how useful is a computing degree, honestly

[InvaderGIR]

Is the "Bournemouth Courses" quote the list of modules for your course?

Yeah, the 2nd year 'Programme Content' from the Bmth website...but I'm unsure as to that being what I'll be covering, as the courses are under different names now, and I call it 'Computing' but the lectures call it 'Computing Framework' and other things too.

InvG

 

[Zefan]

To me the degree is a help, not a means/alternative to experience. I want it to help me to get experience, so I can move ahead in the industry.

That's exactly how I see it. I think a lot of people judge degrees by the value an employer will give it, not taking in to account that the student can use the education they receive to impress in many other ways.

 

[joeconway]

ok, well having read all your replies maybe i should clear up something:

the course I am actually doing is computer studies with artificial intelligence, so it would be a specialised course and i was thinking of going into research or something afterwards. However my other big idea was to go into consultancy. This is where my doubts for the actual usefulness comes into it.


just to make matters even worse, yesterday i was sitting in the kitchen trying not to be miserable because im annoying myself now; and some guy in my flat's parents came in and i got talking to his dad who is a high powered IT consultant who does have a degree, although its in mechanical engineering and he said to me that there is absolutely no need for a degree to get into that line of work. He said how it's true that it will give you a headstart and less pay to begin with, but minus the 3 years and the debt of uni and theres not much benefits to a degree.


To be honest im seriously considering trying to find a job while im here and if i could get one then drop out... my family would be completely dissapointed and probably ashamed but as grateful as i am to them for getting me to this point in life and the support theyve given i dont want to potentially waste my time and their money.

 

[rick827]

ok, well having read all your replies maybe i should clear up something:

the course I am actually doing is computer studies with artificial intelligence, so it would be a specialised course and i was thinking of going into research or something afterwards. However my other big idea was to go into consultancy. This is where my doubts for the actual usefulness comes into it.


just to make matters even worse, yesterday i was sitting in the kitchen trying not to be miserable because im annoying myself now; and some guy in my flat's parents came in and i got talking to his dad who is a high powered IT consultant who does have a degree, although its in mechanical engineering and he said to me that there is absolutely no need for a degree to get into that line of work. He said how it's true that it will give you a headstart and less pay to begin with, but minus the 3 years and the debt of uni and theres not much benefits to a degree.


To be honest im seriously considering trying to find a job while im here and if i could get one then drop out... my family would be completely dissapointed and probably ashamed but as grateful as i am to them for getting me to this point in life and the support theyve given i dont want to potentially waste my time and their money.

What do you know about AI right now? If you apply for a job in that field you will get spanked by graduates. Do a degree. (at least)

 

[Zefan]

post

Don't take what one guy says for gospel. I understand what you're saying and I don't doubt that it's true at all, I just really wouldn't change your entire future on the opinion of one man.

 

[joeconway]

What do you know about AI right now? If you apply for a job in that field you will get spanked by graduates. Do a degree. (at least)

well i wouldnt get an AI job if i left lol

Don't take what one guy says for gospel. I understand what you're saying and I don't doubt that it's true at all, I just really wouldn't change your entire future on the opinion of one man.

normally i wouldnt but its not the first time ive heard it, hence the posting on here to get other opinions

 

[Gilly]

Let me guess, no IT degree for you either?

Only because I had had enough of lesson-based education by the end of college.

However, had I gone to Uni as was the plan it would have been completely useless by the time I came out of it. I might have had a good 3 or 4 years at Uni but it wouldn't have done anything for my career because I wanted to be in tech support.

The whole course will not be meaningless in years to come, but my chosen area may well be if I don't pick well for my interests and the way the IT industry appears to be heading at the time.

Your problem then is the people that have had the 3 or 4 years experience whilst you've been at Uni that learned the stuff it took you 2 years to learn in the first 2 (if they're at a good job with a good company) - 6 months.

 

[InvaderGIR]

normally i wouldnt but its not the first time ive heard it, hence the posting on here to get other opinions

Well you got a mixed view.

I have to say, you sound like I felt when I was in College. I didn't enjoy it and messed it up at the end. But I took a year out of education and realised that I did want to go to uni.

I think you should probably talk with your family about it too, see what they say about it.

InvG

 

[joeconway]

I think you should probably talk with your family about it too, see what they say about it.

that to me sounds like very good advice

 

[Gilly]

I would strongly counsel against leaving Uni if you want to work in AI.

 

[D.P.]

What do you know about AI right now? If you apply for a job in that field you will get spanked by graduates. Do a degree. (at least)

IF you want to work in AI then a PhD is a minimum. Post-doc work is helpful.

 

[Psyk]

I'll put in my 2p as someone hoping to go into the games industry as a programmer.

I have researched a lot into my chosen career path and not once have I ever heard anyone say that a degree is a bad idea or a waste of time. Yes, some people in the industry have said it is possible to get into it without a degree but from what I can see, having a degree is going to make it much easier. Of course simply having a degree isn't guaranteed to get you a job. Far from it. But many of the big companies have graduate schemes that obviously require a degree. They are still very competitive, but without that degree you can't even enter the competition.

 

[~J~]

ok, well having read all your replies maybe i should clear up something:

the course I am actually doing is computer studies with artificial intelligence, so it would be a specialised course and i was thinking of going into research or something afterwards. However my other big idea was to go into consultancy. This is where my doubts for the actual usefulness comes into it.


just to make matters even worse, yesterday i was sitting in the kitchen trying not to be miserable because im annoying myself now; and some guy in my flat's parents came in and i got talking to his dad who is a high powered IT consultant who does have a degree, although its in mechanical engineering and he said to me that there is absolutely no need for a degree to get into that line of work. He said how it's true that it will give you a headstart and less pay to begin with, but minus the 3 years and the debt of uni and theres not much benefits to a degree.


To be honest im seriously considering trying to find a job while im here and if i could get one then drop out... my family would be completely dissapointed and probably ashamed but as grateful as i am to them for getting me to this point in life and the support theyve given i dont want to potentially waste my time and their money.

In that situation I'd have said a degree would be highly beneficial. My own personal argument that I'll stick to no matter what is when people attain degrees in a specialist subject using specialist tools. The industry, and those tools used, change so fast that no curriculum, tutor and/or course can keep up. No soon as the necessary documention has been written, it's out of date.

But if you're taking in an area such as AI, you'll get a more thorough understanding in written material and practical examples than anything else. Your understanding of the subject will be passed from platform to platform and any new developments in the area should be relatively easy to understand. Hell, you may even have your own thoughts which could change AI works at present. Imagine that!

 

[~J~]

I'll put in my 2p as someone hoping to go into the games industry as a programmer.

I have researched a lot into my chosen career path and not once have I ever heard anyone say that a degree is a bad idea or a waste of time. Yes, some people in the industry have said it is possible to get into it without a degree but from what I can see, having a degree is going to make it much easier. Of course simply having a degree isn't guaranteed to get you a job. Far from it. But many of the big companies have graduate schemes that obviously require a degree. They are still very competitive, but without that degree you can't even enter the competition.

I was in the games industry for 5 years, no degree.

 

[Ex-RoNiN]

he said to me that there is absolutely no need for a degree to get into that line of work.

IT Consultant without a degree? LOL! That might be possible in a consultancy that do their coding in-house (not many left, are there?) but even then expect to spend years as a code monkey before coming close to seeing any clients, never mind interacting with them in a business manner.

As for AI, I will echo what others have said and suggest you start planning for a PhD.

I might have had a good 3 or 4 years at Uni but it wouldn't have done anything for my career because I wanted to be in tech support.

Yupp, a degree would have been a waste for you. I haven't seen anyone in the thread suggesting a degree for a tech support is a good idea. It's like asking a car mechanic to do an Engineering degree. You would be completely overqualified with skills that wouldn't even help you that much for such a role.

 

[Gilly]

Thats why I was saying it depends entirely upon what area you wish to move into.

I don't know where you get overqualified from though. In support if I had a degree I wouldn't be qualified.

 

[DAVEM]

Not true.
I know a few people who think they can read books/whatnot to become a network techy, but they lack the viewpoint that makes a technician a technician. They dont think things through logically. You cant teach that.

Well all I can say is I disagree.

Well im sorry but your being arrogant & ignorent.
If you truely think that computer scientists/researchers are more intelligent than some who manages a network then your just showing yourself up im afriad.

You didn't ask and I didn't say they where more intelliegent I answering your original question "Do CS tasks require more intelligence" and the answer to that is yes research and CS tasks require more intelligence than system maintenance jobs.

Intelligence is relative. While the computer scientist might well be good at doing his calculations and simulations, i highly doubt that they'd be able to grasp the workings of a network at a high level, a level thats often needed in big corporations. And visa-versa.
Your opinion you've put across there is exactely the opinion that grinds me about students/graduates.

I agree with that. Why do you highly dout that they'd be able to grasp the workings of network at a high level? I'd assume someone with a CS degree is a perfect position to do that.

So, just to clear this up, incase i misread, you actually think that a computer scientist means that they are more intelligent than a network manager/equlivent?

Once again, I didn't say the people themselves are more or less intelligent. I said the JOB requiires less INTELLIGENCE. Quite different.

 

[rick827]

Thats why I was saying it depends entirely upon what area you wish to move into.

I don't know where you get overqualified from though. In support if I had a degree I wouldn't be qualified.

It's called Holier than thou graduate mentality

 

[pitchfork]

Any degree is useful mate, you can get an okay job after going through college if you really work hard in your job. Or you can get a really cushty job after uni.

Trust me mate, you've just got low self esteem because you're starting a new chapter in your life, give it a few weeks you'll be fine.

 

[Felix]

some guy in my flat's parents came in and i got talking to his dad who is a high powered IT consultant who does have a degree, although its in mechanical engineering and he said to me that there is absolutely no need for a degree to get into that line of work. He said how it's true that it will give you a headstart and less pay to begin with, but minus the 3 years and the debt of uni and theres not much benefits to a degree.

Yet sends his children to uni...