Computing & IT (Comp Sci) vs Natural Sciences Degree at the Open University

[mug2k]

I'm in a bit of a pickle, I really want to start a degree asap (I'm 32) but really have no idea which pathway to choose. I'm torn between interest and employability as my educational background (college and 1 year of uni) is in IT but was never able to gain a job in the industry so I've just been working from home for the past 10 years selling on ebay and just barely getting by.

I have an interest in a broad range of sciences but I'm guessing biology might be the most useful in terms of gaining employment (imo). As I'm already in my 30's I really need to get a decent quality degree so I can get a half decent job otherwise I'll be scraping by like I have been for the last 10 years.

I'm completely torn as to which degree I should go for. Does anyone have any insight or advice as to which of options below may offer the better job prospects ?

Help me

Computing & IT
Q62 - BSc (Honours) Computing and IT - Open University Degree

Natural Sciences
Q64 - BSc (Honours) Natural Sciences - Open University Degree

 

[mug2k]

I think you need to decide why you want a degree first and what it would give you that you do not already have.... if you do not know what degree to do then you need to think what it is you want to do as a career first, then take the pathway that best enables you to accomplish that goal. Just taking a degree with no real direction could be a waste of time, time spent better just getting a job and working up the ladder from within.

A degree is no guarantee of a good job anyway, so perhaps you need to speak to a qualified careers advisor before deciding anything.

That's some great advice, with the computing side of things I can clearly see what types of jobs might available to me but I fear it is something that too many people study so there isn't that many jobs to go round for the amount of people that hold degrees.

With regards to a science degree I'm not too sure what jobs I could get but it's definitely a more interesting option also the first module (S104) touches on all of the sciences so I can try out the various disciplines and choose which path I want to take. I've read that science degree's in general are held in high regard by employers and you can go for jobs that aren't even related to your field, I think having options is always a good thing.

As a generic stepping stone, any traditional degree may well stand you in good stead in terms of employability.

As for a career in biology, where were you thinking of taking it? The most obvious area is research, but you may struggle to gain a research based job if your degree has no laboratory / research based activity.

Biology is by far the most interesting subject there is and I will fight anyone who says otherwise to the death.

I'm not actually too sure, a research based job sounds good. The lack of labs does worry me and I can't see a way around that so that's defo a negative.

 

[mug2k]

Thanks for replies lads.

From what I've read so far it seems like the comp sci degree is a good option but will most likely only gives you the potential to work in the IT sector which is not exactly small but it's still just one area of work. Thinking about it more I don't believe working with/on computers and then spending the majority of my waking hours again on a computer is a good idea and I really need to broaden my horizons so to speak.

I like the fact that a science degree gives you more options and more scope for employment in differing sectors and not just being constrained to one. I still have no idea what type of job I want (it's always been my problem) but I'm hoping I can work that out while I'm doing the degree. I've started going through the Biology stuff at the Khan Academy and quite enjoying it so that leads me to believe that it will be a good choice for me. With regard to Mathematics/Physics/Engineering, the last 2 interest me but I'm not good enough at maths to be doing any of them.