Do programmers still need a computer science degree to land a great job

I was writing BASIC before I could talk.

My first words were "Stupid bloody idiotic useless waste of a programming language!"
 
BASIC at 7 for me. Sold my first app (Pascal and asm) in 1991 - made literally hundreds of rands! ;)
 
I must be useless then, as I only started at 21.

doing bull**** turbo pascal in grade 10 computer science doesn't count. in fact school computer science is a great way to make you not want to do programming (well at least in my time, ie 1996)
 
_kabal_ said:
I must be useless then, as I only started at 21.

doing bull**** turbo pascal in grade 10 computer science doesn't count. in fact school computer science is a great way to make you not want to do programming (well at least in my time, ie 1996)
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Only if you can't handle it bi-i-i-aatch! :p
 
I'm leaning towards the degree side of things. There's a certain discipline and maturity you get taught at varsity that adds tremendous amounts of value to your early career. Candidates without degrees typically need at least 3-4 years' experience before they reach those levels. I'm talking from experience in hiring 3 people with and 3 without degrees.
 
FarligOpptreden said:
I'm leaning towards the degree side of things. There's a certain discipline and maturity you get taught at varsity that adds tremendous amounts of value to your early career. Candidates without degrees typically need at least 3-4 years' experience before they reach those levels. I'm talking from experience in hiring 3 people with and 3 without degrees.
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Agree.

I'm seeing that now I'm on my last leg to compete my degree how much my studies are helping me.

A lot of opportunities have opened up for me that would not have happened without the confidence my degree has given me.

I'm starting a very senior job next month as a result. Another opportunity to work in San Francisco for a large web company is on the table when I complete my studies.

But one needs not to get a degree to get a university education today thanks to institutions like Coursera. I'm also studying with them.
 
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