distance learning course, computing science degree

Question

What distance learning course to get a computing science degree do you recommend? Why?

Answer 1

The best one you can afford, preferably from an accredited institution.

Try to get some feedback before you sign up. Perhaps it's a generational thing, but it feels like it's easier to start a dodgey on-line university than a brick and mortar one. Be careful.

Answer 2

None of the above. Face to face communication will make getting your degree much easier and more fun. From my research distance learning is nearly as expensive as doing it in person. Go for the in person if possible, you will learn more.

Answer 3

I agree with Byron. I think in-person education is important - especially for CS given the easily anti-social nature of the CS field.

There is a ton of information already on the web on any technical topic - with distance learning for CS, I would consider that you're really just buying reading list. Success in CS (or any field) depends on a motivation to always be learning - if you already have that, you can learn the facts on your own.

The value of college is in the softer skills - college, in my opinion, is a place to learn about life/discipline/etc within the context of a topic you find incredibly interesting - that's why some people say that it doesn't matter what you get a degree in, as long as it's a degree - and why it is perfectly acceptable that people end up with a career unrelated to their degree.

I don't want to down on the value of distance education - I can't speak from experience on that. I only mean to advocate for face-to-face classes, if it is available to you.

So if your goal is to become technically proficient, I don't think that college courses are the quickest way to that goal. If you want a degree merely for the purposes of your resume, then maybe distance learning is the most convenient. But if you want to get the most out of college, strive to get as close to "total immersion" as possible in the non-technical aspects of college. Being on campus will make connections with faculty and fellow students easier.

Anyway, I think I'm getting a little far from your question - and I can't expect you to value these things when I took them for granted myself, but I just wanted to try.

Answer 4

I can honestly say that I disagree with the reasons given above for "face-to-face" studies.

I have completed studies whilst full time (face to face) and am still currently doing a degree "part time" (Same amount of time as if it were full time - I dont recommend it). The degree is a BSc in IT with Specialization in Software Engineering at a reputable correspondence university and it is great.

Something to take into consideration about people undervaluing a degree. When you learn on your own, without actual formal material, you learn how to program. When you do a formal qualification you learn a lot more, in a lot more detail. This gives you such a massive advantage when it comes to solving problems. A programmer will often look how to solve a problem programatically. Someone with a deeper understanding of the problem will try and solve it analytically, thus creating a much better solution, and frankly, saving a lot of time in development.

Now a few things to point out. Do not look look for an online university, look for a correspondence university. This basically means there is an actual university and that if you require help you can still make the drive and get it. It also tends to be the case that with this type of university, full time classes are also offered, again proving the institution exists.

The reason why I say that i disagree with some of the reasons for "face to face" versus "on your own" studies is that you develop a new way of learning. If you simply do not have the option of "Jee, I can't do this, ah well ill ask the lecturer tomorrow", you are forced to find a way to understand it. To me, this means that you gain more than simply the knowledge from the study material. You gain new learning methods, insight, patience and also, being able to directly apply what you learn whilst you work.

This to me is a huge argument in favour of correspondence studies. In normal full time studies, by the time you get to apply what you have learnt, you have forgotten how it worked exactly, don't even remember it or simply cannot see how to apply it. Every day I find a new way to apply something I've learnt, and frankly that makes the knowledge stick.

I hope this helps.

Kyle

Answer 5

While I like the face-to-face classroom experience, I like the convenience of online classes more. I am currently enrolled in National University's master's degree program for database management and find it to be quite good.

http://www.nu.edu

They are accredited and offer a ton of online degree programs.

However, for a bachelor's degree program, I'd recommend face-to-face.