Hello, I'm a second year MIS student. I've recently done a course on DB analysis & design and I have to say I'm hooked. I think a job in this field would be for me;unfortunately, after having browsed through a number of job hiring websites like workopolis and monster, a job in database development or administration requires a massive amount of technical know-how. It seems like a CS degree is more suitable for positions in the DB field.

My dilemma is whether or not I should get a CS degree on top of my MIS degree because it seems almost impossible to get a job in the DB field without knowledge in things like java, ASP.NET, shell scripting, UNIX, Linux, vb script, PL/SQL, and the list goes on and on.

Many perspectives would be much appreciated!

you don't really need to worry about getting both

surely there's going to be a lot of overlap between CS and MIS degress

what exactly is the difference at your school?

anyhow, regarding getting a job...

one thing that you can do to help your chances is to build an online database application in teh interwebs

you'll need at least one scripting language like java, asp, php, etc., as well as a rudimentary knowledge of html and css

after that, just build a database-driven site and use it as a "demo" of your database skills

what should it be about? whatever you're really interested in

But see, the way the degree is designed is to mesh business skills and some technical skills together. I'll be quite frank, most of the graduates end up getting jobs as systems analysts or business analysts. Most of the courses revolve around business processes, ICT, decision analysis, project management, accounting, etc. The problem is that they give us an 'introductory' course on programming (i.e. learn simple programming constructs using VB).

See, my problem is that I have very little programming experience, if any, to be able to construct an online web-based application.

one does not learn programming by taking a course, one learns programming by programming

might i respectfully suggest that you do some programming, now, on your own, before abandoning the MIS degree for a CS degree

I recognized "SQL" in there. I do a lot of that. But what was the rest of that alphabet soup?

I am a Senoir SQL Developer and my college degree is in Political Science. The only applicable training I got during school was the formal logic class given in the philosophy department and my 2 semesters of statistics in the math department.

Sean, we are like little peas all snuggly in a pod.

I have no IT qualifications at all. Nada. And look at me now!

pootle flump ur codings are working excelent.

I got straight A's in all my MBA courses except two:
Management Information Science, and Business Ethics.
Therefor, if you know nothing about Information Managements and are a person of low morals, you too could have a successful career as a DBA.

i qualify!! i qualify!!

but alas and zut alors, i couldn't quite make it to DBA

I must wonder what that says about me. I was a DBA and now I am a DBA manager. I am currently passing my Information Management knowledge and low moral character on to a new generation of DBAs. Those poor souls ......

I do have a full head of hair, but no "pointy hairedness", yet. At least, I don't think so .......

I appreciate your comments guys, and I know it seems like people can get this job coming from different backgrounds, but it seems like when I go to workopolis or monster.ca to look around for positions in DB development DBA, all I get is a spiel about knowing x,y,z languages and having atleast 8 years of experience. It seems almost paradoxical that in order to get a job as a DBA, you need so much experience when the only way to gain experience is by actually being a DBA!

get some experience on your own -- see post #2

Don't get discouraged with what you see on sites like Monster.com. Those sites cost money for employer's to advertise jobs there. I only advertise senior level jobs on those sites, and that's only if I can't find anyone locally. Most entry-level or junior level jobs are not advertised there.

As Rudy suggests, ger experience on your own. Then find a programming job that includes database programming. Befriend the DBA's and learn what you can. Then go for a DBA job.

I have no IT qualifications at all.
well the only qualifications I been doing it for the last 15year

Databaseing and scripting is best part of the job for me

I hate Hardware mmmmm that why I have a Boy doing that part of the job.

The beast thing todo is build something and give your mates to test

thats what I did and that how I built www.lostit.co.nz my mates gave me the Idea and they were the tester


also
Try to put your else in a user seat and build the Program(s) so it easyer for them to use then they will want to use it then they ask for more

You won't get anything but a junior DBA jobs straight in, otherwise a DBA job would not be worth having would it? Also, many DBAs start out as "accidental DBAs" (SQL developer that inherits more and more admin work, network troll that inherits a load of SQL Servers).

pootle flump ur codings are working excelent.