Computer Science Majors, Your Degree May Not Be As Valuable As You Think
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It seems that the theory taught in schools is valuable after all, but only as a supplement to the practical skills. So, it is probably better to find a way to learn these practical skills first. Only after mastering these skills will the higher level theory taught in schools be useful.
...But the degree still helps.
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It seems that the theory taught in schools is valuable after all, but only as a supplement to the practical skills. So, it is probably better to find a way to learn these practical skills first. Only after mastering these skills will the higher level theory taught in schools be useful.
...But the degree still helps.
Epoch Times wrote:
Only after mastering these skills will the higher level theory taught in schools be useful.
That's rubbish (IMHO). But I do agree that simply having a degree in Computer Science maketh a software engineer not. Practical experience is necessary because it exposes the engineer to real-world issues which (for the sake of practicality) can only be glossed over in a classroom environment. This is why internships done while studying are of great value. Aside: I've worked with several very proficient devs who don't have a CS degree but are more than able to carry their weight. And then some. /ravi
My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com
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Epoch Times wrote:
Only after mastering these skills will the higher level theory taught in schools be useful.
That's rubbish (IMHO). But I do agree that simply having a degree in Computer Science maketh a software engineer not. Practical experience is necessary because it exposes the engineer to real-world issues which (for the sake of practicality) can only be glossed over in a classroom environment. This is why internships done while studying are of great value. Aside: I've worked with several very proficient devs who don't have a CS degree but are more than able to carry their weight. And then some. /ravi
My new year resolution: 2048 x 1536 Home | Articles | My .NET bits | Freeware ravib(at)ravib(dot)com
I think it's the same in any technical profession. I've known some graduate engineers who couldn't do engineering and I've known some people who could run circles around most engineers but never got a degree.
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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It seems that the theory taught in schools is valuable after all, but only as a supplement to the practical skills. So, it is probably better to find a way to learn these practical skills first. Only after mastering these skills will the higher level theory taught in schools be useful.
...But the degree still helps.
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It seems that the theory taught in schools is valuable after all, but only as a supplement to the practical skills. So, it is probably better to find a way to learn these practical skills first. Only after mastering these skills will the higher level theory taught in schools be useful.
...But the degree still helps.
To be a successful programmer you need two things, the desire to continually learn AND practice. A degree is not intended to teach a person a trade so they can go out and practice that trade for a living. A degree gives you a foundation and exposes you to a variety of topics. To simply be aware what knowledge exists out there to be able to draw upon for a solution is very powerful. You need to actually go out and practice to learn how to apply what you have been taught in college for the degree. Having a degree will open doors, even if they are not in the related field that you work in. Some companies will not even consider candidates unless they have a degree. There are plenty of jobs out there that require all range of skill and education levels. From the very narrowly focused view-point that the article takes, yeah, there are people that create mega-corporations without degrees. They are the exception and not the rule. Then of course a programmer can always google...
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To be a successful programmer you need two things, the desire to continually learn AND practice. A degree is not intended to teach a person a trade so they can go out and practice that trade for a living. A degree gives you a foundation and exposes you to a variety of topics. To simply be aware what knowledge exists out there to be able to draw upon for a solution is very powerful. You need to actually go out and practice to learn how to apply what you have been taught in college for the degree. Having a degree will open doors, even if they are not in the related field that you work in. Some companies will not even consider candidates unless they have a degree. There are plenty of jobs out there that require all range of skill and education levels. From the very narrowly focused view-point that the article takes, yeah, there are people that create mega-corporations without degrees. They are the exception and not the rule. Then of course a programmer can always google...
Many decades ago I got a PhD in Computer Science and became a professor with the chair in Computer Science. After three years of teaching almost the same syllabus (heavy on "History of Computing") I got out and took a job as a junior programmer in an aircraft company. I would say I learned more during the five years with that company (despite the boss being an old-school, self-taught, tyrannical idiot) than all the academia up to that point. I am still learning and when I look back at what I did for my PhD, my thesis, about home computers and home computer gaming in "the future" (this was before any of it existed, before the PC, before Commodore PETs, etc.) was the only thing that still had some relevance. I did predict the internet, but not kitten pictures, U-Tube or Twitter - although there was something that was sort of Facebookish. The point is, everything keeps changing and by the time it is put into a college syllabus it is probably out of date, especially these days. For example, I put off learning SilverLight and now I don't need to!
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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Many decades ago I got a PhD in Computer Science and became a professor with the chair in Computer Science. After three years of teaching almost the same syllabus (heavy on "History of Computing") I got out and took a job as a junior programmer in an aircraft company. I would say I learned more during the five years with that company (despite the boss being an old-school, self-taught, tyrannical idiot) than all the academia up to that point. I am still learning and when I look back at what I did for my PhD, my thesis, about home computers and home computer gaming in "the future" (this was before any of it existed, before the PC, before Commodore PETs, etc.) was the only thing that still had some relevance. I did predict the internet, but not kitten pictures, U-Tube or Twitter - although there was something that was sort of Facebookish. The point is, everything keeps changing and by the time it is put into a college syllabus it is probably out of date, especially these days. For example, I put off learning SilverLight and now I don't need to!
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
Another aspect is that you learn fundamentals of engineering math, sciences etc. There is no replacement for practice. The real world definitely is different than academia, and I believe they both are important.