much dependent on what your needs / interests are. If you are more interested in pursuing a technical business role like accounting or finance, it would be really difficult to not study business. On the other hand, if you know those are two areas you don't want to put a heavy focus on, study comp sci. It is certainly a challenging major and if it's something that you love, pursue it! You can always work in the business world with practically any major, especially if you focus your internships around that industry. That is the path I led (so full disclosure - I might be a bit biased), but I am a strong believer in how much it has diversified my knowledge base and helps me bring something new to the table because I am able to think about problems differently.

Don't be afraid to explore interdisciplinary fields as well. Industrial engineering at my university included some finance courses as well as database and coding courses. Taking on a business minor to a comp sci major is always an option as well. With the intersection of business and tech being so relevant right now, there are so many universities focusing programs on how to educate students in both. Would definitely recommend you looking into those!

Good luck with everything!
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Atul’s Answer

Always make your own decision and never ask people to decide for you. Seek opinions but decide on your own. It will make you a better person.

You can combine Business and Computer degrees together by taking a degree where many Univ/colleges call it MIS (Management Information Systems) undergraduate degree which combines business focus with computer programming.

The MIS degree is easier than Computer Science or Computer Engineering. For the last two, you need good Math background. Many people can't handle it because it requires focus and analytical skills.
Thank you comment icon I completely agree with your advice. I graduated with an economics degree, but I changed from Business Economics (accounting with economics) to International Economics (global studies with economics) to finally just Economics. But because I have taken some accounting and global studies classes, I feel like I have a good mix of knowledge. In summary, pick what YOU like. It is easier to do well when you are studying a topic that you are truly passionate about. Also agree with a MIS degree, it is a good mixture of business and computer science. Alternatively you could major in one and minor in the other. David David Leung
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Krishna’s Answer

These are both wonderful majors to pursue and both will be data and math heavy. However, a computer science degree will be more arduous than a business degree given the level of technicality and knowledge necessary to succeed in that field. Given the rise in technology, computer science is very relevant and will provide a stable career with incredible growth opportunities. A business degree is much more general and you can pick a concentration in marketing, finance, accounting, etc. I recommend a management information systems major as that is a combination of computer science and business but is less technical than a full computer science major. I majored in management information systems, because I have deep passion for computer systems and interest in coding (SQL, HTML, Python), which this major allowed me to learn. It is not as intense or in depth as a computer science major but very interesting and applicable in the business world.
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Laura’s Answer

It truly depends on where your career interests lie. For most schools, you don't need to select a major until your sophomore year of college. There is the option to take general classes in both business and computer science to see which one you are more excited about. Both majors are great for the future and will help you find a job; you want to make the most out of your time in university and should truly enjoy what you are studying. There is also an option to double major in both business and computer science if you would like. Ultimately, you will make the right decision for yourself, but I believe taking some general courses in both business and computer science will help you make up your mind.
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Diana’s Answer

What a great question! The good thing is that you can have a career using degrees - however, if you prefer to start technical and move towards the business side (my recommendation), I'd suggest Computer Science. I was a Computer Information Systems major and started my management consulting career with Deloitte after graduation. With consulting, you get the best of both experiences as I started as a technical consultant working on eCommerce solutions / enterprise applications design and implementations. Over time, I moved more towards the business and management side of consulting. From my experience, many of my colleagues find it more difficult the other way around (going from non-technical role to a more technical role). Hope this helps!
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Susan’s Answer

A business education is always a great foundation for any career. Careers tend to have a technology aspect so understanding Computer Science is also a good path. Double majors, Major/Minors are a great way to explore different educational paths. Internships and job shadow opportunities are also a great way to explore work you like. Another option is taking career assessment survey. These can be offered through your school or community career counselor or even online.
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Blake’s Answer

When it comes to choosing between the two options; set a list of pros and cons for each to compare what would be more interesting to you. With a business degree you can really widen the options for jobs out of college because it is more of a generalization degree. I had a lot of friends who started with a business degree in the first year and most of the classes helped them specify what they wanted to do from there. A lot of them went on to major with finance or accounting. In the end of things you need to choose based off the level of happiness you think each could provide.
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Rebecca’s Answer

The 2 subjects are not mutually exclusive but one can supplement with one another. Computer Science is widely used in Business and Technology can give competitive edge to business. The success of a business relies heavily of Technology.
There are universities double degree courses. It may take a longer time to complete the undergraduate course. On the other hand, if you are interested in either one of the subjects, you can consider to take the one you are more interested as your major and another one as your minor.
Alternatively, you can consider to take Computer Science as major of your 1st degree and then take MBA course after graduation.
There are plenty of choices. Hope this helps! Good Luck!
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Kevyn’s Answer

Hi G.S., why not try classes in both and see which one - or maybe they both will - speaks to your passions?

Ultimately, the decision will be yours to make but like many things in life, your perception of what something may be like could be different than reality, so it's important to be willing to explore and try things out - don't be afraid!

I can remember when I thought about studying computer science - back then, it seemed like "everyone" was saying they were following that path...but what did it even mean? I was reluctant at first to go down that road because it seemed like so many others were too...luckily, I didn't let that stop me and I found an area that really spoke to me and my interests - and the rest is history!

Kevyn recommends the following next steps:

Take a business related course
Take a computer science related course
See which - or both - resonate strongly with you!
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Nitsan’s Answer

As been said before - totally depends on your end goal.
My advice - If you enjoy business and CS, and want to have a career which is somehow in between, toy can get a bachelor in CS, and then an MBA. This is a very good path to achieve this goal.
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Matt’s Answer

You should study the subject(s) about which you have the most curiosity and intellectual interest. Universities are not professional schools--they are not training for jobs. Rather, they are environments for learning. Study what you love. You will be in university for four years (even if you go to Grad school, the experience is quite different) whereas you will work for roughly 10x as long. Take complete advantage of those four years.
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Simeon’s Answer

I would go with a business degree if I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with a computer science degree. It's fairly straightforward to teach yourself coding and computer skills. It's a lot easier to prove to a recruiter that you're capable of doing computer science tasks without the degree than convincing someone in a business field that you don't need the finance/marketing/accounting degree. For computer science, you list which computer languages you are proficient with and can build a portfolio of programs that you've made.
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Deepak’s Answer

As Alanna mentioned, both subjects are good ones to make a career out of, and future employment trends in careers in Computer Science and Business are good, so you can't go wrong, whichever path you choose. A lot of folks do a technical degree in their Bachelor's, work for a few years, and then do their MBA.

Also, keep in mind that nothing stops you from switching majors once you're in College. A majority of college students switch their major at least once in College: https://borderzine.com/2013/03/college-students-tend-to-change-majors-when-they-find-the-one-they-really-love/#:~:text=About%2080%20percent%20of%20students,course%20of%20their%20college%20career.

Personally, I wanted to do Medicine, and went undecided in my first semester in College, so that I could research the best path to a Medical career. Unfortunately, it didn't work due to the expense, so I moved to Electrical Engineering. I found EE too stifling in terms of the level of intensity of the courses, and the fact that there were not a sufficient level of electives in other subjects (I actually enjoy liberal arts subjects), so I switched to Computer Science, and also did my Master's in this subject, and have made it my career. I know of some students, who didn't enjoy Computer Science, and switched to Business in their Bachelor's.

You've already gone a long way in identifying what you might want to do. If you have the time, you may want to just audit one or two introductory programming/Computer Science courses on Coursera, EdX etc. Do the same with some introductory business courses. It may help you with which major to choose.

Wish you all the very best!
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