Computer science (CS) is the study of computation, its application in the development of computer hardware and software and the theoretical study of algorithms. Let’s break this down a little further:
Computation is any type of calculation that involves numeric as well as non-numeric steps and follows a well-defined model. Any mechanical or electronic device that performs computation is known as a computer.
Computer software is a set of computer programs that manage the general operation of the computer as a whole. These programs may each contain a simple set of operations used to execute small tasks in order to accomplish a specific function within the computer.
On a practical level, an education in computer science can help you gain the foundational skills you need to pursue work as a coder or computer programmer. The courses you would take in a computer science program include software engineering, data structures, software systems and programs and software theory.
In a moment, we’ll dive into computer science vs. computer information systems; but first, we’ll define what computer information systems is on its own.