By Mr. Abdalla A. Shaame

 Computer Science is basically concerned with the study of computers.  A student will learn about hardware and operating systems. It is also about highly technical stuff like registers, multitasking kernels, databases and address buses.  It is said to be about the principles of computing and about the design of the computer and its operation.  Computer science is concerned only with computers while it is not so with Information technology

 On the other hand computer science embraces the study and the science of theoretical foundations of both information and computing as well as implementation, programming and processing in computing

 Information Technology is about how the computer can be employed to various operations in life.  Thus it concerned with the study of applying computer science to day-to-day human operations in industries and businesses.  A student of Information technology would deal with subjects like programming, databases, software, application etc rather than the actual operation of the computer itself.  Thus IT is about the use of the computer for certain functions that would make work easier and better without actual delving into the details of computer operations.

Computing is a broad field, with five major disciplines:  Computer Science is the study of computing theory. Computer scientists are often good at answering the question, “what is a computer system capable of doing?” or “can our computer system do this?” Computer scientists show us what can be done by doing it and proving it.  Information Systems is the study of meeting the practical computing needs of a business, with an emphasis on information. Information Systems professionals specialize in getting the maximum business impact out of the implementation of a system.  Information Technology is the study of meeting the computing needs of a business, with an emphasis on technology. Information Technology professionals specialize in answering the question, “what technologies are available and how can we reliably implement and integrate them with our existing systems?”  Software Engineering is the study of building software that meets the needs of the customer on time and within budget. Software engineering is a “spin-off” of computer science, informed by the engineering disciplines.  Computer Engineering is the study of the design of the machine, its components, and peripheral devices. This discipline is a “spin-off” of electrical engineering.

 What is the difference between Computer Science and Information Technology