Going from Bio to IT. What would you suggest?

Discussion in 'IT and Computer-Related Degrees' started by omarrod, Aug 4, 2010.

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  1. omarrod

    omarrod New Member

    My background is Biology and I want to get a Masters in Computers (programming, databases, IT, etc). I am not a programmer but I love any computer related field. I am looking into integrating my Bio bkg into computers. Is the transition from one area (BS) to the other (masters) possible?

    I understand many masters programs online do not charge out-of-state fees. So, are there any cheap schools out there for that area?

    The latest issue of Kiplingers mentions something that caught my attn: hiring managers/employers, no longer look how the employee/applicant obtained their degree (on campus or online). I do not have time to go to school while working full time and I do want to switch careers.

    Thanks
     
  2. james_lankford

    james_lankford New Member

    if you were not doing it online, then Columbia's Computational Biology Track looks perfect
    Department of Computer Science, Columbia University | Computational Biology

    but they require undergrad computer courses to even get into the program, and I'm sure most online schools will require the same
    Department of Computer Science, Columbia University | Application Information

    What are the admission requirements?
    You should have an undergraduate degree in computer science or a related discipline. If your undergraduate degree is in a different field, you are required to have completed at least four computer science courses covering foundations of the field and basic programming, and two mathematics courses. For example, Intro to Computer Science (COMS W1004), Object-Oriented Programming and Design in JAVA (COMS W1007), and Advanced Programming (COMS W3157) are prerequisites for taking Data Structures and Algorithms (COMS W3137), which is a prerequisite for most of our graduate-level courses.

    you're going to need 2 high level math courses to get into a MS computer science program: Calculus, Discrete Math, Linear Alegbra
    and your going to need a couple of programming courses already completed
     
  3. siersema

    siersema Active Member

    I work in Healthcare IT. One of my employees has a BS in Bio and Chem and an MS in Microbiology (he's a DBA & Report Writer), another has a BA in Chemistry and a BS in CS (he's done admin/programming/analyst work). While I certainly wouldn't discourage you from getting a degree in an IT related field I don't think you should necessarily wait until you have new credentials before attempting to pursue a job in IT. If you look at Health IT, Informatics, or related field your background may be seen as a benefit. I don't know your exact background but I'd guess there's an IT field related to it in some way. At our organization we have IT people, largely on the analyst side of things, that were formerly nurses, lab techs, pharmacy techs, and so on. Those people can often relate to their customers better than someone who has just an IT background.

    If you want to build up some skills/credentials quickly perhaps pick an area, or a few, and look at IT certifications that interests you while you're still considering what degree program to pursue.
     
  4. emmzee

    emmzee New Member

    What exactly are you interested in doing in IT? I agree with Robert that certifications may be a good way to go initially. You may not need a master's degree to do what you aspire to do, and depending on your experience and general IT knowledge some may not be too difficult to get, ex the CompTIA certs like A+ or Network+.
     
  5. omarrod

    omarrod New Member

    My BS in Marine Bio is getting me nowhere after 10 years of trying hard. Don't get me wrong, I have a nice job but I really have a passion for computers. I would like to learn programming, databases, Network, etc.

    I thought that by getting into an inexpensive masters program in computer, I could beef up my resume and perhaps potential employers in the tech field would look me diferently
     

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