Online Computer Science Degrees

Question

First, let me state that I prefer in class training. I like the exchange that students have with the professors. Now, saying that, it is very hard for me to take regular in-class courses at my local university because I am a father and husband and I need to work during the day to support my family. I never knew what I wanted to do with my life until about two years ago. I have taken some CS courses but I have taken a new job which is going to make it harder on me and my family if I take in-class courses.

My question is what do you all think about online degrees in Computer Science? Are they worth it? I know there are a lot of scams out there and I am still doing my homework on this matter, but I wanted to get everyone's opinion.

If you know of any good programs, pass them my way so I can take a look.

Answer 1

I'd probably sooner trust a candidate with certifications but no actual degree over someone who had an online degree. Not to say that all online degrees are bad, but they definitely don't have a reputation as being very rigorous... I guess that the same could be said for certifications, but at least most people know the value of various certs, and know from first/second/third-hand experience how hard they are to acquire.

Also, to second what others have noted here, real-world experience usually carries a lot more weight on a resume, especially as you get older.

Answer 2

A few general things to think about.

1. Do you need a degree in CS? (I don't have one (although I have certs), and some of the best programmers I've ever met don't either. Many of them have no better than a High School degree, and they're doing just fine.)

2. If you like the exchange students have with the professors, do you think you'll get the same experience online?

3. Are you currently working as a programmer? If not, what's stopping you from positioning yourself to move in that direction. You may not be able to do that this year due to the economy, but when things get better, there are always companies looking to take a risk. If you believe you're good at this, you should go for it.

4. Lastly, regarding positioning yourself. Find a need at your workplace that can be filled with computer programming. Sit down in the evening at home, and start pounding out a solution. When it works well for you for a while, share it with your boss. If it works, you might just find yourself recruited by your internal application development department for a job. That's how I did it. :)

+1 also to sqook's comment about the certifications. MS Certifications have gotten significantly more difficult to attain over the past few years, and they're a great way to show you know something about the craft.

Answer 3

I won't go for 100% online for the simple reason sqook stated above; but that depends on the institution. I prefer the hybrid class - online + in class. University of Phoenix has this kind of setup. They have once a week meeting. Other universities are offering a similar arrangement.

Answer 4

MIT's OpenCourseWare (here) for free, outstanding online course materials.

Answer 5

It all depends on the university.

• If its a traditional U. with a online equivalent, I'd consider that as close to equal to the learning that takes place in class considering that traditional schools have a rep. to maintain and minimum criteria to adhere to.
• After listening to a former employee's experience with U. of Phoenix, I don't think that I would rank that at quite the same level as the traditional U. This is downgraded simply by what I saw as an over reliance upon "participation" in forums to determine the grade.
• Anything that resembles a degree mill, I'd rank that lower than no degree. And I'd consider anything that isn't a traditional U. or U. of Phoenix a degree mill based solely on lack of reputation.

Answer 6

I don't know about online Computer Science degrees but I know a lot of professionals from Physiotherapists to Dieticians take online undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and every one of those people say that they are okay.

Another option for you is part-time courses. A few lesser-known universities offer part-time courses (usually one full day a week) that a couple of friends of mine have taken and they've come out the other end just fine. I know a couple of Database Administrators that have taken part-time degrees to rise up the corporate ladder and they've been the hardest working students I've ever known.

It's obvious that the normal degree is the best option, but it is understandable that life comes before work and I doubt that many employers would frown at that fact. I still maintain that a university isn't the beginning nor the end of ones education, and if you attend the worst university in the world you could still come out the other end as a capable professional. If the online degree suits you then go for it! Just remember that you'll have to work harder than the rest to prove yourself.

Answer 7

It depends on the country for one. A couple I know about:

• UK: Open University. The qualification received is actually from an institution called the Open University;
• Australia: Open Learning differs from the UK's Open University in that it is just a distribution medium for the relevant university (eg Monash, UNSW, Curtin, etc) so the degree obtained is from that relevant institution (so I'm not sure how this can be worse than certifications or even worse than a degree from that institution as others have stated although in-person is certainly preferable);
• Computer Science Degree Programs Online Bachelor Degree. Don't know much about this. Just came across it.

Obviously it is preferable to do a "real" degree but then again I'm of the opinion the most important aspect of a degree in IT/Computing is whether or not you have one rather than the program (2nd) or the school (3rd). And pretty much anything beats certifications, which I consider to be a tax on programmers.

Answer 8

This topic has come up a few times over the many years I've been around. I have never had an employer say positive things about someone with an online degree (at the time when they are reading resumes).

As far as not getting a degree, that is a risky thing. When times are hard (like now) where employers have more applicants than usual, they will use things like the lack of a degree to reject a resume. Even in good times, a lack of a degree can quickly get you ignored.

Of course, there are plenty of people who are successful that don't have a degree. But that is all anecdotal and doesn't take into account all the unsuccessful programmers without a degree.

Answer 9

Experience trumps all. Degrees are good, but as you stated, it's not required. There is no silver bullet.

What you want is to collect "badges" that make you standout. Things like degrees, certs, online courses... etc are all great. The more you collect related to your discipline the better.

Joel stated best in the last podcast (40 I think). When he hires he looks for candidates that worked at places such as Microsoft, because he knows they have a rigorous selection process. The chances of you being a better candidate increases.

To address your question, investigate the online course, does it have accreidation? What is the success rate for it's grads. If you can talk to someone who has taken the course. Ask them if it was worth it.

Answer 10

Accreditation is the key. If I remember right, ABET accreditation is what you are looking for. After that, who knows if you got the degree online or on campus.

Answer 11

It depends on the school. Online can be as solid an education as offline if the school and the program are solid. For example, a degree from UIUC, Stanford, or even Regis University are probably solid. Degress from City University, University of Phoenix, etc. aren't worth much whether taken online or not.

Here is what I did when looking for an online program. I looked at the degree requirements for major schools and then looked at the online program and saw whether the courses were similar or not.

Answer 12

here is a good link to free online lectures from the best universities

Answer 13

Well my friend if you want to have a good information about Online Certification in IT/CS then i believe that will be helpful for you...

Answer 14

I am currently completing an online B.S. in Computer Science. I transferred to a four year school from a community college after getting an associates degree. I think that you should probably seek people that completed their computer science degrees and disregard noise by people that code and have no degree. First off, their is more to getting a Computer Science degree than just programming. If you check the Department of Labor's website, they have an Occupational Outlook Handbook programmer job prospects are expected to continue to drop due to outsourcing but the differentiate between a programmer and a computer scientist. Computer scientist job prospects are suppose to continue to rise. You can search the Occupational Outlook Handbook for "Computer Scientist and Database Administrator" to read it.

Microsoft programming languages have been increasingly easy to learn, even for the most novice of programmers because they are at least 75% automated. Microsoft advertises that fact that their languages are easy to learn for the professional and novice alike. As far as MS certifications, by themselves don't mean anything. I did an analytical report on them and did extensive research and done interviews. What they do is verify your skills and are good to have coupled with a degree and experience but aren't a replacement for a 4 year. A degree also says that you are an educated person. As far as a computer science degree is concerned, you learn how to do things like solve problems, write algorithms, and plan systems. We also went into things you would need to create a compiler and write code for low-level embedded systems. If you just want to learn MS's Visual Basic you could easily learn that with no degree. Computer science degrees require extensive math. Can you do the math? If you are not sure, than try some math first. Some people can't get past the math to get the degree.

Anyhow, from what I have read, if you want to an online degree, stick to non-profit schools only that you could attend in class. There usually is no way to differentiate whether you did your classes online or not, it isn't on your degree. NYIT looks like they have a good online computer science degree. Skip the for-profit schools like Phoenix, they are just looking to make a buck and have little concern about the quality of the education.

I personally hardly ever see an ad for a programmer that doesn't require a degree but some do say degree or comparable. Problem is that you will be competing for jobs with people with degrees. Having a degree says you were able to complete the program, which says something. Having a certification says "I paid Microsoft and took a test in an easy to learn use programming language".

Answer 15

I forgot to mention, Microsoft programming languages becoming very automated and easy to use means less of a need for people that just code. The computer scientist who developed the plan and algorithms can do the job with out the need for additional programmers. Another thing you need to investigate about getting a computer science degree is job prospects. Jobs in software are being off-shored at a much quicker rate than manufacturing since the product can be transmitted digitally.

Answer 16

I had the same qualms you are having when I went back to complete my MIS degree recently in an online program that I had started at a traditional university years ago.

Although I think that online programs OUGHT to get the same treatment as the in-person equivalents, I don't still think people have a tendency to think less of non-traditional degree programs like this. Heck, I'll admit it. I still feel a twinge of bias against online degrees when I see them on resumes while I am recruiting, and I HAVE one. All in all, it is just going to take time for things to level out. I suspect it is going to quickly become more common, especially with the tech savvy GenY+ types coming through the system. As that happens, the stigma will fade.

In the meantime, I suggest you go the approach I did. Find a university with an online program, but is more known for their traditional in-person programs. In most cases they give the exact same degree without the word "Online" printed anywhere on it and there is no reason to make a distinction on your resume that it was an online program. Of course, I'd be honest if they ask about it, and they commonly will if you do like I did and pick a school that is not local to where you live.

If your concern is about the learning style more than the value of the credential, I'd have to say that online is harder in a lot of ways. While I attended school in person I got a lot out of face-to-face interaction with other students and professors that had to be replaced with e-mail and a textbook in the online format. It isn't for everyone, you have to be pretty diligent to keep up with it.

Answer 17

From a broader perspective,there are perks of both online and on-campus programs. When you talk about Computer Science programs, I don’t see any harm enrolling in an online college only if it is accredited. It is absolutely worth it. You will definitely have an edge over the people who assert that they are self-taught and well-versed with various aspects of computer science.

It is always better to be vigilant when you attend an online program. I have had a good experience with online programs offered by Stevens-Henager College. I would recommend the online Computer Science degree they offer.