Should I transfer from CS to CIS?

CreativeGuy99
Mon, 03 Mar 2014 10:29:26 +0000

I am currently majoring in Computer Science and am trying to decide if moving to CIS is a good move for me considering my situation I am about to tell you.

I am in my Sophmore-ish years of the CS program at my college and it is getting increasingly difficult. I worked hard and was able to work through the math courses (up to Calc 2, Prob/Stats etc…) All I have left is pretty much the classes that are more CS/Programming related. It is precisely the heavy programming workload that is discouraging me. I understand a lot, but not all, programming methods and syntax. The concepts of algorithms and certain techniques are hard for me to grasp. Some of you guys might say just finish the program since I am already 2-ish years in, but again, the programming is hard for me.

I had no previous programming knowledge/experience before college. I just thought the idea of engineering a program through coding sounded cool, since I am a gamer and love computers. At first I thought programming was fun and I thought I was interested in it but as the assignments got more complex and more difficult, I had trouble completing them. I even go to the tutors who are VERY helpful and well educated. I am not a terrible programmer (terrible is relative haha), but I still have trouble with assignments on my own. I am struggling in my second Java class and I really think I will have to drop it soon. A lot of the students in my classes have been programming since they were young, and personally, it seems to me that the classes are geared towards more experienced programmers.

Through my experience, I have gained so much respect for good programmers, I wish I could do it as well as them.
I’ve been reading around on different forums and I’ve seen the following comment many, many times.
“Is CS, you’re either good at it or you’re not”.
I am really starting to believe it.

I am here to ask what CIS is like. I sort of understand what the jobs are like compared to CS related jobs.
“CS makes the stuff, CIS uses the stuff”
I am more curious on what the academics are like as far as course materials in the CIS program, considering my experience with programming. If I switch majors, will I just be heading into another major of unexpected programming? If so how intense is it? The reason CIS is next up on my list is because I want to stick to a major that is computer related. I dislike programming, but I don’t dislike computers. There is a difference there. I can also deal with working with others. I can be a “people person” when I need to, and I don’t mind it. To sum it all up, if I switch to CIS, what will I REALLY be getting my self into academic wise? The articles I’ve seen tend to be either short or vague, and that’s is why I am here.

This is something I will talk to my adviser about, but any help from you guys would be great. The more in depth answers you can give, the better. Thanks in advance!