In the midst of a global pandemic that has seen a record number of Americans filing for unemployment, the University of Arizona Global Campus Career Services team has been even more proactive in its efforts to connect job seekers with the tools they need to stand out and get hired in a crowded field.

One of the great benefits of higher education is the freedom that you’re given to pursue — and ultimately prove — your understanding of concepts that are vital to your personal and professional ambitions. For many students, the proof will come in the form of a capstone or a thesis. 

While these climactic projects are both integral parts of your degree program, they are vastly different in process and presentation. 

As our world continues to discover new ways to leverage the power of technology, careers in the various fields of technology become increasingly vital to continue this progress. From the perspective of an individual outside the tech industry, one might suppose that information technology and computer science could be used interchangeably to describe routine, computer-based activities such as coding, managing technological systems, and operating databases. However, certain distinct differences exist between the two fields.

On your first day of school, someone probably told you to pay attention, do well in school, and get good grades. For me, this message came from my parents, and it was loud and clear. Although unknown, the fear of what might happen if I didn’t get good grades seemed to be the right amount of motivation I needed to stay in line. At least until I took a class called Integral Calculus, where I earned my very first C. I remember that day like it was the end of the world. I felt ashamed and disappointed, but most of all I was afraid. How would this affect my GPA? Does this mean I won’t graduate?