I am 28 yrs old and have just been offered postgraduate admission by two different colleges. However, one is about hardware (networking, computer architecture, installing os, cisco, security, wireless networks, exchange servers, visual basic.net, unix, database access) plus web design while the other is strictly, web design, oracle, java, xml, pl/sql, database courses. I have not really been exposed to either hardware or software which is why i find it difficult to know which suits me better. Dear all, please which would put food on the table fast as my investment in education needs to at least start yielding back quickly after graduation. thank you

bamshy: I am 28 yrs old and have just been offered postgraduate admission by two different colleges. However, one is about hardware (networking, computer architecture, installing os, cisco, security, wireless networks, exchange servers, visual basic.net, unix, database access) plus web design while the other is strictly, web design, oracle, java, xml, pl/sql, database courses. I have not really been exposed to either hardware or software which is why i find it difficult to know which suits me better. Dear all, please which would put food on the table fast as my investment in education needs to at least start yielding back quickly after graduation. thank you

This does not make sense. Why in the world would you apply for post-graduate studies in a field you have near no experience or knowledge of? Do you understand the significance of post-graduate study? At 28, it is not too late for you to learn the why of post-graduate studies, so I would that you please spend sometime researching the why of post-graduate studies and maybe then you will see why your question here does not make sense of any kind.

Thank you for your response. Well, I read physics for undergraduate and always liked the many things one can do with computers. Well, I said I am a novice because i have never been actively engaged in IT despite my Microsoft Certified Professional certification and some web design trainings basically using HTML, XHTML and CSS. In addition, the two graduate courses are meant to introduce novices to the field. I think with this explanation you may be able to find some modicum of sense in my question and assist with your opinion. Thank you all

Kobojunkie:


This does not make sense. Why in the world would you apply for post-graduate studies in a field you have near no experience or knowledge of? Do you understand the significance of post-graduate study? At 28, it is not too late for you to learn the why of post-graduate studies, so I would that you please spend sometime researching the why of post-graduate studies and maybe then you will see why your question here does not make sense of any kind.

Hi, I hope my latest response will encourage you to guide me in the best path to follow. Thank you Kobojunkie

bamshy: Thank you for your response. Well, I read physics for undergraduate and always liked the many things one can do with computers. Well, I said I am a novice because i have never been actively engaged in IT despite my Microsoft Certified Professional certification and some web design trainings basically using HTML, XHTML and CSS. In addition, the two graduate courses are meant to introduce novices to the field. I think with this explanation you may be able to find some modicum of sense in my question and assist with your opinion. Thank you all

A undergraduate program in Physics, hobby level microsoft certification, as well as certification in HTML, XHTML etc does not, does not properly prepare you for a graduate course in computer science. At the university here, the only exposure undergrad physics students get to programming, is probably 2 or 3 required 100/200 level courses to prepare them for any small programming they may have to get done, in the lab or on the job. It does not however expose them to the world of computer science or equip them with enough information to prepare them for a masters program.

But let me quit discouraging you, I think experience is the best teacher really. If you are not paying for the program, then you might as well go for it, and learn what you will from the experience.


P.S . People with no college degree can definitely get themselves a microsoft certification and learn HTML, XML, CSS, etc. But not anyone off the street can handle a graduate program in Engineering, let alone Computer science. It is more than being able to right code.

Thank you Kobojunkie.

More opinions are welcomed. Let's focus on the software or hardware option rather on my eligibility to study it.

Thanks again

I guess that went right over you . . .

@bamshy,
from your dialogue with kobo, i sense that you are more interested in the post-graduate certification than getting down to the bolts & nails of the technical works involved in computing\programming. i mean, for someone who is MCP & basic web design certified, you seem not to have personally ventured (beyond the classroom) to do any real work with them, otherwise you'd probably not be asking these questions, you'd have acquired a personal perspective and preference as to what aspect of IT you want to pursue.

if I may advice you, I'd say you should rather do a post-graduate in an IT-related management course(since you are not the nitty-gritty type), it would give you a more strategic view of IT rather than an operational\detailed view. that way, you are in a position to work with the operational IT guys under you to co-ordinate them & ascertain the profitabilty of operations or projects. I hope you give this option some serious thought.

lastly, I must commend your calm headedness in your exchange with kobo despite her efforts (deliberate or not) to ruffle your feathers, you kept your cool, not showing offense but interest in the important matters of the subject. this actually shows you have a talent for management by knowing how to deal with people, i hope you give it a go. we do need more guys like you on nairaland that can focus on issues & ignore distractions. this is top notch management material. cheers!

Kobojunkie:
A undergraduate program in Physics, hobby level microsoft certification, as well as certification in HTML, XHTML etc does not, does not properly prepare you for a graduate course in computer science.



P.S . People with no college degree can definitely get themselves a microsoft certification and learn HTML, XML, CSS, etc. But not anyone off the street can handle a graduate program in Engineering, let alone Computer science. It is more than being able to right code.

wrong!!, he's not asking to do a post-graduate computer science, just some introductory courses in programming languages, sql, web design, operating systems & network\hardware, which he is more than qualified to do, these are not hard-core computer science. how much more technical can one get than a physics degree, which is not much different from engineering(besides the design part). you seem to also suggest (from the bolded) that computer science is harder than an engineering degree? chei!!, i dey laugh in Swahili

okeyxyz:

wrong!!, he's not asking to do a post-graduate computer science, just some introductory courses in programming languages, sql, web design, operating systems & network\hardware, which he is more than qualified to do, these are not hard-core computer science. how much more technical can one get than a physics degree, which is not much different from engineering(besides the design part). you seem to also suggest (from the bolded) that computer science is harder than an engineering degree? chei!!, i dey laugh in Swahili

The line where you assume I meant engineering is harder than computer science, I admit is not as clear as it ought to be. According to him, he already has a physics degree which is technically an Engineering degree in most schools . .. A post-graduate Physics Engineering degree would be hard( am guessing it should be common knowlegde that a B.SC is easier when compared to graduate level courses), but not as hard as a Computer Science Engineering degree for him, a Physics graduate with barely any actual computer science background. Do you get it now?

On the first part of your post, I have no clue what you are on. I don't know of any POST-GRADUATE degree program where one studies just SQL, web design, operating system and all that you have listed above. If you carefully read the post, he makes the assumption on his own. I on the other hand try to correct him.

Also, I do not see him asking anywhere for introductory classes as you claim.

okeyxyz: @bamshy,
from your dialogue with kobo, i sense that you are more interested in the post-graduate certification than getting down to the bolts & nails of the technical works involved in computing\programming. i mean, for someone who is MCP & basic web design certified, you seem not to have personally ventured (beyond the classroom) to do any real work with them, otherwise you'd probably not be asking these questions, you'd have acquired a personal perspective and preference as to what aspect of IT you want to pursue.

if I may advice you, I'd say you should rather do a post-graduate in an IT-related management course(since you are not the nitty-gritty type), it would give you a more strategic view of IT rather than an operational\detailed view. that way, you are in a position to work with the operational IT guys under you to co-ordinate them & ascertain the profitabilty of operations or projects. I hope you give this option some serious thought.

lastly, I must commend your calm headedness in your exchange with kobo despite her efforts (deliberate or not) to ruffle your feathers, you kept your cool, not showing offense but interest in the important matters of the subject. this actually shows you have a talent for management by knowing how to deal with people, i hope you give it a go. we do need more guys like you on nairaland that can focus on issues & ignore distractions. this is top notch management material. cheers!

Thanks Okeyxyz. I really appreciate your comments. I will keep your advise in mind as I am considering it seriously. Kobojunkie only wants me to know no degree at postgraduate level is a child's play and wonders if i am adequately prepared. You have told me to consider a more profitable option which is my ultimate goal.

I assume you are a programmer/software professional. If i may ask you, would you have preferred you were in hardware? Can you give reasons for whichever answer you choose. Thanks again.

bamshy:
I assume you are a programmer/software professional. If i may ask you, would you have preferred you were in hardware? Can you give reasons for whichever answer you choose. Thanks again.

i actually started with hardware, windows & networking, but i found that they were limited & not leading me to what i really wanted from IT. the thing is that hardware\windows\networking are already finished products that simply requires one to install, configure\reconfigure and use, leaving no room to recreate & own the technologies or methods. they just did not give me the kind of control i wanted, hence my moving to programming. with hardware & windows, i found myself simply deploying products they way microsoft, cisco, linksys etc wanted, i could not exercise my own will & ideas.

Thank you so much. God bless you and may you excel in your ways.

at 28, i would advise you go for hardware. just my thought though,i feel programming is something that needs attention when you are younger, Networking is cool. You can learn microsoft server and exchange, vmware, Citrix and likes of that yourself. get books and all the soft wares are available (trail version) between 60- 90 days. Thats enough to get you in. read blogs on how other engineers face problems and how they resolve it. you be better off when you run this software at home and practice