Computer Degrees Related to Information Technology
Information technology is the application of computer systems to make, receive, process, analyze, and transmit all forms of information and data. Information technology encompasses hardware and software solutions that can be implemented in different formats. There are four main categories of IT, networking, application, and communication. The four are often referred to together as IT management.
A Bachelor’s degree in information technology enables graduates to enter the IT workforce as professional developers, system designers, information systems administrators, and instructional designers. The skills required by these positions are diverse but common among those seeking entry-level IT positions. A Bachelor’s degree program typically includes coursework on computer systems, database management, web design, internet marketing, business development, consulting, and more. A student may choose to focus on one or more of these areas of expertise. Most IT professionals begin their careers as database administrators, but a combination of IT knowledge and system design skills makes them valuable workers in many other fields as well.
Database management is one of the most important aspects of information technology. Database management involves storing, retrieval, security, and communication of data. As the demand for computer information systems increases, the demand for database administrators also rises. Database administrators are needed to help maintain the computer systems that handle client networks and to keep these systems running efficiently.
Information technology professionals can also work in other fields as well, including business information technology (BIT), software development, and network information systems. A bachelor’s degree in IT allows graduates to enter into management positions in these fields, as IT managers or IT generalists. These positions typically require the same degree as positions in computer systems or database management but can have lower salaries because positions in business information technology usually involve higher-level management roles. In some cases, bachelor’s degrees can lead to a job in the IT field as a specialist or project manager.
A bachelor’s degree in IT allows graduates to enter the field of information systems and software development. These two terms are used interchangeably, but information systems refers to the entire range of hardware, firmware, documentation, servers, and user interface technologies necessary to develop and support computer systems. Software development refers to the methods used to write applications and code them. These two terms are often used interchangeably, but information systems usually deals with hardware and firmware, while software development usually refers to the methods used to write specific software programs.
The information systems field generally requires graduate degrees in both computer science and information technology. A typical curriculum will include mathematics, math, business, computer engineering, and software engineering. Graduates of an IT program will be ready to start working in a wide variety of roles. Some positions require knowledge of specific hardware or software, while others do not. A career path in IT usually involves building hardware and working directly with developers to create software applications that run on hardware platforms.