CS Degree Necessity

Unlike electrical engineers, not all software developers have degrees in CS. More than half of the best programmers I know don't have formal education in CS, so it would be a foolish hiring practice to rely on institutional credentials.

Every profession has some level at which you don't need a university degree to work. For example, the medical profession has paramedicals. Civil engineering have civil engineering technicians. This is the kind of difference that has not been made in the software engineering profession, and would make life easier for everyone. If you just want to be a programmer, get a job at that level without the need of a university degree. The CS/Comp.Eng. degree, on the other hand, should prepare people not

Most universities teach computer science when most employers want software engineering.Additionally, working a full time position for 5 years isn't the same as purposefully practicing for 5 years (cross-ref another HN story today: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11554151)

I find it hard to believe that a person could get the same engineering education on their own than at a good engineering university. From a practical point of view, I see what you mean, in that, an HR department weighing two candidates would probably prefer the one with a(ny) college degree. Frankly, that almost goes without saying. However, I think the same is much more true in engineering. I'm not only talking about programming shops. After all, computer science/computer engineering isn't the

Software engineering is the only field I know of where someone with zero pedigree or education can make as much as a doctor. If you can pass a grueling technical interview then you can get a high paying job (200-500k+) no matter who you are or what your background is.The tradeoff is that you have to go through the same grueling process every time you change jobs. I think the tradeoff is well worth it and would not like to see software become more like medicine where you have to put in 10+ yea

I'm not college educated and I've been coding since I was about nine in different capacities. I was inspired by two engineers my dad worked with that were the same; one of them was a SWE and the other was a Systems Engineer. I ended up dropping out before I hit any of my CS courses, so I basically did a repeat of high school.The stuff you need to know for most jobs can be learned through books (DS&A); everyone, including grads, learn to actually code on the job. Systemic thinkin

I am mechanical engineer without any formal SW training. I see lots of people from different fields who are programming BUT they all have a degree in some field no matter how unrelated. From what I have seen a lot of companies will filter you out automatically if you don't have a college degree. This gets better with seniority but in my view it's something to consider.

Just like many other types of higher education. Doctors, Lawyers etc. A CS, CE, EE degree is for many the first step on a career path. In many cultures becoming an doctor, lawyer, engineer is something to strive for. It is an upstanding position and is well payed. Too bad being a teacher seems not to be like that anymore in many western countries.We here at HN are quite probably not the norm. Being hobbyists that have been tinkering with computers since early childhood should not be a require

That isn't unique to Computer Science or Programming. I've worked with engineers, accountants, project managers, and many trades people that never touch their area of expertise outside of the classroom or the office. No venturing outside the curriculum or the self improvement on personal time. For most of them their job is just a job and that is enough for them.I think what is amazing about programming is that so many people are able to get jobs without degrees. There is a general c

Most employed programmers can't do "industry grade engineering". Physics grad students are plenty capable, with a boot camp if needed.