Testing out toward a degree but don't know where to start

[davewill]

If

as for CS, I think an Information Technology degree would be fine
like any from WGU
Online Bachelors Degree | Information Technology & Other Degrees Online
or uml
https://continuinged.uml.edu/degrees/bs_...nology.cfm
or even TESU's own
BSAST Degree in Information Technology | Thomas Edison State University

If you're going to quote me to disagree at least quote me correctly. I said, "If you want to be a software developer, however there really is no substitute for an actual computer science degree.". Your options are great if you want an IT career, but is not useful at all if you want to be a software developer. I do agree that if you don't want to take the business courses and want to go into IT, they are great choice, and probably the route I would choose.

[bluebooger]

If
If you're going to quote me to disagree at least quote me correctly. I said, "If you want to be a software developer, however there really is no substitute for an actual computer science degree.". Your options are great if you want an IT career, but is not useful at all if you want to be a software developer. I do agree that if you don't want to take the business courses and want to go into IT, they are great choice, and probably the route I would choose.

I did quote you correctly

I disagreed with you that a CS degree is necessary for a software development job

"Your options are great if you want an IT career"
what exactly do you consider to be an IT career ?

"not useful at all if you want to be a software developer"
really ?

look at the required courses and electives for UML
C Programming
C++ Programming
Advanced C++
C# Programming
Introduction to Java Programming
Advanced Java Programming
Introduction to the Linux/Unix Operating System
Shell Scripting
Linux/UNIX Internals Overview
Intro. to Data Structures with C
Relational Database Concepts

you honestly think that's not useful at all to be a software developer ?
LOL

and look at TESU's IT Core
Computer Architecture
C++ Programming
Data Structures
Operating Systems
Database Management

again, you could easily be a software developer with those courses and that degree

I was a software developer at bear stearns for 5 years back in the late '90s and I didn't even have a degree
all I had was a non-credit certificate in Sybase and another in Visual Basic 6

I STILL don't have a degree in either CS or IT and I'm STILL developing software at a hospital in NYC
and by "developing software" I mean creating applications with MS Access, MS Excel and SQL Server

and I do backend stuff with Python, R, Excel and MS SQL Server

so yeah, maybe if you define "software developer" as writing Apple's next operating system -- then in that case maybe I'd agree with you

but if you want to write apps for Android or iOS or desktop programs for linux or windows or apple then an IT degree is more than adequate

[edwardfurlong]

I wouldn't take it personally having someone recommend computer science if your goal is software development.

You don't necessarily "need" any degree to be a software developer, but his advice is pretty standard.

If you have a goal in mind and see a degree that will fill that goal, then you are not wrong, just realize what it is and what it is not.

[Nixi]

Edit: nevermind

[davewill]

I did quote you correctly...

No, you cut out the "if you want to be a software developer" part which made me sound like an idiot. Anyway, I didn't care that you disagreed. I know that you CAN manage without a CS degree, I managed without any for 30 years. However, it's not the way to go. IT is different from CS and a person should get the one that matches what they want to do.

[davewill]

... When I get to my computer, I'll upload a BACS at TESU plan spreadsheet. ...

Here's the spreadsheet I promised. There are two tabs of importance, one that has 16 cr taken at TESU and one that doesn't. The reason I have it both ways, is that I've yet to find any way to get those UL CS requirements online and cheaply. I'm still hoping to find them somewhere, though. Ignore the third tab which is just dfrecore's BSBA sheet I started from.

P.S. I thought that someone had found a couple more of the UL CS courses, but I couldn't find the post anywhere.

[ray_scanlon]

Can this degree be totally done online?

[davewill]

Can this degree be totally done online?

Yes, it can be done entirely online. Having to take courses at TESU is a just a bit expensive, and takes time. It would be nice if we could find some cheaper alternatives, or credit by exam for folks who already know this stuff, but it's still a good deal overall.

[bluebooger]

"I know that you CAN manage without a CS degree, I managed without any for 30 years."

LOL, then why in the world would you say there's no substitute for a CS degree ?

"However, it's not the way to go."

once again, look at the courses offered by UML, TESU and Colorado Tech Course Catalog - CTU | SmartCatalog

an IT degree is a perfectly acceptable way to go
you would learn just as much or more about software development in those programs than in the one you posted LOL

"IT is different from CS"
yes, and I asked you earlier what you considered to be an IT career
and you didn't answer

however, I did say that if you meant programming Apple's next OS then yes, there's a difference - a CS would be better -- but you would be doing that without a Masters anyway
I would also agree that a CS degree would be better if your goal is to go into 3D graphics programming or to write graphics drivers for nvidia
but if you mean writing mobile apps or developing desktop software then there is no difference

for example, look at the spreadsheet you posted
now look at the programs from UML or colorado tech or even TESU's IT program
how different is TESU's IT program from the TESU CS program that you posted ?
they are almost exactly the same thing
the CS program has more math classes, but those could be take as electives in the IT program
so they are almost exactly the same program

so once again, why would you say there's no substitute for a CS degree when the program you posted is practically course per course the IT degree ? LOL

and I'm not taking anything personally
I just think its bad advice to dissuade someone from majoring in IT and telling them "there's no substitute for CS if you want to be a software developer"

why limit someone's choices ?

"but his advice is pretty standard."
that there's no substitute for a CS degree if you want to be a software developer ??

do you want to get a job writing software for a bank ?
an IT degree would be fine
for a hospital ?
an IT degree would be fine

I think there are plenty of jobs for a software dev with an IT degree

I don't have one, don't plan on getting one
I just think people coming here in the future shouldn't read this and go away with the impression that a CS degree is the way to go

eh, this has gotten totally off topic
I'm out
I have some software to develop

[davewill]

... however, I did say that if you meant programming Apple's next OS then yes, there's a difference - a CS would be better -- but you would be doing that without a Masters anyway
I would also agree that a CS degree would be better if your goal is to go into 3D graphics programming or to write graphics drivers for nvidia ...

...or work for a tech company like Qualcomm, or for the defense industry, or get in on the internet of things ...

To my way of thinking, if you have to add a bunch of caveats, then it's not a substitute. Anyway, I'm glad you piped in, because an IT degree may well be a good option for the OP, and I'm not the one to give him advice on it.