[PLUG] online CS degree programs

[Michael Ewan]

Michael Robinson wrote:
> I've been quiet so far, but I'm trying to get a CS bachelors degree
> myself and the following are my thoughts and experiences:
>
> 1) Getting the degree completely on line, even from University of 
>    Phoenix, is not possible.  I talked to University of Phoenix and 
>    was told to attend courses on a campus.
>
>   
At OIT there are some of the gen-ed classes that are not on-line but are 
at least taught in Portland.
> 2) The requirements are changing even at PSU, and frankly the degree is
>    valuable because it is hard to get it.  There is a ridiculous
>    amount of math and statistics that you have to take for example.
>    I still have hard courses ahead of me even though I'm technically
>    beyond what the fussers guide says I need to pass to be a CS major.
>   
Ridiculous amounts of math is why I chose the BSIT app-programming 
degree instead of CS, plus lot's of very applicable knowledge (at least 
if you are doing database and business intelligence stuff like I am).
> 3) A bachelor's degree will in all likelihood not teach you what you
>    need to know depending on what you are going to do, but it puts
>    you in a different category compared to a person who doesn't have
>    one.
>   
Right.  Also I need a degree to teach credit classes at PCC.
> 4) Computer science is a lonely field, seriously consider social work
>    or something else before you commit potentially 10 years or more to
>    getting through engineering school.  If you want to meet and work
>    with people, this may be the wrong field for you.
>   
Try project management instead.
> 5) If it is taking you a long time, don't be afraid to see a doctor in
>    the event that depression is setting in and slowing you down.  There
>    are a lot of depressed people who are aren't getting any help even 
>    at PSU.  The statistics are 1 in 3.
>
> 6) Be prepared to be treated like you are going to be an engineer even
>    if you really want to be a programmer and could care less about 
>    hardware.
>   
Actually PSU has a Computer Engineering degree, at least they did a few 
years ago, that has more hardware focus.  What I found about the CS 
degree is it is more theory and algorithms instead of practical 
knowledge, not many jobs for compiler optimization out there.
> 7) Be aware that what you really need in the computer science field is
>    credibility and that is what a traditional bachelors degree is for,
>    not education.  With that in mind, a DeVry or ITT degree might work
>    if you pile the appropriate certs on top of it.  That said though,
>    why go to ITT for a degree if you can get a traditional one that
>    everyone will respect?
>   
Which is why I'm at OIT instead of DeVry.
> 8) Don't expect to get through in 4 years.  I graduated high school in 
>    1998 and I'm still working on my first bachelor's degree.  The number
>    of credits to be a computer science major at PSU is >180 by a 
>    significant amount and none of that is underwater basket weaving.
>    I got an Associates degree at PCC which helps considering that it
>    secures me as a junior even though computer science is changing 
>    rapidly.
>   
My son just started at CalPoly and will likely graduate before I do.  
The race is on.
> 9) Don't take discrete mathematics at PCC like I did.  I took it too 
>    long ago and it didn't cover the material that CS250 does at PSU.  
>    I'm signed up for CS311 and frankly I'm a bit worried.
>   
However do take Java at PCC instead of VB (business programming) at 
OIT.  And definitely take
CIS 275 _Data Modeling and SQL Intro_ 
<http://www.pcc.edu/schedule/default.cfm?fa=dspCourse2&thisTerm=200904&crsCode=CIS275&subjCode=CIS&crsNum=275&topicCode=CIS&subtopicCode=&crnList=40059,40934> 
at PCC instead of the intro to databases class at OIT.


<http://www.pcc.edu/schedule/default.cfm?fa=dspCourse2&thisTerm=200904&crsCode=CIS275&subjCode=CIS&crsNum=275&topicCode=CIS&subtopicCode=&crnList=40059,40934>