The world's future: Economics or ICT?

I'm applying to university this year (to begin in 2012) and I'm confronted with a huge dilemma: Should I do Economics or Computer Science?

On the one hand, there is economics, a prestigious and widely respected degree with enormous opportunities in the business world. A degree which, if successfully completed and cleverly applied, could bring vast wealth to the student. However, on the other hand, Computer Science, although equally respected in IT environment, is unlikely to bring as many opportunities. But it is undoubtedly the future of our world, and this is very important.

Personally, I had never in the past expressed strong interest in field of ICT/IT, and so my knowledge of the subject is very limited and small, and my general IT skills are embarrassing. Therefore, I'm inclined to read economics related subject at university. However, I know that IT has great potential, and it will be important in the future, and if I don't acquaint myself with it well enough soon, I'd lose the opportunity to ever be good at it( OR maybe its TOO LATE already?).

So please help me resolve this problem. Any information would be useful. N.B. I don't see my self in pure IT related job at all, I want to be in banking or business and use IT knowledge for improving business efficiency. Some of the sub-question which I have: Should I do economics at degree level and then learn IT later on in life? OR would it be too difficult? Maybe I should IT as an undergraduate and then do masters in economics or MBA?
SORRY for being incoherent, I just find it difficult to express all my ideas and concerns.

Computer Science at top universities is not so much about how to use computers per se. It is a very mathematical degree. Job prospects really are not much worse. Due to the mathematical content of the course top employers in the financial industry will look upon you just as favourably as top economics graduates.

Do what interests you the most, because at the end of the day if you graduate from a top university and want to go into the highest paying graduate careers (MC, Law, Banking, Accountancy) the degree you studied matters far less than the university you went to.

That's very helpful and encouraging. So the final question: If I chose to read economics and therefore get an offer from a better university and all that, how would I prepare myself for the future full of technology and innovation.

Well in my opinion that future is now. If you mean how do you make sure you're not a total technophobe, then I guess just take an interest in technology. Learn a little about computers, read things on the internet. There is so much information on the internet and if you want to learn all about technology there is no better place to look. For future innovations and new products look at some of the popular technology blogs.

Situation: I want to set up a business which is efficient and has great IT foundation. As a managers how would I make sure that this is done properly if I don't have any knowledge of the subject. I guess the question I'm really asking what does CS teaches you to do?

Computer science involves a lot about programming.

Have a look at the course content of it at some of the top unis (Oxbridge, Imperial, Warwick)

Thank you man, I understand exactly what you saying, its just I'm thinking about the future, and the future looks very high tech, so I want to be part of it. Therefore, how can I make sure I stay up to date or at least that I'm not completely oblivious to the world around me?

I'm applying to university this year (to begin in 2012) and I'm confronted with a huge dilemma: Should I do Economics or Computer Science?

On the one hand, there is economics, a prestigious and widely respected degree with enormous opportunities in the business world. A degree which, if successfully completed and cleverly applied, could bring vast wealth to the student. However, on the other hand, Computer Science, although equally respected in IT environment, is unlikely to bring as many opportunities. But it is undoubtedly the future of our world, and this is very important.

Personally, I had never in the past expressed strong interest in field of ICT/IT, and so my knowledge of the subject is very limited and small, and my general IT skills are embarrassing. Therefore, I'm inclined to read economics related subject at university. However, I know that IT has great potential, and it will be important in the future, and if I don't acquaint myself with it well enough soon, I'd lose the opportunity to ever be good at it( OR maybe its TOO LATE already?).

So please help me resolve this problem. Any information would be useful. N.B. I don't see my self in pure IT related job at all, I want to be in banking or business and use IT knowledge for improving business efficiency. Some of the sub-question which I have: Should I do economics at degree level and then learn IT later on in life? OR would it be too difficult? Maybe I should IT as an undergraduate and then do masters in economics or MBA?
SORRY for being incoherent, I just find it difficult to express all my ideas and concerns.

Don't be ridiculous - you're confusing CS with IT, stop thinking about what seems like the best for the long term future or whatever and just do what you enjoy. People get paid for doing whatever they do but doing it well. You don't get paid to do Computer Science badly.

Computer Science is very mathematical, as is Economics; but I wouldn't go into CS unless you had a real passion for computers in both software and hardware. It sounds like you don't, just try to do well in economics. You can read and keep up with technology without doing a degree - I know more about software and hardware than 99% of people and I'm in 6th form - having never done a 'computing' or 'computer science' qualification. I just read up and keep up to date!

I guess that's the most helpful message. Don't want to be annoying, but can you give me any advice on how to familiarise myself with Computing and become better at it; I am interested in it but I guess not interested enough to do it as a degree.

I've read through the course structure but I don't fully understand the end result of the degree. Honestly, doesn't it bother you that you not going to be prepared enough for the future, which is undoubtedly be ruled by people with knowledge of CS?

Nope, because you don't need a degree in CompSci to be tech savvy. And it won't be ruled by people with the knowledge of CompSci. The world is not ruled by the people who know the ins and out of technology, it is ruled by the people who know enough about technology and can exploit those who know the ins and outs.

While true, you're then relying on them being exploitable... This is a bad idea for the same reason that it's a bad idea to underestimate your enemies.

Tim Berners-Lee is a good example. Businesses approached him to buy the idea of the www.
He didn't like that so he refused and released it for free.
He wasn't exploitable and, had he been more cut-throat, would be 'ruling the world' as you put it.

Nope, because you don't need a degree in CompSci to be tech savvy. And it won't be ruled by people with the knowledge of CompSci. The world is not ruled by the people who know the ins and out of technology, it is ruled by the people who know enough about technology and can exploit those who know the ins and outs.

Just to note, 24k is quite a low graduate salary.

Chemical engineers graduate salary is almost 35k but realistically you'd probably get somewhere around 30k.

Chemical engineering is not even that highly paid job (comparatively)

If your in the highest pectile (usually those who graduate from Oxbridge / LSE and get into a lucrative finance job) you could expect almost 40k starting salary.

Just to note, 24k is quite a low graduate salary.

Chemical engineers graduate salary is almost 35k but realistically you'd probably get somewhere around 30k.

Chemical engineering is not even that highly paid job (comparatively)

If your in the highest pectile (usually those who graduate from Oxbridge / LSE and get into a lucrative finance job) you could expect almost 40k starting salary.