what faculty do i have to follow to become a good programmer?

It's important to think of programming as a capability. A good programmer has an ability to create software that solves a problem or meets a need. Many good programmers are mathematicians, engineers or scientists. On the other hand some of the best programmers I've employed had radically different formal training. They were musicians, writers, political scientists, or had no-university-education-whatsoever. The most important capabilities of a good programmer are (1) a knack for critical and creative problem solving, (2) an effective approach to learning new material, and (3) a firm grasp of at least one programming language.

As long as you make sure you develop these then any of the faculties that you mentioned can provide a gateway to a very satisfying career as a programmer. So can any business degree as programmers typically spend a lot of time understanding specific aspects of a firm's business (called a problem domain).

Don't sweat the title of the major. Look at the school and what they offer in terms of courses or specializations. The biggest thing would be to always keep your hand in doing real projects. You can start by doing some free work for non-profits but over time move to real software with a purpose. You will find your courses make much more sense, are easier and more valuable if you are able to connect to real problems. You should have no problems finding summer jobs or internships that can help you learn.

Computer Science: Typically more math-based, focused on algorithms, proofs, research and optimization.

Computer / Software Engineering: Typically more focused on the direct application of computers and software to real-world problems. Less research-focused and more focused on building working software with a team.

(Above are very broad generalizations, of course.)

Information Technology: Focus on using existing hardware and software to solve problems for businesses and other types of organizations.

1. Computer Scientist comes up with a new algorithm to compute an optimal path faster.


2. Software Engineer implements the algorithm in a new mapping program to get people directions between landmarks faster.


3. Information Technologist deploys the program across a trucking company to save time, money and fuel.

My advice is to follow the path that most appeals to you. Are you good at math and enjoy more theoretical problems? Computer Science might be best for you. Love building things and solving real-world problems with new approaches? Perhaps consider Software Engineering. Enjoy working broadly with technology to help people work better? Maybe IT is the right choice.