Value of a Computer Information Systems degree
I've been considering going back to school and taking some courses that are available to me. With the associates that I already have, I was weighing the options that I have available to me. Computer Science is a classic and could probably get me very far with the "need a piece of paper" folks, but it's more software development than I have a passion for, compared to my troubleshooting, find a problem, solve a problem desires. Cybersecurity is probably going to be more dependent on certs than anything I can learn in a class, especially if it's ever evolving and a degree can be outmoded very quickly. Computer Information Systems sort of has my attention because it seems like an IT based degree with elements of a business setup and not as laser focused on coding. With the courses that I currently have under my belt, it would be more for CIS than it would be for CS, but more CLEP and ACE options so it about evens out.
Does Computer Information Systems hold any water in any of your opinions to what Computer Science has to offer? Or is it somewhat arbitrary anyway?
Yeah, I agree the CS curriculum is likely more useful long-term. You might also consider Electronics Engineering (ECE) if you have any inkling of desire for working with hardware or embedded systems.
But the other programs might help more with people networking--which can be a big difference when finding a job
I graduated with a Management Information Systems degree in 2012 and this is based almost entirely on my own personal experience. Others might disagree based on their own experience, so it would definitely be worth getting a second opinion. That said...
I think success with a CIS degree largely depends on taking internships while you're in school. Because the degree isn't specialized, I feel like you're left short on technical skills that could land you a decent tech job, like junior developer or the education needed for specialized business roles. My goal after college had been to land a Business Analyst role, eventually working my way into Project Management. While I was taking courses, I thought this was a realistic career path, but after college I couldn't even get a call back for Business Analyst positions. Eventually, I was able to land a technical support role and have been able to work up to a fairly successful career since, but I credit that more to my own interest and technical skill than I do the degree.
Personally, I've always regretted not getting a CS degree, but I'm also very interested in those topics. I don't know that I could actually recommend it if you're not into it. I've also regretted not seeking out internships in school, since I really do think that would have made a difference when starting out in my career after graduation.
So yeah, I wouldn't say a CIS degree is a bad idea, but I would definitely recommend trying to get internships for companies and roles that interest you so that you can get real world experience in addition to the degree.
Purely anecdotal, but I work in IT at a large company and just about every CIS holder complains that they paid for 4 years of college only to find out the bulk of the degree holds no relevance to working in IT. (To your point, IT describes a ton of different jobs. But for clarity's sake, I'm talking about guys in networking, cyber sec, help desk, AV, and software devs)
This has been pretty consistent in my time in IT. Most common complaint is that the stuff they learned was outdated by and large when they landed a job and they were saddled with the debt of college.
Tl;Dr my CIS holding coworkers have said they'd like to go back in time and tell themselves to pick something else or just save their time and money and get the certs. And for a super one-off perspective, I don't find that the CIS folks are any better at their jobs than the next person (or get promoted any faster, for they matter). YMMV, of course.
Ttl;ddr I'd say go for the certs and hone your skills for the job you want sans 6 figured of debt.