Completing a computer science degree on Coursera

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Perception and Value of an Online CS Degree

  • Several commenters say employers and HR mostly filter on “has a degree,” often regardless of format; an accredited BSc in CS is typically entered on a CV like any other.
  • Some think a non-traditional path plus visible output (blog posts, portfolio, open source) is a strong positive signal; others see this as sometimes just self-promotion.
  • Concern that cheating and AI use in online exams and assignments may weaken the signaling value of such credentials.

Degrees vs Self‑Taught / Credentialism

  • Many argue a degree is effectively required to avoid resume filters, especially in larger or more selective companies.
  • Others report successful careers without degrees, but acknowledge they are outliers and that the market has become tougher.
  • Degrees are described as evidence of persistence, ability to navigate bureaucracy, and baseline abstraction skills, not just knowledge.

On-the-Job Learning vs University Content

  • Strong view from some that most tech skills are learned on the job and that non-elite CS degrees are poor ROI, especially in costly systems.
  • Others report substantial, lasting value from formal CS (algorithms, complexity, state machines, compilers, low-level systems) even in mundane web/app work.
  • Several note that university exposes students to opportunities, people, and networks that self-taught paths lack.

CS vs Math and Other Degrees

  • Some recommend math (or broader STEM) plus self-taught programming over CS, citing more fun, breadth, and backup career options.
  • Counterpoints: math–only backgrounds can miss algorithmic or systems intuitions; non-CS engineers sometimes build deeply flawed software.
  • View that CS as a discipline is torn between theoretical computer science and relatively mundane software engineering demands.

Advanced Degrees (Masters / PhD) and Online Programs

  • Experiences with Masters/PhDs are polarized: some see them as huge wastes of time; others call them pivotal for thinking, research skills, or later teaching.
  • PhD experiences vary wildly by advisor, field, and institution; some describe healthy research training, others describe paper mills and exploitation.
  • Named online MSCS/AI programs (e.g., Georgia Tech, UT Austin, UIUC, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Columbia) are debated on cost, selectivity, and brand vs value.

Practicalities: Group Work, Cheating, Tools

  • Group projects are widely disliked; recurring pattern of a few students doing all the work while others coast or disappear.
  • Remote proctoring is seen as easy to circumvent; skepticism that it preserves academic integrity.
  • Some stress the mismatch between exam conditions and real engineering work, which relies on collaboration, internet, and tools.