International Institute in Geneva

In order to make the right choice of training and therefore of career, it is essential to know what awaits you, and what best meets your skills, your expectations and your ambitions. 

But it could be hard to tell the difference between Data Science and Computer Science, so to make it easier for you, IIG explains everything.  

One thing is for sure, Data Science and computer science are termed as the most wanted job, so don’t worry, a great future awaits you, whatever your choice. 

How to differentiate them ?

The computer science field is unique to the study of software operation and the functioning of computer coding languages. A computer science degree usually results in careers in computer science or software engineering.

On the other hand, data science field is also connected on coding to analyze large amounts of data. However, data science is less focused on how the software itself actually operates. Rather, the data scientist concentrates on the algorithms that spot the patterns in the data and predict future results.

Should you go for data science degree or computer science degree?

Data science

Although both degrees are related to the same core ground of computer science and technology, a would-be data scientist will need to identify his or her particular talent in the field and choose his or her specialization correspondingly.

You will need specific skills and knowledges in various and diverse surroundings, which will most likely be a combination of SQL, coding, command line and cloud technology, before you apply to your first job.

Data Science degree will focus on statistics, calculus, machine learning, data engineering, artificial intelligence etc. 

Upon graduation, you ought to be in a position to handle complex data sets using your engineering knowledge. Then you'll find yourself looking to apply those skills through hands-on training. 

A lot of graduates begin their careers in relatively small organizations, in which they can start to implement their academic background early on, effectively putting it into practice on the job. Data visualization, data analytics, machine learning…  Gaining real-world experience is the best way to grow your career in data science, earn a larger salary, and expand your field of expertise.

Data Science applies to every companies dealing with data, for the following opportunities: model building, data management, data cleaning, and so on… 

Computer Science 

As a future computer scientist, a bachelor’s in computer science is required, and a complete master’s degree will give you a solid position on the working market. 

By choosing to study mathematics or computer science in school, you will build a solid foundation to succeed in your computer science career. Many IT organizations hire college graduates looking to apply and improve their knowledges before going further with a master’s degree. 

The Computer Science degree will focus on algorithms, programming languages, Operating systems, Computer architecture, Data Structure, and so on.

All you need is a good logic building, a large interest in computing of course, and in mathematics, as it is one of the main subjects of your degree, and future work. 

Providing you with a complete toolkit to ensure technological growth and efficiency, your Computer Science degree will allow you to create programs used by any end-user, in any industry. The wide range of possibilities offered by the degree, especially in this booming period, is probably why more and more students choose Computer Science over Data Science. 

Career paths: wide opportunities are waiting for you !  

Computer scientists help create applications, develop websites, or write code, and use their wide range of mathematical knowledge so that organizations can perform. Computer Science applies to all technical product, IT companies, CS technologies industry or service-oriented industries.

Congratulations! You have made to the end! Hopefully things are clearer for you now, but before you leave, make sure to discover our curriculum for the Bachelor in Computer Science

Feel ready to join International Institute in Geneva, get a Computer Science degree and bring things further ?