I'm an aspiring CS student from India who will be joining in Fall 2023. I'm wondering whether an IST major would suit me. I'm passionate about CS, but I'm also curious about IST and how it compares to CS. Here are some of my questions:

1. How feasible or practical is a CS major along with an IST minor or two? When will I be able to minor? (year & requirements)
2. How can I transfer to an Information Science Technology major after I start the first year in CS if I feel that's the right fit for me?
3. Will I be able to comfortably Double Major in something else along with an IST Major? Can the IST major be finished earlier? (< 4yrs)
4. How viable and lucrative are the prospects and opportunities of an IST major for international students compared to CS after graduation? How often do International students take this route, especially Indians?
5. Is IST considered a STEM degree and will I get a 1 2-year (3 yr) work permit / OPT after graduation like CS? (Really Important)
6. How much extra work and self-study needs to be done to take the Software Engineer route with an IST degree?
7. When do we get to declare a specialization like HCD or SRA? After the First Year Common classes?

Related Post: IST OPT / Work Permit for Internationals