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What did you have for an undergraduate major as Computer Science/Database admin?

Computer Science student and database administrator

computer-science information-technology
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Nick’s Answer

Hi Helene! I studied Computer Science and have been a software Engineer for 15 years. Along the way, I've worked with other Software Engineers with Math, Physics, Chemistry, Information Technology and English degrees. I've also worked with plenty of people with no degree at all.

A Database Admin is a specialized role, however it's becoming common practice for Software Engineers/Devs to take on many of the aspects that DB Admins once did.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Nick! Helene
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Elliot’s Answer

It can be anything Helene. I know music majors who became coders, physics majors who became computer scientists, and business undergrads who became data scientists. It all comes down to when you decide to go into it and of course really buckle down and get serious about it. Maybe what you are studying has something to do with computing, maybe not. Maybe you have a computing background from earlier days, maybe not. I think that its kind of cool that you can decide to go into it later as a completely new career if desired. Optimally, if we know in High School (or earlier) that we want to be computing professionals, then we can start then and learn basics in High School (some High Schools have amazing computer classes now) and then study technology and CS or Data Science in college and then even proceed on to a Masters in the same. There are opportunities abounding at various levels as we all know. The sooner we know we want to do it, the sooner the fun can begin! Good luck.
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Wilson’s Answer

Computer Information Systems. However, I took the Cybersecurity route instead of the Database Admin route.

Database Admin was one of the positions I wanted to go for, but I didn't get accepted to many of the jobs I was applying for.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, this is really helpful. Helene
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Fred’s Answer

My undergraduate degree (in fact, my only degree) is in Theatre. I have worked in software development for almost 25 years.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for taking the time to help. Helene
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Mark’s Answer

A good question! My degree is a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with Databases and Networking as minors. What you'll find is that as others have mentioned, you will find people of all different backgrounds doing Computer Science and Database related jobs! The Database skills you can learn will help you with all sorts of problems inside and out of the IT world. Learning how to organize and store data, how data is related, and what you need to know about a specific instance of data are all great skills that I have used throughout my career, which spans Networking, Quality Assurance, and Cloud Computing. Best of luck!
Thank you comment icon You rock! This advice is very helpful. Helene
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Eric’s Answer

The two degrees people pursue are the Computer Science degree and the Information Technology degree. The differences between the two are one designs and develops (Computer Science) and the other maintains (Information Technology). Another career field choice is Database administration in which either degree earned will get you the job. The requirements for each degree is listed in the catalog at the college website.
Once you register for college, find a counselor who will help guide you through to attain the degree of your choice. I wish you well in your academic studies.
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Stuart’s Answer

Great Question! I currently run a Data Science Organization for a telecommunications company. My undergraduate is a BS Data Management & Data Analytics from WGU. Going through that program as a current professional in a company really filled gaps in knowledge base I didn't realize I had. I feel like you can do that without going through a new 4 year program with leveraging certification programs. There are several things people value in DB Admin world. Data Domain expertise is equally important as quality assurance skills such as SSIS. The two most important skills a person can have in the computer science or data science space are the ability computationally think & interpersonal skills. Good Luck!
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much, Stuart! Helene
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Neera’s Answer

Hello Helene, I studied Computer Science at UMD. I graduated in 1983 and I was recruited by IBM right from school a couple of months prior to graduating. My first job with IBM was in Boca Raton Florida, so I moved down there November 1983. In a few weeks, I will have completed 40 years with IBM. I suggest you get your foundational education in Computer Science which will give you the building blocks to learn "how to learn"; If you focus on a specific field in College like DB Administration, then you lock yourself in that area and label yourself forever. I have continually re-invented myself and stepped into assignments just because someone saw potential in me and I was willing to try and learn and grow. That mindset of trying different things has led me to accomplish this 40 year career where I feel very fulfilled and rich from all that I learned --- I traveled the world with IBM, I tried my hand at multiple different industries, multiple different roles, numerous organizations. I work with a Global team and I am so impressed by work style and learning their culture. Amazing !
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