Changing career to software development?

[Jwheels27]

I’d like to change careers into software development/engineering. Considering I already have a non-marketable Political Science degree from UMPI, what do you think would be the path of least resistance for breaking into software engineering, WGU BS-Computer Science, WGU BS-Software Engineering, or TESU’s BA-Computer Science. I’ve also considered just getting a checkbox IT degree from either WGU or PUG and focusing most of my effort outside of school getting better at programming. I appreciate anyone currently working in tech to weigh in, thank you for any advice sent my way! I appreciate it!

[bjcheung77]

None, not until you've fully decided software development/engineering is the field you want to go into. I would try out the cheapies or freebie options to see if you like it or not, so for example, get the Coursera/TADA and Sophia.org options that deal with Coding and/or Development, programming, etc and see if Comp Sci, Data Analytics, IT and so on is what you're looking for. Once the certs are done, you'll have a little bit of experience under your belt, you can decide to finish a degree, then your trifecta of certs, degree, experience would be done, you'll have at least some entry-level knowledge under your belt.

[Tomas]

I have no degree and had no problems to get into entry level software engineering job.
You need to show some skill, best is to have some project that's a bit above what you will see in a typical Udemy course. Little bit of 'work experience' - like volunteer or part-time job - doesn't hurt, as well as some unfinished CS degree or courses from eg. Coursera or EDX. I have unfinished university studies and was afraid putting it on CV, but in the end found employees look at it relatively positively.
IT is huge field so it's mostly about what kind of job you want, and what you do currently. I guess in some cases it's best to jump into some entry level job and study on the side, in other cases it might be better to keep current job and only switch once you have finished your degree.
In general, computer science degrees sound better than software engineering, but depends on what kind of job and employer you are after.

I'm also considering CS degree, my current take is to work on math skills and get into MSc that doesn't require bachelor degree (eg. UC Boulder on Coursera), and finish some bachelor degree alongside.
However, you already have bachelor degree. So maybe if you'll work on math a bit and get into MSc straight away, that might be faster path, albeit a bit thorny.

Disclaimer: I'm in Europe, and while I work for US customer, still it's different job market (and education system) than US.

[rachel83az]

I agree with bjcheung77; start with TADA/Coursera and Sophia.org. You already have a degree, so you're going to be more desirable than someone without a degree. You just need certs and a few github projects/good portfolio to show that you can actually do the software engineering work. If you meet every criteria that a company is looking for, except you have the "wrong" type of degree, you're going to be infinitely more hireable to most companies compared to someone who has the "right" degree but who only meets one or two other criteria.

[Jwheels27]

I agree with bjcheung77; start with TADA/Coursera and Sophia.org. You already have a degree, so you're going to be more desirable than someone without a degree. You just need certs and a few github projects/good portfolio to show that you can actually do the software engineering work. If you meet every criteria that a company is looking for, except you have the "wrong" type of degree, you're going to be infinitely more hireable to most companies compared to someone who has the "right" degree but who only meets one or two other criteria.

Between you and BJ it sounds like I should self teach and get aiming programming experience before worrying about a degree. I’ve read your ability to write code and portfolios matter more than any degree. I appreciate the input! Still at some point I’d like to pursue a more technical degree, whether it’s bachelors or masters. I wish UMPI would get the ball rolling on some IT degrees!

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I have no degree and had no problems to get into entry level software engineering job.
You need to show some skill, best is to have some project that's a bit above what you will see in a typical Udemy course. Little bit of 'work experience' - like volunteer or part-time job - doesn't hurt, as well as some unfinished CS degree or courses from eg. Coursera or EDX. I have unfinished university studies and was afraid putting it on CV, but in the end found employees look at it relatively positively.
IT is huge field so it's mostly about what kind of job you want, and what you do currently. I guess in some cases it's best to jump into some entry level job and study on the side, in other cases it might be better to keep current job and only switch once you have finished your degree.
In general, computer science degrees sound better than software engineering, but depends on what kind of job and employer you are after.

I'm also considering CS degree, my current take is to work on math skills and get into MSc that doesn't require bachelor degree (eg. UC Boulder on Coursera), and finish some bachelor degree alongside.
However, you already have bachelor degree. So maybe if you'll work on math a bit and get into MSc straight away, that might be faster path, albeit a bit thorny.

Disclaimer: I'm in Europe, and while I work for US customer, still it's different job market (and education system) than US.

I didn’t even know about this MSCS from UC Boulder? Is it flat rate tuition? I wish more “degree forum” schools had better options like this for technical masters such as Computer Science and Software Engineering. It would help out a lot for those with non-technical undergrads. This looks like it would be a good option.

[Tomas]

Between you and BJ it sounds like I should self teach and get aiming programming experience before worrying about a degree. I’ve read your ability to write code and portfolios matter more than any degree. I appreciate the input! Still at some point I’d like to pursue a more technical degree, whether it’s bachelors or masters. I wish UMPI would get the ball rolling on some IT degrees!

Part of the problem is that students attending daily top CS schools usually write a lot of code, work in teams, do hackathons, whereas some (definitely not all) of distance degrees miss on that practical part, or it is present in very diminished way.
I also keep an eye on UMPI CS development.

For bachelors, Indian degrees look OK to me, though of course they are not prestigious. But I'm still thinking about online BSc in programming and data science from IIT Madras (also keeping an eye on Coursera degrees), and while IIT Madras is probably not well known in Europe or Northern America, it's quite high in world uni ratings and looked to me like rather top quality (and demanding) degree.

I didn’t even know about this MSCS from UC Boulder? Is it flat rate tuition? I wish more “degree forum” schools had better options like this for technical masters such as Computer Science and Software Engineering. It would help out a lot for those with non-technical undergrads. This looks like it would be a good option.

I believe about $15750?, payment per credit subscribed in each term. Don't remember whether it includes proctoring fees and online books, perhaps not - more info shall be in the Coursera FAQ. It's not the cheapest one (others come around $10k on EDX and Coursera, also there is one very good from Georgia Tech which used to be less expensive), but performance based admission and no bachelor degree needed...

[bjcheung77]

MSCS at UC Boulder is $15k and 24 months or about 2 years, I've mentioned a few Applied Computer Science degrees for a bit cheaper from lesser known state universities that are around 11K total and just 1 year in length. Essentially Applied Computer Science degrees at the Masters level bridge both students who are non-technical or have no experience. As again, not many people need a degree specifically in that field to get into Coding, Data Analytics, IT or whatever else.

[Jwheels27]

Between you and BJ it sounds like I should self teach and get aiming programming experience before worrying about a degree. I’ve read your ability to write code and portfolios matter more than any degree. I appreciate the input! Still at some point I’d like to pursue a more technical degree, whether it’s bachelors or masters. I wish UMPI would get the ball rolling on some IT degrees!

Part of the problem is that students attending daily top CS schools usually write a lot of code, work in teams, do hackathons, whereas some (definitely not all) of distance degrees miss on that practical part, or it is present in very diminished way.
I also keep an eye on UMPI CS development.

For bachelors, Indian degrees look OK to me, though of course they are not prestigious. But I'm still thinking about online BSc in programming and data science from IIT Madras (also keeping an eye on Coursera degrees), and while IIT Madras is probably not well known in Europe or Northern America, it's quite high in world uni ratings and looked to me like rather top quality (and demanding) degree.

I didn’t even know about this MSCS from UC Boulder? Is it flat rate tuition? I wish more “degree forum” schools had better options like this for technical masters such as Computer Science and Software Engineering. It would help out a lot for those with non-technical undergrads. This looks like it would be a good option.

I believe about $15750?, payment per credit subscribed in each term. Don't remember whether it includes proctoring fees and online books, perhaps not -  more info shall be in the Coursera FAQ. It's not the cheapest one (others come around $10k on EDX and Coursera, also there is one very good from Georgia Tech which used to be less expensive), but performance based admission and no bachelor degree needed...

That’s interesting. I’ve read from a lot of engineers on Reddit there are a boat load of students who go through these top CS programs and learn nothing, they can’t code when they graduate (obviously this isn’t everyone). Too much math and theory and not enough practical knowledge. That’s why I’ve considered just getting the easiest IT degree I can and focus most of my time on programming. 

Yeah that UC Boulder program sounds legit! Idk Coursera and EDX even offered degrees like this! Definitely worth checking out! What schools are offering masters around 10k?

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MSCS at UC Boulder is $15k and 24 months or about 2 years, I've mentioned a few Applied Computer Science degrees for a bit cheaper from lesser known state universities that are around 11K total and just 1 year in length.  Essentially Applied Computer Science degrees at the Masters level bridge both students who are non-technical or have no experience.  As again, not many people need a degree specifically in that field to get into Coding, Data Analytics, IT or whatever else.

I just feel like I’d have a better chance at getting a job if I had a more technical undergrad over a liberal arts BA. On the other hand I could bust my butt learning to code now, get a job sooner and worry about a degree later.

[bjcheung77]

MSCS at UC Boulder is $15k and 24 months or about 2 years, I've mentioned a few Applied Computer Science degrees for a bit cheaper from lesser known state universities that are around 11K total and just 1 year in length.  Essentially Applied Computer Science degrees at the Masters level bridge both students who are non-technical or have no experience.  As again, not many people need a degree specifically in that field to get into Coding, Data Analytics, IT or whatever else.

I just feel like I’d have a better chance at getting a job if I had a more technical undergrad over a liberal arts BA. On the other hand I could bust my butt learning to code now, get a job sooner and worry about a degree later.

That's what the MS Applied Computer Science does, as I mentioned, it bridges the gap for people who have a non-technical degree or have no experience with coding, etc. These type of masters are basically the fourth year of a bachelors and first year of a masters combined into one year, and a second year of extras to customize it to the students concentration of choice (where you get your specific specialty if you wanted to go into IT, Software Engineering, whatever)

[Tomas]

Yeah that UC Boulder program sounds legit! Idk Coursera and EDX even offered degrees like this! Definitely worth checking out! What schools are offering masters around 10k?

On EDX, University of Texas Austin. Georgia Tech, CS degree now I believe on their own website (and also Cybersecurity on EDX).