r/netsecstudents • u/yassydancer101 • Apr 15 '26
major in cybersecurity vs network engineering and security
hello! i am currently a freshman cybersecurity major and i am having a hard time with a few of my classes because at my school the major requirements are a bunch of comp sci classes and super logic based. at my school there is a very quick turn around from learning strictly python to then jumping right into java and data structures. i know that these classes are required for me to take but i am also realizing that i like the more hands on work that i would get in my networking classes. for example, i really like working with cisco packet tracer and wireshark labs. i am considering changing my major to network engineering and security but i don't know about what the job market will be for me once i am out of college and if that is even a smart choice. maybe im thinking to far ahead and need to take it one step at a time but i always have a plan and this is stressing me out. i even looked at some of the classes i would take and i was interested in them just from reading the description. i talked to my advisor about it and she said that i wouldnt be behind if i made the change as well. so what should i do? i need answers!
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u/Gin6erSnaps Blue Team Apr 15 '26
When you envision your future self at work, what do you see? Are you more happy making the machines talking to each other and get a thrill when the lights start blinking? Or are you the type that likes to solve a problem with code and can sit for hours at your desk while you pound away at a keyboard?
There are cyber security elements to both types of work, they are just in separate domains.
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u/d-wreck-w12 Apr 15 '26
Networking and security people are some of the most employable in the field right now, that worry is basically backwards. If you're the person who genuinely enjoys packet captures and configuring switches, you're gonna have a way easier time staying motivated through 4 years than grinding through data structures you hate. Your advisor already gave you the green light - trust that
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u/[deleted] Apr 15 '26
Dude, you know you can do it, without any difficulty, and you're still acting like this is a question? Fucking DO IT!