University
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I wanted to ask: I have a college degree in informatics, and I like programming. I wanted to ask if getting a university degree is worth the 4 year struggle?
Learning is always worth for me. :)
If the Lord God Almighty had consulted me before embarking upon the Creation, I would have recommended something simpler. -- Alfonso the Wise, 13th Century King of Castile.
This is going on my arrogant assumptions. You may have a superb reason why I'm completely wrong. -- Iain Clarke
[My articles] -
I wanted to ask: I have a college degree in informatics, and I like programming. I wanted to ask if getting a university degree is worth the 4 year struggle?
Assuming you can get the work you want probably not. Your first BS degree is a white collar union card. The second is an overpriced vendor certificate. If you're qualified as programmer and want a degree in it to pad your resume, I'd suggest looking at masters programs and then only back-filling whatever specific undergrad requirements you need to get into your chosen school for that degree.
3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18
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I wanted to ask: I have a college degree in informatics, and I like programming. I wanted to ask if getting a university degree is worth the 4 year struggle?
My experience (20 years ago) is that University was a lot more theoretical than practical. Used to have lots of maths and computational theory; not much programming, unless you go into "practical training". Have a look at the courses available for you.
Watched code never compiles.
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Assuming you can get the work you want probably not. Your first BS degree is a white collar union card. The second is an overpriced vendor certificate. If you're qualified as programmer and want a degree in it to pad your resume, I'd suggest looking at masters programs and then only back-filling whatever specific undergrad requirements you need to get into your chosen school for that degree.
3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18
Dan Neely wrote:
Your first BS degree is a white collar union card. The second is an overpriced vendor certificate.
I have both. :laugh:
John
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Dan Neely wrote:
Your first BS degree is a white collar union card. The second is an overpriced vendor certificate.
I have both. :laugh:
John
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Whats your 2nd: the overpriced cert, or an actual union card?
3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18
Probably more of the second as it has helped me in the early days advance to the highest level programmer position that the University offers without the 10 year experience requirement. Now I have almost 15 years so it's morphing into more of an overpriced cert..
John
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I'm not too familiar with informatics, but it seems like it is computer work minus the coding part. I think the biggest question is what do you want to get out of it? You surely don't need the degree to learn programming, but for some jobs, it may be necessary. I don't have a 4 year CS degree, just a minor. I majored in Management, but I've been coding just over half my life (wow, that was a scary realization).
"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!" — Hunter S. Thompson
wizardzz wrote:
I've been coding just over half my life (wow, that was a scary realization).
Not if you're a child prodigy and only twelve years old. ;P
Will Rogers never met me.
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I wanted to ask: I have a college degree in informatics, and I like programming. I wanted to ask if getting a university degree is worth the 4 year struggle?
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I wanted to ask: I have a college degree in informatics, and I like programming. I wanted to ask if getting a university degree is worth the 4 year struggle?
What's the difference between college and university where you live? In the US they're the same thing, except that a university usually encompasses several colleges on one campus. We also have Junior Colleges, or Community Colleges, which typically offer two-year Associate Degrees. These often include credits which transfer to 4-year University programs, but cost far less than taking the same courses at a university. In my field, Engineering, getting the 4-year degree is definitely worthwhile - there are no jobs in Engineering that don't require one. In Programming, things are not so clear. A lot of excellent programmers have no degree at all. With your background it may well be possible to grab a good job with your Informatics (whatever that made-up word means) training and self-taught programming skills. After all, in college they're going to teach programming using Pascal or ALGOL or some other academic language that no one in the real world actually uses; you're going to have to teach yourself anyway. But if you can afford the time and expense of acquiring a higher degree in the field that interests you, I'd strongly recommend it. It's only going to improve your competitiveness in the job market, and it's currently a buyer's market - employers can afford to be choosy. Best of luck to you! :)
Will Rogers never met me.
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What's the difference between college and university where you live? In the US they're the same thing, except that a university usually encompasses several colleges on one campus. We also have Junior Colleges, or Community Colleges, which typically offer two-year Associate Degrees. These often include credits which transfer to 4-year University programs, but cost far less than taking the same courses at a university. In my field, Engineering, getting the 4-year degree is definitely worthwhile - there are no jobs in Engineering that don't require one. In Programming, things are not so clear. A lot of excellent programmers have no degree at all. With your background it may well be possible to grab a good job with your Informatics (whatever that made-up word means) training and self-taught programming skills. After all, in college they're going to teach programming using Pascal or ALGOL or some other academic language that no one in the real world actually uses; you're going to have to teach yourself anyway. But if you can afford the time and expense of acquiring a higher degree in the field that interests you, I'd strongly recommend it. It's only going to improve your competitiveness in the job market, and it's currently a buyer's market - employers can afford to be choosy. Best of luck to you! :)
Will Rogers never met me.
Thanks for all the insights guys. For you who want to know, I live in Belgium. The difference between college and university is that college is hands on, lets get programming and lets plug in some cables and see what it does. While university is math and lets see how compression works in (theoretical) depth. Not sure what I'm going to do yet, find a job or go to uni. Thanks for the insights though.