Typically, engineering positions in IT require a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, and the more advanced engineering positions require an MS. A quality assurance engineer must work on a tight timeline to think up any silly thing that a consumer could do with an IT product, that would cause injury or product harm. A software engineer connects application modules and functionalities, debugs code, and creates ports to other operating system platforms. Senior software engineers, ultimately, come to have a say in the final product. Application programmers program specific applications, which will be later integrated into the final product. Finally, database administrators create and maintain databases.
Creative positions in IT require a BA and/or Master's in Business Administration (MBA). A web developer must have mastery of HTML, as well as programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Javascript, and XML, in order to create web pages that look good on any browser or platform. Web developers must have the ability to work well with both designers and engineers. Webmasters are responsible for managing a company's on-line presence, maintaining web pages, and writing web content. Technical producers, who benefit from having an MBA as well as a BA, set the tone as well as the overall feel of entertainment software, by taking responsibility for the art, content, and administrative aspects of the software.
You can obtain certain IT support positions with a BA, or, sometimes, with no degree. Technical support analysts deal directly with disgruntled customers, over the phone, and must have patience, good communication skills, and the ability to deal with unhappy people. System administrators design, test, and evaluate data communications systems, and must have the ability to take phone or internet systems apart and put them back together. System administrator jobs, unfortunately, are generally thankless: if systems go down, a system administrator will hear all about it, but things rarely go the other way around.
Even IT support positions that require a BS degree also require a strong ability to interface with clients. A software support engineer, for instance, requires knowledge of the client's needs and the ability to work directly with clients, as well as the ability to independently troubleshoot the client's IT problems. An IT sales consultant introduces potential customers to IT products and gets business executives up to speed on new IT problems. Those working in Management Information Systems (MIS) must be adapt at handing hardware, networks, and software, to keep the actual IT company running smoothly. Finally, an information security specialist works to protect networks against unauthorized internal and external access.