In 2004-2005, I began developing software with zeal and speed. In this voyage, which began with merely the preparation of scientific websites, I took the first steps toward professionalization in 2005 by enrolling in various courses and trainings.

Despite the fact that educational resources were difficult to come by during those years, I realized that I studied software programming on my own in a very short period of time. The classes I attended along the road, the pricey software books I bought with my first income, and a software instructor with whom I frequently went home to play chess all aided me.

For the first time in 2006, I taught software to a few of my friends, and shortly after, I began to teach individual and corporate software training. During this time, I began my career in the software sector by working in numerous software companies for low pay and without insurance.

There is a much more extensive story about my journey to software development, but it is not the topic of this post. I just want to emphasize one crucial point: I opted to be a software engineer in order to keep my analytical intelligence active for years. Due to my family's financial position, it was not possible for me to have an education in the subject I desired (nuclear physics), so I developed myself in the field of software, which I was very interested in, in the hope that one day I would obtain that education. It's a good thing I didn't force it since genetics became more interesting to me over time, and I understood that most university education, which spends a lot of time and money in any topic, is superfluous.

I couldn't quit software after a while, when my university barrier was removed. When I realized that my classmates for whom I wrote graduation projects and theses were unable to obtain a good education from engineering programs, I decided not to waste time by pursuing a Software Engineering education on subjects I was already familiar with. "I've already learned software development, so how can I easily take it to the next level?" I reasoned. I enrolled in the Faculty of Economics via remote education without disrupting my work or initiatives too much. distant education programs were mocked at the time, but after the epidemic, everyone shifted to distant education, and oddly, the university I attended outperformed all other universities in this regard:)

How is Economics, rather than Software Engineering, a better choice for a Software Developer?

Of course, studying Software Engineering or Computer Engineering is a fantastic place to start if you want to become a software developer, but isn't it a waste of time for software developers who are already in better form than hundreds of engineering graduates? It is evident that if the institution you will be attending is not one of the few in the world, self-learning will not assist you more, and if your self-discipline is sufficient in a sector such as software, it will not make sense.

In other words, this paper is intended at the educational and professional lives of sarcastic software developers. If you have no prior experience in the software industry, engineering may be a better fit for you.

I recognized a problem years ago, both while writing software and in my personal life. My financial literacy, like that of many other software professionals, was very low. Furthermore, financial literacy was required in our job for reasons other than mathematics. Blockchain, e-commerce sites, payment systems, and even a simple discount coupon game are all possibilities. Software always need economic infrastructure, and a tiny financial mistake by the software developer can result in massive expenses for businesses.

What are the advantages of an economics education for a software developer?

  1. Data Analysis and Economics Modeling: Because of their economics understanding, software developers, particularly those working in the disciplines of machine learning and artificial intelligence, can perform better data analysis and economics modeling. They can, for example, have a better understanding of pricing strategies, demand forecasts, risk analysis, and portfolio management.
  2. Algorithm Design: Economics theories and models can be used to a wide range of algorithms. Game theory and bidding systems, in particular, can help software developers build algorithms.
  3. Digital Economy and Fintech: Understanding the digital economy and fintech applications requires an understanding of economics. Because of his economics knowledge, a software developer can better grasp blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, digital banking, e-commerce, and other topics.
  4. Systems Design and User Experience: Economics offers a comprehensive understanding of how people and institutions make decisions. Software developers can utilize this data to better understand user behavior and improve the user experience.
  5. Business Strategy and Product / Project Management: Economics allows you to understand markets and forecast customer behavior at both the macro and micro levels. Software engineers can use this information to create business strategies and improve their product management skills.

What fundamental aspects make economics a useful education for a software developer?

It includes all of the fundamental components that a software developer could want in fields such as economics, data science, and artificial intelligence. These;

  1. Statistics and Probability Theory: Statistics and probability theories underpin economics, particularly econometrics. Because data science and artificial intelligence applications are frequently based on these theories, a degree in economics can help you comprehend them better. 
  2. Optimization: Economics is concerned with the optimal distribution of resources, which is sometimes expressed as an optimization problem. Artificial intelligence, particularly machine learning, is frequently used to solve optimization problems. As a result, understanding economics provides the required tools for dealing with such issues.
  3. Game Theory: Game theory is a branch of economics that investigates interdependent decision processes. Game theory can be useful in AI, especially in multi-agent systems and cooperative decision making.
  4. Decision Theory: Economics is the study of individuals' and institutions' decision-making processes. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are concerned with establishing when and how a system must make decisions in order to complete a specific task. As a result, decision theory can be useful in certain situations.
  5. Behavioral Economics: The study of the psychological, social, and emotional elements that influence people's economic decisions is known as behavioral economics. Artificial intelligence and data science can do comprehensive assessments of user behavior and patterns, and behavioral economics knowledge can thus strengthen these analyses.

As a result, economics can assist a programmer in becoming more effective in areas such as data science and artificial intelligence. Transparency between various disciplines is becoming increasingly vital in today's fast-changing, interdisciplinary environment.

So, why is the Economics department more useful for a software engineer than, say, Statistics?

Of course, whether it is more useful or useless will depend on personal professional interests. What makes me believe that the area of Economics is more useful is that it is more closely related to actual life. It appears to be more appealing to pursue a balanced education approach that includes not only mathematics but also customer interactions, markets, project management, real-life economics algorithms, and fundamental accounting knowledge.

Aside from that, rather than an in-depth knowledge of statistics that will be lost in a short time, you study fundamental statistics courses in economics education. Many common courses are available, including statistical analysis, econometrics, probability theory, stochastic processes, and optimization.

Is economics alone sufficient? Which graduate programs would a software engineer with a background in economics prefer?

Economics alone as a university education may be sufficient depending on your goals, but why not plan ahead?

It is adequate in commercial areas such as software development, project management, and technical management in financial technology. My advice is to read one of the graduate departments and use your software expertise and economics knowledge to steer your career.

If you enjoy large data, databases, digging and extracting data, and want to advance as a better software engineer by playing with data, data science is a fantastic alternative.

The engineering management master's degree is ideal for economics graduates who desire to advance technically in a managerial role or in their own business.

Aside from these, you can study in numerous graduate departments related to software and economics, such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Digital Asset, Financial Technologies, Cyber Security, Simulation and Modeling.

If you are already a software developer with a business background in these fields, you will have no trouble getting into these divisions. If your software background is insufficient, you can enter with the condition of studying scientific preparation for one year, which is both natural and required.