Which specialty is better: “Informatics and Computer Science” or “Information Systems and Technologies”.

I study at the Faculty of Informatics and Computer Science at the Department of Automated Information Processing and Management Systems at KPI, Kiev Polytechnic Institute, and Information Systems and Technologies is my path.
Actually, an excerpt from the description on the site, so as not to pull the cat by the tail:

Undergraduate curriculum

1. Programming cycle

Algorithmization and programming. Algorithms and data structures. Object-oriented programming. Object-oriented modeling. WEB - technologies and WEB-design. Organization of databases and knowledge. Computer graphics. Computer technologies for statistical information processing. Cross - platform programming. Technology for creating software products. Operating systems. Basics of WEB design.

2. Mathematical cycle

Analytical geometry and linear algebra. Higher mathematics. Elements of the theory of functions of a complex variable and operational calculus. Discrete mathematics. Probability theory, probabilistic processes and mathematical statistics. Mathematical methods for operations research. Theory of algorithms. Numerical methods. Decision theory. Statistical methods, event flow theory.

3. System-technical cycle

System analysis. Systems modeling. Technologies of distributed systems and parallel computing. Information protection technologies. Information systems design. Computer design technologies. Data mining. Methods and systems of artificial intelligence. IT project management. Physics. Electronics and electrical engineering. Computer circuitry and computer architecture. Computer networks. Microprocessor systems.

Areas of activity

Our graduates are specialists of a wide profile. The objects of their specialization are in various areas of human activity - in the areas

• industry
• medicine
• finance
• transport
• trade
• business

Our graduates are able to solve a variety of problems: from accounting automation to the development of computer networks and intelligent decision-making systems. As systems analysts, they deeply understand the essence of complex processes of interaction between various spheres of production, humanitarian and business activities, which gives them advantages for successfully competing in the labor market.

Graduates work wherever software and various information (system) technologies are developed, implemented, adapted or operated, in particular, as:

• systems analysts,
• project managers,
• data scientists,
• implementation and reengineering consultants,
• database administrators,
• application programmers,
• support engineers,
• things like that.

Final exams are just around the corner. Which will inevitably be followed by graduates thinking about what to do (how to live) next?

I imagined myself in the role of a high school student who decided, for one reason or another (for example, after studying a review of supply/demand in the IT labor market, or under the impression of words about an expansion by 35% of the number of budget places in universities in IT specialties) to enter technical university and become a highly qualified programmer.

Let me remind you that this kind of specialty is one of the 23 “leaves” of the tree-like “European Classification of IT Specialists”. In addition, this is the name of one of the professional standards in the field of IT, developed under the auspices of APCIT and approved by order of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation.

On the website of one of the universities of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications (so as not to be accused of advertising it, I will not disclose the name of this university) I read the following lines:

"The Faculty of Information Technologies *** provides training to students in several areas in the field of infocommunications and information technologies.
1. Direction “Informatics and Computer Science”, profile "Computer software and automated systems." Graduates of this profile are highly qualified programmers, the demand for whom in the labor market is constantly growing and will not decrease in the foreseeable future. Almost all graduates work in their specialty and have earnings significantly higher than the regional average. The demand for such specialists is great in any industry, in the banking sector, in the development and operation of information systems. There is also master’s training in this area at ***.”

There is no approximate information about the earnings of university graduates, the percentage of those employed in their specialty after completing a bachelor's or master's degree, as well as the number of budget places in this area and information about the passing score in the annotation of this area. Which, of course, is sad. But it is clear that if an applicant has decided to become a highly qualified programmer, then it makes sense for him to consider studying at a given university in this area as one of the possible options for his career growth.

However, it is interesting to note that a profile with the same name “Software for computer technology and automated systems” also appears in the annotation of another area of ​​training for specialists at this university.

Here is what it says on the website of the Faculty of Information Technology of the above-mentioned educational institution ***:

“2. Direction “Information systems and technologies”, profile with the same name. Graduates of this profile are highly qualified specialists in the field of design, development and implementation of various types of information systems, currently used in almost any field of activity. The need for specialists in this profile is very great and a graduate can easily get a job in any company he likes. Graduates *** of this direction develop information websites of companies, create databases, including for distributed information systems.”

Please note: in the annotation of this direction there are no words like “Almost all graduates work in their specialty and have earnings significantly higher than the regional average. The demand for such specialists is great here and there... There is also master’s training in this area in ***.” It turns out that the demand for programmers who completed training in the field of “Information Systems and Technologies” at the university *** is lower than for programmers who completed training in the field of “Informatics and Computer Science” at the same university?

So in which area of ​​the Federal State Educational Standard of Higher Professional Education (federal state educational standard of higher professional education) is it better to study for those who want to become a highly qualified programmer: 03/09/01 (“Informatics and Computer Science”) or 03/09/02 (“Information Systems and Technologies”)? What do you think about this? And in general, by what criteria should an applicant who has decided to become a highly qualified programmer or other IT specialist choose a university?

Here’s another note on the topic of this post: “Yes, everything is wrong with IT education. But what should we do?” . It was written in October last year and, among other things, it notes that this problem with the lack of IT specialists in the required quantity and quality did not arise yesterday and will not be solved tomorrow. And it’s not a fact that it will be decided at all. At best, it will only be smoothed out to one degree or another. It is also noted that every year up to 25 thousand IT specialists graduate from educational institutions of higher education in Russia. Moreover, today only 15-20% of engineering graduates are suitable for immediate employment in the field of information technology. That is, applicants should choose a university and faculty very carefully. In order to get into those same 15-20% of graduates who are suitable for immediate employment in the field of information technology.

Another question arises. Why “Future Russian IT specialists are not guided in choosing a specialty”? Is it due to the lack of a competent career guidance system in the country or due to the fact that technical universities, whose educational programs include IT specialties, cannot competently present themselves (their educational services) (praise, advertise)? Or maybe the reason is that IT companies hold “Open Days” or other events aimed at future IT specialists not so often and not at the proper level?

Diagram from note

Direction "Informatics and Computer Science"– one of the most stable in terms of high demand throughout the world. The demand for specialists in the field of programming, computer science and computer technology (engineers and technicians) began to grow back in the 90s, and in the 2000s it became consistently high, which remains to this day. And it is obvious that this situation will last for many more decades.

“Informatics and Computer Science” is a key group of specialties in the computer industry. Software is the basis for the operation of both traditional personal computers and more powerful ones intended for scientific purposes or to support the operation of large enterprises. University graduates with a degree in Informatics and Computer Engineering work in companies such as Microsoft, Oracle, Symantec, Intel, IBM, HP, Apple. But if the companies listed above belong to the so-called “old guard,” today good programmers also work in companies such as Google, Facebook, Amazon, PayPal, EBay, Twitter, etc.

Graduates of a bachelor's or master's degree in Informatics and Computer Science can occupy positions in the following areas:

• software development: this includes systems analysts, programmers, developers. During training, much attention is paid to learning programming languages ​​such as C++, Java, etc. It is important to understand that even after graduation, such specialists must constantly take advanced training courses in order to keep up with new trends and changes in programming languages;
• software engineering (or computer software and automated systems) – this includes more comprehensive development of software products at the intersection of computer technology, engineering, mathematics, design and teamwork;
• quality control and testing;
• development of technical documentation;
• technical support;
• management of large databases;
• web design;
• project management;
• marketing and sales.

Over the past decades, the world has been rapidly acquiring new technologies, and specialists in the field of computer science and computer technology are needed more and more. Graduates will have career prospects as software engineers, web designers, video game developers, systems analysts, database managers and network administrators.

Another area of ​​specialization is direct work with computers, complexes, systems and networks. It is a significant subsector of the computer industry. Engineers and technicians learn to work with hardware, that is, in the production of equipment and computers, as well as a variety of gadgets, such as printers, scanners, etc.
Computer development begins in the research and development departments of large companies. Teams of engineers (mechanical, electronics, electrical, manufacturing, programming) work together to design, test, and produce components. A separate area is marketing market research and production of the final product. It is in this sector that there is the greatest shortage of qualified specialists familiar with programming, robotics, automation, etc.

But if these specialties can be classified as fairly traditional for this area, today a number of professions that simply did not exist about 10–15 years ago are becoming increasingly popular.

• User interface development: these specialists are required in companies such as Electronic Arts, Apple, Microsoft and others involved in the development of video games, mobile applications, etc.
• Cloud Data Science: Specialists such as a cloud software developer, a cloud network engineer, and a product manager in the field of cloud products are needed by many companies, particularly Google, Amazon, AT&T and Microsoft.
• Large database processing and analysis: Big Data specialists can work in a variety of companies - business and financial sector, e-commerce, government agencies, healthcare organizations, telecommunications, etc.
• Robotics: these specialists are in demand in large industrial companies, for example, in mechanical engineering (especially in the automotive and aircraft industries).

Universities that offer training in the field of Informatics and Computer Science include: MSTU. N.E. Bauman, MEPhI, MIREA, MESI, MTUSI, HSE, MPEI, MAI, MAMI, MIET, MISIS, MADI, MATI, LETI, Polytech (St. Petersburg) and many others.

Communicate with university representatives personally

As you can see, there are a great many universities and programs in this specialty. Therefore, you can make your choice easier and faster by visiting the free exhibition “Master’s and Further Education” in or.

Bachelor's degree
• 09.03.01 Informatics and Computer Science
• 09.03.02 Information systems and technologies
• 09.03.03 Applied computer science
• 09.03.04 Software Engineering

The future of the industry

Information technology (IT) is one of the fastest growing industries. Changes in this industry set new technologies and practices for virtually all sectors of the economy. Design, transportation, resource management, marketing, people management - all these and many other areas are changing under the influence of IT.

There are several important processes going on in the IT sector. Firstly, the connectivity of the world is growing due to telecommunications solutions, the volume of data passing through the network is increasing, and solutions for processing this data are being developed. Secondly, digital solutions are becoming more and more mobile and more user-friendly. If now almost every family has a computer, and every second one has a smartphone, then in ten years every city resident will have at least 5-6 devices worn on the body and interconnected. For example, augmented reality glasses, a biometric bracelet for taking care of health, a smartphone with a “smart” wallet function, etc. Thirdly, new environments for people’s work, education and leisure are being developed - virtual worlds for a wide variety of purposes, including those created on based on augmented reality technologies.

Innovations in other industries are born at the interface with IT, so a large number of cross-industry challenges arise for a breakthrough. However, the development and production of hardware, software and security systems remain priorities within the IT sector. A highly promising direction is the design of virtual spaces and interfaces for interaction with them.

Professions of the future

• Information Systems Architect
• Interface designer
• Architect of Virtuality
• Virtual world designer
• Neurointerface designer
• Network lawyer
• Organizer of online communities
• IT preacher
• Digital linguist
• BIG-DATA Model Developer

The likely breakthrough points in the coming decades will be:

• increasing the volume of transmitted data and models for processing it (big data);
• distribution of software that can be influenced by the average user;
• development of human-machine interfaces;
• artificial intelligence technologies;
• semantic systems that work with the meanings of natural languages ​​(translation, Internet search, human-computer communication, etc.);
• new quantum and optical computers that can significantly speed up the processing of large amounts of data;
• development of neural interfaces, including “thought control”, various objects, transmission of sensations and experiences at a distance.

Informatics and computer technology 03/09/01

Graduates in the field of training "Informatics and Computer Science" will be professionally involved in computers, systems and networks, automated information processing and management systems. They will also be in charge of computer-aided design and information support systems for the life cycle of industrial products, software for these activities, which is especially important in enterprises and industries.

Graduates will be able to provide mathematical, information, technical, linguistic, software, ergonomic, organizational and legal support for the listed systems.

The profession is in great demand in our time, and will not lose relevance in the near future, especially with the general automation of control and the transfer of production to robotics.

Professions

• ERP programmer
• HTML layout designer
• IT specialist
• Web administrator
• Web designer
• Web programmer
• Database Administrator
• Computer operator
• Programmer
• Database Developer
• System Analyst
• System programmer
• SAP Specialist
• Traffic manager
• Elektronik

Where to study

• St. Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation (SUAI), St. Petersburg
• St. Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics (SPbNIU ITMO), St. Petersburg
• St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University (SPbSPU), St. Petersburg
• St. Petersburg Baltic State Technical University VOENMEH named after. D.F. Ustinov (BSTU VOENMEH named after D. F. Ustinov), St. Petersburg
• St. Petersburg State Transport University of Emperor Alexander I (PGUPS), St. Petersburg
• St. Petersburg National Mineral Resources University "Mining", St. Petersburg
• St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University LETI named after. V.I. Ulyanova (Lenin) (SPbSETU "LETI"), St. Petersburg
• St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University (SPbSMTU), St. Petersburg
• St. Petersburg State Technological Institute (Technical University) (SPbSTI (TU)), St. Petersburg
• Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), (MIPT), Moscow
• Moscow State Technical University named after N.E. Bauman (MSTU named after N.E. Bauman), Moscow
• Moscow State Technical University of Radio Engineering, Electronics and Automation (MSTU MIREA), Moscow
• Moscow State University of Civil Engineering - National Research University (FSBEI HPE MGSU), Moscow
• Novosibirsk National Research State University (NSU), Novosibirsk

This is a massive field of study, which is urgently needed for the innovative economy of Russia, and is available in all technical, national research and federal universities in the country, and even in some humanitarian universities.

Where to work?

In administrative, economic, information and production departments of organizations in all spheres (banks, medical institutions, education, culture, service industries, transport, construction companies, design studios, media); at industrial enterprises of various industries (oil and gas complex, electric power industry, forestry and agriculture, mechanical engineering, radio electronics, aerospace and defense enterprises); in software and database companies; research and design organizations and others.

Software engineering 03/11/04

Graduates of the "Software Engineering" direction will be professionally engaged in the industrial production of software for information and computing systems for various purposes.

Bachelors and Masters will deal with developing a software product project, creating software, providing life cycle processes for a software product, and owning methods and tools for developing a software product. In addition, graduates will be expected to interact with and/or manage personnel involved in software product life cycle processes and the software customer.

Where to work?

Software engineering is qualitatively different from other engineering disciplines in the fundamental intangibility of software; to achieve the required results, it is necessary to combine mathematics and computer science with engineering approaches developed for the production of tangible material objects.

Many students start working after their first internship. They are employed on a part-time basis and can combine work with study, for example, in the companies Google, Motorola ZAO, Transas, Marine Complexes and Systems, HyperMethod IBS and at the enterprises of the concerns Oceanpribor, RTI Systems, "Central Research Institute "Electropribor"