Which is a better concentration Information Systems Management or Software Engineering?

Question

I hope this doesn't get closed, because it relates to the type of questions many developers seeking degrees may be interested in. I'm coming into the home stretch of my quest for a Master's in Information Technology. I've taken 11 courses so far, almost all strictly technical - Distributed Java, C++, Security, Data Communications, Perl, SOA, C, Unix Systems programming, LAMP development and Software Design and Patterns. The other course was IT Management.

The degree offers 2 concentrations I'm eligible for - Information Systems Management (ISM) or Software Engineering (SE). So I have a choice - to take the Capstone for the ISM concentration in the fall, or take a Computer Theory course in the fall and then the capstone for the SE in the spring.

I don't have aspirations for management, although I have some management responsibilities in my current role. But, I've heard that having a business-related degree is more valued on the marketplace. In addition, I don't see the Computer Theory course as being of any great practical benefit.

However, I feel more suited to the Software Engineer degree, because, frankly, that's the role I see myself in, and what I feel like getting. Am I crazy to go through the extra expense and time to achieve a degree that is potentially worth less money?

edit: The reason I went for the non-software-engineer answer is I think I can kind of play a dual role - a combination of engineering and interaction with management/customers, which is my role now.

The last two courses for software engineering aren't tech courses, either - one is a kind of non-useful math course and the other is project management. The last course in the management option is an IT trends course, which sounds interesting to me. Oddly, the C++ course I'm taking now counts toward management, not software engineering. Finally, I get out a semester earlier and 1800 bucks richer.

Answer 1

Get the degree that matches the role you want. No one's going to pay you extra to do software development because you have a 'management' degree; you're confusing "the degree is worth more" with "the jobs that the degree qualifies you for pay more". And no amount of money is worth getting shuffled into management when you want to be coding.

Answer 2

I'd say go for the concentration that will tech you stuff you won't learn on your own. Software engineering is very much something you can, and should, learn on your spare time if you are really into it. Getting taught valuable lessons about management, organization theory, economics and usability is probably areas that are not as easily self taught.

Answer 3

What I think companies have been looking for the past few years is "hands-on" managers. Managers who can get their hands dirty if they need to and can communicate with the techies. It's the ability to communicate with both the business and the tech side that is really valuable. How much respect would you have for a development manager who told you how to program, but couldn't program themselves?

You can fall into the role of manager through programming, but it's unlikely you will fall into the role of programmer by being a manager. Unless you have no one to manage.

I would go the tech route and take a business course or two, not necessarily in Information Management, to be well rounded.

Answer 4

Software engineering hands down unless you are aiming at a management career. There is such a mish-mash of clever sounding IT-related masters (e.g., M.S. of information systems and ecommerce) that I think a lot of employers are blanking them out as scam degrees at worst or opportunistic programs at best. SE actually has some recognition as a very valid and well defined field.