Picking a University Course

[Samwell]

I need to try and pick a University course and with all of the options I think I need some help. 

 

I've enjoyed playing with computers for many years so it's pretty obvious to me that the course is going to something with computers. However trying to pick the course is proving to be a bit more challenging than I thought. Some Universities (Here in the UK) offer only Computer Science. At first I though I'd just pick that one, however reading more into it I'm not as sure about it. Reading what people have written who are in or who have done the CS course it seems it's mostly maths and programming. I can do maths, I don't find it that interesting but I can do it (I'm doing it as an A level). Programming is better, it's not something I'd do as a passtime but it's pretty enjoyable. 

 

What I actually like doing is messing with networks. Building networks, servers, computers, making them work together etc. So that lead me into thinking maybe something to do with network security and/or computer forensics. (I'll say now, I realise anything to do with computers is going to have maths. I have no problem with that). Now comes the part where it's 'which course is what'. Reading about the CS course, you seem to do the first 2 years as a general 'look at everything'. Then you pick what you want in the last 1/2 years. Does that mean for me I'd take CS then specialise in networks and security? Come Universities seem to offer computer science with things like 'Security and Resilience' tagged on the end in brackets. Is that CS with them picking out the specific modules for security and resilience? There is an Informatics course that looks quite interesting but I don't know how useful that would be.

 

I'm not entirely sure what I want to do when I leave University. I know that I'm not interested in the research of Computer Science (people say CS is supposed to prep you for research, not a job in the 'real world' (If you get what I mean)). Computer Forensics, IT consultant, Admin, Network Architect, IT manager, they all sound quite interesting. However I don't want to limit myself with the course I pick. IT comes up in that list but I don't know if that's what I should get a degree in. Some Universities don't even offer it (which has put me off it). I haven't ruled out being a programmer as a job. Maybe a new field will open up and I might want to hop in, I don't know. I understand it's not a one shot doo but I think it'd be beneficial to get it right first time.

 

To me it seems like to get a degree in CS, you should like maths, love programming and want a career in software engineering etc. That could be me but I think I want to try networks/security. So then I have other questions like, for a career in network security, should you pick a specific 'computer forensics' course or will employers see CS as the same thing?

 

I think it boils down to: I'm interested in computer networks, which course should I pick that will cover them without limiting my options for after University. 

 

Some I have found: Computer Science with Security and Forensics

Computer Networks and Cyber Security

Computer Science with distributed systems

[slanensis]

7 minutes ago, Samwell said:

I need to try and pick a University course and with all of the options I think I need some help. 

 

I've enjoyed playing with computers for many years so it's pretty obvious to me that the course is going to something with computers. However trying to pick the course is proving to be a bit more challenging than I thought. Some Universities (Here in the UK) offer only Computer Science. At first I though I'd just pick that one, however reading more into it I'm not as sure about it. Reading what people have written who are in or who have done the CS course it seems it's mostly maths and programming. I can do maths, I don't find it that interesting but I can do it (I'm doing it as an A level). Programming is better, it's not something I'd do as a passtime but it's pretty enjoyable. 

 

What I actually like doing is messing with networks. Building networks, servers, computers, making them work together etc. So that lead me into thinking maybe something to do with network security and/or computer forensics. (I'll say now, I realise anything to do with computers is going to have maths. I have no problem with that). Now comes the part where it's 'which course is what'. Reading about the CS course, you seem to do the first 2 years as a general 'look at everything'. Then you pick what you want in the last 1/2 years. Does that mean for me I'd take CS then specialise in networks and security? Come Universities seem to offer computer science with things like 'Security and Resilience' tagged on the end in brackets. Is that CS with them picking out the specific modules for security and resilience? There is an Informatics course that looks quite interesting but I don't know how useful that would be.

 

I'm not entirely sure what I want to do when I leave University. I know that I'm not interested in the research of Computer Science (people say CS is supposed to prep you for research, not a job in the 'real world' (If you get what I mean)). Computer Forensics, IT consultant, Admin, Network Architect, IT manager, they all sound quite interesting. However I don't want to limit myself with the course I pick. IT comes up in that list but I don't know if that's what I should get a degree in. Some Universities don't even offer it (which has put me off it). I haven't ruled out being a programmer as a job. Maybe a new field will open up and I might want to hop in, I don't know. I understand it's not a one shot doo but I think it'd be beneficial to get it right first time.

 

To me it seems like to get a degree in CS, you should like maths, love programming and want a career in software engineering etc. That could be me but I think I want to try networks/security. So then I have other questions like, for a career in network security, should you pick a specific 'computer forensics' course or will employers see CS as the same thing?

 

I think it boils down to: I'm interested in computer networks, which course should I pick that will cover them without limiting my options for after University. 

 

Some I have found: Computer Science with Security and Forensics

Computer Networks and Cyber Security

Computer Science with distributed systems

 

If you would like to focus on server and infrastructure security, then I would suggest taking CS and penetration testing (aka hacking, aka finding loopholes on systems and exploiting them, for a certain cause.