Software courses: Which subjects do I need?
If you’re currently interested in software courses, you’re not alone. In fact, software development courses have grown in popularity thanks to a demand for skilled individuals in this area. As a result, you could expect to work in an incredibly exciting field, making a great salary too. But before you can do that, you’ll need to choose the right subjects from as early as high school. Yes, we know, it starts as early as that.
If you’re already past that point, the good news is that you can still study most software courses, as long as there are no subject prerequisites that impact your acceptance. You might just need to put in a little extra work. If you’re still in high school, now’s the time to make sure you’ve got the right subjects behind you. These will form the perfect foundation for your software development studies. Here are the subjects that will help you succeed.
English: This one should come as no surprise, seeing as it’s a subject that impacts our ability to communicate both verbally and in written form. Although you’ll soon be learning other new-age languages like coding, good English capabilities will help you navigate your learning material. They will also make a big difference when it comes to your assignments, exams and even acing that first interview.
Mathematics: Many of us are often tempted to drop Mathematics in favour of subjects like Maths Literacy. If you can, don’t. Rather keep your options open with pure maths than risk losing out on getting into your chosen software development programme. We can’t speak for all institutions, but many recommend Mathematics over Maths Literacy.
Science: Physical Science is another subject that puts you at an advantage if you’re interested in the software development field. Again, we can’t say that every IT programme demands science, but it certainly helps. The more knowledge and skills you can gain before you enter your tertiary phase of education, the better.
Computer Science: If you’re going to work in the field of IT and software development, this one is imperative. Computer Science gives you a good basis of knowledge on which to build everything you learn during a tertiary qualification. It also gets you comfortable with certain terminology so that you’re not completely in the deep end in your first year.
What if I didn’t take some of these subjects?
Luckily, this isn’t the end of the world. Even if you don’t get accepted into your first choice of software development programme, there will be others that will allow you to join the field. Some of these are even stepping stones towards your first choice, which will help you gain entry later on. The bottom line is, no subject should ever be enough to deter you from following your passion!
At The IIE’s Varsity College, we believe in the power of #NewWorldThinking which equips you with problem-solving and critical thinking skills among many. It’s why we refuse to let our candidates be boxed in by past subject choices and we’re all for them changing their path if they wish to. Our student advisors will sit down with you to talk about your options. With every avenue explored, you can then make the programme choice that makes the most sense to you. Once you’ve chosen a qualification that plays to your strengths and interests, you’ll be well on the way to your dream career. To learn more about the IIE Higher Certificate in Information Technology, please click here.