6 answers
Muano
Student
Louis Trichardt, Limpopo, South Africa
2
Questions
Updated
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I want to become a software engineer but I'm not certain about a subject I chose. What do I do?
I want to study software engineering and I'm not sure about my subjects. So basically at my school we have 4 streams and you can only chose 1 subject in each. I chose pure mathematics, physical sciences, tourism and business (my school does not offer CS, IT or CAT). The problem is that some people are advicing me to not chose tourism and to instead do either accounting or life sciences (other subjects in the stream). I don't want to do either since tourism is the easiest in the stream I want to make sure I have a high APS score. What should I do?
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6 answers
Zakaria Laouabdia Sellami
4
Answers
Annaba, Annaba Province, Algeria
Updated
Zakaria’s Answer
Keep Tourism to protect your high APS score; your current subject combination is already excellent for a software engineering path.
Why This Works
* Core Met: Universities strictly require Pure Math and Physical Sciences for tech degrees. You already have both.
* APS Boost: High school software/IT classes are rarely mandatory. A high grade in Tourism boosts your overall points far more than a lower grade in Accounting.
* Math Over Accounting: Pure Math builds the exact logical and algorithmic thinking needed for coding. Accounting is unnecessary.
Your Next Steps
Protect Math: Focus your energy on keeping your Pure Mathematics mark as high as possible.
Learn Online: Use the free time from Tourism to learn Python via Harvard’s free online CS50 course.
Why This Works
* Core Met: Universities strictly require Pure Math and Physical Sciences for tech degrees. You already have both.
* APS Boost: High school software/IT classes are rarely mandatory. A high grade in Tourism boosts your overall points far more than a lower grade in Accounting.
* Math Over Accounting: Pure Math builds the exact logical and algorithmic thinking needed for coding. Accounting is unnecessary.
Your Next Steps
Protect Math: Focus your energy on keeping your Pure Mathematics mark as high as possible.
Learn Online: Use the free time from Tourism to learn Python via Harvard’s free online CS50 course.
Dima Vizelman
Software Engineer
32
Answers
Tel Aviv-Yafo, Tel Aviv District, Israel
Updated
Dima’s Answer
Hi Muano
If Tourism is the subject where you score the highest, it might be good to keep it. For Software Engineering, Pure Mathematics is key, and Physical Sciences is also a strong pick.
You don't have to take Accounting or Life Sciences just because others think they're "better." If Tourism helps you boost your APS and meets the university's requirements, it's a smart choice.
Just make sure to look at the admission requirements for the universities you're interested in.
If Tourism is the subject where you score the highest, it might be good to keep it. For Software Engineering, Pure Mathematics is key, and Physical Sciences is also a strong pick.
You don't have to take Accounting or Life Sciences just because others think they're "better." If Tourism helps you boost your APS and meets the university's requirements, it's a smart choice.
Just make sure to look at the admission requirements for the universities you're interested in.
Dima, thank you!
Muano
Andreas Schmidt
IT Consulting
2
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Andreas’s Answer
Honestly, I think your current combination makes a lot of sense for software engineering.
Pure Mathematics is probably the most important subject in your selection, and Physical Sciences is also a strong choice. The fact that your school doesn't offer CS, IT or CAT isn't necessarily a problem. You can learn programming yourself, and universities will teach you the computer science fundamentals.
As for Tourism versus Accounting or Life Sciences, I wouldn't automatically change it just because someone says those subjects "look better." If Tourism is a subject you are confident you can score very highly in, that can actually be a smart choice if your goal is to maximize your APS.
The important thing is to check the admission requirements for the specific universities and software engineering or computer science degrees you're considering. If none of them specifically require Accounting or Life Sciences, there may be little benefit to choosing a more difficult subject that could lower your overall marks.
I'd also use the extra time you have from Tourism to start learning programming on your own. Learn Python or JavaScript, then build a few small projects. By the time you get to university, you'll have both a strong APS score and a head start in programming.
So I would prioritize:
Make sure your subjects meet the university admission requirements.
Keep Pure Mathematics and Physical Sciences.
If Tourism allows you to get a significantly higher mark, there's nothing inherently wrong with choosing it.
Use your spare time to learn programming and build projects.
Don't choose a subject just because other students say it is "better." Choose based on the actual university requirements and where you can perform well.
Your high school subjects don't determine whether you'll become a good software engineer. Your mathematical foundation, problem-solving ability, curiosity, and willingness to learn will matter much more in the long run.
Pure Mathematics is probably the most important subject in your selection, and Physical Sciences is also a strong choice. The fact that your school doesn't offer CS, IT or CAT isn't necessarily a problem. You can learn programming yourself, and universities will teach you the computer science fundamentals.
As for Tourism versus Accounting or Life Sciences, I wouldn't automatically change it just because someone says those subjects "look better." If Tourism is a subject you are confident you can score very highly in, that can actually be a smart choice if your goal is to maximize your APS.
The important thing is to check the admission requirements for the specific universities and software engineering or computer science degrees you're considering. If none of them specifically require Accounting or Life Sciences, there may be little benefit to choosing a more difficult subject that could lower your overall marks.
I'd also use the extra time you have from Tourism to start learning programming on your own. Learn Python or JavaScript, then build a few small projects. By the time you get to university, you'll have both a strong APS score and a head start in programming.
So I would prioritize:
Make sure your subjects meet the university admission requirements.
Keep Pure Mathematics and Physical Sciences.
If Tourism allows you to get a significantly higher mark, there's nothing inherently wrong with choosing it.
Use your spare time to learn programming and build projects.
Don't choose a subject just because other students say it is "better." Choose based on the actual university requirements and where you can perform well.
Your high school subjects don't determine whether you'll become a good software engineer. Your mathematical foundation, problem-solving ability, curiosity, and willingness to learn will matter much more in the long run.
Arnold Bhebhe
Software Engineer
4
Answers
Redmond, Washington
Updated
Arnold’s Answer
Hi Muano,
Short answer: I think you have a pretty good combination of subjects there, and I wouldn't drop tourism just because people are telling you to. But before you settle it, do one piece of homework yourself.
First, check the actual requirements rather than the opinions. Pull up the admission pages for the two or three universities and programmes you're aiming at, and look at two things: the subject requirements and how they calculate APS. For software-related degrees the gatekeepers are almost always Pure Maths and Physical Sciences at a specific level, and you already have both, which is the part that really matters. Then confirm that tourism counts toward their APS. At most universities it does, since they use your best six 20-credit subjects excluding Life Orientation, but a few institutions handle certain subjects differently or specify which ones must be included. Twenty minutes on their websites will settle this argument better than anyone's advice, mine included. If tourism counts normally where you're applying, then your reasoning holds: a level 7 in tourism is worth exactly as many APS points as a level 7 in accounting.
One caution though. "Easiest" only protects your APS if you actually go and get the distinction. And your biggest APS lever isn't the fourth subject anyway, it's pushing Maths and Physical Sciences as high as you can, because those marks decide whether you get into the programme at all, not just whether you clear the points threshold.
Second, I'd like you to think long term, and to think about software engineering as a multidisciplinary field. Consider whether tourism is an industry you might want to work in one day. That could mean building software that tourists use, or other infrastructure in that industry. Or maybe it's life sciences or something else that pulls you. Having that subject in your set gives you a bit of background in the industry, which pays off later. Software gets built for some industry, and knowing that industry is what separates a good engineer from a great one.
Third, and most importantly: don't let your school's subject offering limit what you can do. Anyone can become a software engineer if they put their mind and focus on it. Get good grades in your subjects, and in parallel teach yourself the fundamentals of programming and software engineering. Leverage AI as well, it's a great tutor. You'll shine when you bridge what you learn on your own with what you learn in class, for example using software to address some of the pressing issues in the tourism industry.
I did something similar myself. I was primarily a Biomedical Engineering major, but I took CS classes, built projects outside of class, and did hackathons and other competitions to sharpen my software engineering skills. That interdisciplinary approach makes me more impactful in my daily work, because I bring domain understanding to problems that a pure software background wouldn't give me.
So in summary: verify how your target universities count tourism, then commit to your school subjects, learn CS in your own time, and build projects to reinforce the skills. You're in a better position than you think.
All the best,
Short answer: I think you have a pretty good combination of subjects there, and I wouldn't drop tourism just because people are telling you to. But before you settle it, do one piece of homework yourself.
First, check the actual requirements rather than the opinions. Pull up the admission pages for the two or three universities and programmes you're aiming at, and look at two things: the subject requirements and how they calculate APS. For software-related degrees the gatekeepers are almost always Pure Maths and Physical Sciences at a specific level, and you already have both, which is the part that really matters. Then confirm that tourism counts toward their APS. At most universities it does, since they use your best six 20-credit subjects excluding Life Orientation, but a few institutions handle certain subjects differently or specify which ones must be included. Twenty minutes on their websites will settle this argument better than anyone's advice, mine included. If tourism counts normally where you're applying, then your reasoning holds: a level 7 in tourism is worth exactly as many APS points as a level 7 in accounting.
One caution though. "Easiest" only protects your APS if you actually go and get the distinction. And your biggest APS lever isn't the fourth subject anyway, it's pushing Maths and Physical Sciences as high as you can, because those marks decide whether you get into the programme at all, not just whether you clear the points threshold.
Second, I'd like you to think long term, and to think about software engineering as a multidisciplinary field. Consider whether tourism is an industry you might want to work in one day. That could mean building software that tourists use, or other infrastructure in that industry. Or maybe it's life sciences or something else that pulls you. Having that subject in your set gives you a bit of background in the industry, which pays off later. Software gets built for some industry, and knowing that industry is what separates a good engineer from a great one.
Third, and most importantly: don't let your school's subject offering limit what you can do. Anyone can become a software engineer if they put their mind and focus on it. Get good grades in your subjects, and in parallel teach yourself the fundamentals of programming and software engineering. Leverage AI as well, it's a great tutor. You'll shine when you bridge what you learn on your own with what you learn in class, for example using software to address some of the pressing issues in the tourism industry.
I did something similar myself. I was primarily a Biomedical Engineering major, but I took CS classes, built projects outside of class, and did hackathons and other competitions to sharpen my software engineering skills. That interdisciplinary approach makes me more impactful in my daily work, because I bring domain understanding to problems that a pure software background wouldn't give me.
So in summary: verify how your target universities count tourism, then commit to your school subjects, learn CS in your own time, and build projects to reinforce the skills. You're in a better position than you think.
All the best,
Tim Butler
Recruiting
15
Answers
Portland, Oregon
Updated
Tim’s Answer
Hi Muano,
Even though I'm not an Engineer, I've had the chance to recruit them, and it's an amazing career path. Great job on reaching out to get guidance on what to study. From what I've seen, not every Software Engineer or Developer has a degree in Computer Science. Many come from backgrounds in Mathematics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, and more. The exciting part about software development and engineering is that professionals in this field love learning and always expand their knowledge. The courses you're taking in high school can definitely benefit you later, even if they're not focused on engineering. If you learn to code, you can use these courses to create projects and practice your skills. When you get to college or university, if you decide to go, you'll have the chance to further develop your technical abilities and keep learning about software engineering.
Hope that helps!
Even though I'm not an Engineer, I've had the chance to recruit them, and it's an amazing career path. Great job on reaching out to get guidance on what to study. From what I've seen, not every Software Engineer or Developer has a degree in Computer Science. Many come from backgrounds in Mathematics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, and more. The exciting part about software development and engineering is that professionals in this field love learning and always expand their knowledge. The courses you're taking in high school can definitely benefit you later, even if they're not focused on engineering. If you learn to code, you can use these courses to create projects and practice your skills. When you get to college or university, if you decide to go, you'll have the chance to further develop your technical abilities and keep learning about software engineering.
Hope that helps!
Dev Ponnada
Senior Technical Architect
2
Answers
San Diego, California
Updated
Dev’s Answer
Stick with your current choice—you’re on the right track.
For admission into Computer Science or Software Engineering in South Africa, universities only strictly require Pure Mathematics and usually Physical Sciences. They do not require you to have done IT or CAT in matric, as introductory coding is taught from scratch in your first year.
Taking Tourism to protect and boost your overall APS is actually a smart move. Admissions are largely a numbers game: a high mark (Level 6 or 7) in Tourism will do far more for your total APS than scraping by with an average mark in a subject you don't enjoy, like Life Sciences or Accounting.
A few practical things to keep in mind:
Double-check faculty prospectuses: Look up the exact degree requirements for universities you're targeting (like Wits, UP, UJ, UCT, etc.) just to confirm their specific APS calculation rules.
Put the heavy work into Maths and Science: While a high total APS gets your foot in the door, most software engineering degrees have a strict minimum cutoff (usually 70%+) specifically for Pure Maths. Use the lighter workload from Tourism to give yourself extra time to excel in Maths and Physical Sciences.
Learn a bit of coding on your own: Since your school doesn't offer IT, spend a little free time on beginner-friendly sites like freeCodeCamp or Harvard’s free CS50 course. It will give you a solid head start before university.
For admission into Computer Science or Software Engineering in South Africa, universities only strictly require Pure Mathematics and usually Physical Sciences. They do not require you to have done IT or CAT in matric, as introductory coding is taught from scratch in your first year.
Taking Tourism to protect and boost your overall APS is actually a smart move. Admissions are largely a numbers game: a high mark (Level 6 or 7) in Tourism will do far more for your total APS than scraping by with an average mark in a subject you don't enjoy, like Life Sciences or Accounting.
A few practical things to keep in mind:
Double-check faculty prospectuses: Look up the exact degree requirements for universities you're targeting (like Wits, UP, UJ, UCT, etc.) just to confirm their specific APS calculation rules.
Put the heavy work into Maths and Science: While a high total APS gets your foot in the door, most software engineering degrees have a strict minimum cutoff (usually 70%+) specifically for Pure Maths. Use the lighter workload from Tourism to give yourself extra time to excel in Maths and Physical Sciences.
Learn a bit of coding on your own: Since your school doesn't offer IT, spend a little free time on beginner-friendly sites like freeCodeCamp or Harvard’s free CS50 course. It will give you a solid head start before university.