If you are interested in a career that involves computers, you may want to consider courses such as computer science or IT to prepare for it. 

The world of information technology (IT) is constantly evolving. As such, those who want a career in IT need to keep abreast of the latest developments in the industry in order to understand where the career opportunities lie. To prepare for a career in IT, students can consider the following courses of study.

Computer Science

You wake up in the morning, hit the snooze button on your phone's alarm application (or app), check your messages, then play a game of Candy Crush. In these brief moments, you will have used the product of computer science multiple times, from the phone's operating system, to its applications. Learning
computer science is very much like learning a new language; one that computers speak. By 'communicating' with computers, computer scientists command them to perform specific functions. The output however, involves not just one simple action, but multiple actions.

Studying computer science will help you understand design patterns, algorithms and data structures for programs, and programming languages like Java, C++, C#, Unix, SQL, PHP and Python. You will also learn design and programming for the web, cloud computing, games design, robotics, security,
networking, and virtual reality.

Most computer science graduates go on to become software developers and web programmers, especially with the current growth rate of the industry in Malaysia. Having said that, there are those who pursue more specialised roles, like advanced artificial programming, or virtual reality. Alternatively,
with the flourishing start-up sector in Malaysia, app development, and maintenance have become much sought-after skills. This provides more options for those interested in computer science.

Information Technology

Simply put, IT professionals apply the results of computer science to various industries, usually covering the organisation, installation, and maintenance of internal networks, database and computer systems. Therefore, they need to possess strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and a good
understanding of software, in order to do their job well. As an IT professional, interaction with clients and colleagues is part and parcel of your daily work. Bear in mind that you will also be required to uphold cost effectiveness in the implementations of your solutions, as well as maintain, troubleshoot, and train
others.

As an IT student, you will study network and database design, applied mathematics, and basic theories at the fundamental level, progressing as you continue. You will also study business information systems, software design, website management, multimedia technology, and operating systems among others.

The knowledge and skills that can be gained from the above two courses are different though there is some overlap in the subjects within these courses. Generally, a computer science course prepares you to develop and maintain systems, features and functions; while a course in IT focuses on applying
your knowledge of computers in business environments.

To get into a computer science or IT course at university, you need to have done a pre-university course or a foundation or diploma programme. Mathematics is usually a requirement. An undergraduate degree course in computer science or IT takes three years to complete.

In addition to the two courses described above, you can also consider more specialised computer courses such as Business Information Systems, Computer Systems and Networking, and Multimedia Computing among others.