Computer Science - A.A. Degree (Transfer)

Why does HCC offer several associate transfer degree programs in programming? What is the difference between majoring in Computer Science, Information Systems Management - Programming/Technical, and Information Technology - Programming?

Computer Science, Information Systems and Information Technology majors take at HCC the same programming classes such as Java, C++, Visual Basic, JavaScript, PHP & MySQL. The math requirement is the biggest difference—look carefully at the required courses for each degree. At your transfer school, however, the upper-level programming courses might be different. As a graduate, a computer science major would have the math to equip him/her for work in engineering firms or research laboratories, while an information systems major would not. Information systems and Information Technology majors, however, can work in many government agencies and businesses programming and designing applications that require no math beyond calculus.

If you are transferring to UMBC, you must take both semesters of C++ at HCC. All of the other schools also strongly urge you to take both sequential semesters of introduction and advance level programming language at the same school. At statewide meetings, both two- and four-year schools agree on the topics that need to be covered by the end of the second C++ or second Java course, but the sequences may differ. Thus, taking one course at one school and then transferring might cause you to miss an important topic or two.