Best B.S. Program in Computer Science

Discussion in 'IT and Computer-Related Degrees' started by Writer in China, Jun 9, 2011.

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  1. Writer in China

    Writer in China New Member

    Does anyone have a recommendation for a B.S. program in Computer Science? I already have a B.A. in Political Science.
     
  2. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Best means what exactly? Name brand? Prestige? Cost? Flexibility? Credit transfer? School colors?
     
  3. 03310151

    03310151 Active Member

    Snark always comes in handy.

    SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE, Carnegie Mellon

    CM Would rank right up there as far as prestige goes.
     
  4. atrox79

    atrox79 Member

    Some of the more popular BS Computer Science programs are:

    Florida State University - BS/BA Computer Science
    University of Illinois - Springfield - BS Computer Science
    Regis University - BS Computer Science
    Troy University - BS Applied Computer Science
    Old Dominion University - BS Computer Science
    Franklin University - BS Computer Science
    National University - BS Computer Science

    When I was looking for a program, I narrowed my choices down to FSU, UIS and Regis. I liked FSU because of the ABET accreditation, though I realized that it makes no difference in Computer Science. I didn't like the extra language requirements at FSU. I liked the UIS program but hated the idea of the cohort system for the BS CS. It would take far too long to complete the program that way. I ended up choosing Regis because the curriculum was in line with all of the schools I checked & they seemed flexible enough to where I could speed up or slow down according to my own pace. The classes are pretty difficult...most people in my programming classes and up dropping because of the heavy workload. The semesters are 8-weeks, which is my preference as well. Anything more than that and I get bored.

    I would recommend you check the curriculum of a program and compare it to a reputable B&M school. Everyone is different and what is the "best" for one of us may not be the "best" for you.
     
  5. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    If you already have a Bachelor degree; I would not recommend to get a second one. I would recommend you to look into the Master of Science in Computer Science.

    - Stanford University
    - Columbia University
    - University of Southern California
    - Southern Methodist University

    I think the best Bachelor of Science in Computer Science via distance learning is Florida State University.
     
  6. atrox79

    atrox79 Member

    Don't forget University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign! That's the one I want to try to get into. Ranked just below Stanford & way less expensive (plus no GRE requirement).

    If he has a BA in Political Science, he's going to need quite a bit in terms of prerequisites. He'll need:
    Intro to Computer Science
    Data Structures & Algorithms (sometimes this is broken into 2 or even 3 courses)
    Theory of Computation
    Principles of Programming Languages
    Discrete Mathematics
    sometimes Calculus 1 & 2
    sometimes Statistics/Probability

    At the end of the day, it might just make more sense to get the BS in Computer Science since it would be hard & expensive to piece together all of the prerequisites.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 9, 2011
  7. ITJD

    ITJD Active Member

    It matters if you later choose to use your CS degree as a basis to complement a law degree and petition the patent bar. If it's not ABET accredited, it won't meet the requirements.

    Granted, you are absolutely right that if you stay in the CS field it makes little difference, but always better to go for the program with better accreditation.
     
  8. PilgrimPastor

    PilgrimPastor New Member

    I don't know about best but Penn foster college is affordable, depending on your needs it could be a good option. When I was a marine I did a certificate with them. It was helpful for transfer credits into anter program...
     
  9. Sauron

    Sauron New Member

    Considering that you already have a BA, you may consider fulfilling the requirement to get into a MS program. According to Stanford you will need the following courses under you belt. This is a cut and paste from their site.

    Expected Background

    The MSCS program assumes that all entering students have acquired the foundations of computer science at the level of an undergrad minor. At Stanford, these foundations are represented by the following courses, which are considered as the standard prerequisites for the program:

    CS103 (Mathematical Foundations of Computing)
    CS106A/B or CS106X (Programming Methodology and Abstractions)
    CS107 (Computer Organization and Systems)
    CS108 (Object-Oriented Systems Design)
    CS110 (Principles of Computer Systems)
    If you have taken these courses - either at Stanford or elsewhere - you have the necessary background to begin studying at the MSCS level.


    Computer Science MS Degree | Stanford University Online

    Now with that in consideration, it is true what Atrox mentioned that their is a significant mathematics component that you will be expected to know. At the minimum you will be expected to have 2-3 semesters of Calculus, Linear Algebra and maybe Statistics. Depending on your background you may want to do these first before the CSCI classes and you may even be a few classes short of a BS in Computer Science. Your entry into a Program such as one at Stanford, Carnegie-Mellon or Columbia will also be better if that is what you are looking for.
     
  10. Balios

    Balios New Member

    Since you already have an undergrad degree in an unrelated field, a post-bac bridge program in CS is also worth a look. If you can afford it, this is an outstanding program - Foundations in Computer Science Graduate Certificate | Stanford University Online
     
  11. commserver

    commserver New Member

    I agree totally. This is especially true if you eventually want to go for the master degree anyway. You would still have to make up the missing courses but it is quicker.

    The only problem from my perspective is that maybe it might not be easy to get accepted. You would have to consult with the individual schools.
     
  12. atrox79

    atrox79 Member

    Interesting, I didn't know that. I knew about the engineering/patent attorney thing, but it didn't occur to me that CS would qualify for that. If the OP has a BA in Political Science, that might be an option for him in the future.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 9, 2011
  13. Writer in China

    Writer in China New Member

    Actually I am looking for a career that I can do online. I want to continue living abroad. Can I make a living in Computer Science without working in an office?
     
  14. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    You're right. It was a bit snarky. Sorry.
     
  15. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I would add a couple of opinions. The first is that I generally subscribe to the philosophy that it's better to move forward into a Masters program rather than sideways into a second Bachelors program. The may be exceptions to that guideline but I'm not sure that our op's situation is one of them. My second thought is in regard to your aversion to working in an office. I think it's possible to have a work situation like that but certainly not common. I think you'd either have to be sooo good at what you do that you get to dictate the terms of your employment or you need to get into some sort of start-up situation where things are just that loose. I spend a lot of my time driving around but I always come back to my cube in the end.
     
  16. Writer in China

    Writer in China New Member

    Kizmet,

    I appreciate your opinion. I live in Taiwan and write. Nothing fancy. I don't work for a famous magazine or Lonely Planet. I write ESL Curriculum for an online platform. I work for Kojen Online. You can look it up if you are interested. The question is what I can do to improve my career prospects which will allow me to continue to live in Asia or migrate to Central America?

    I have been accepted into a Speech Language Pathologist program in the US and am also considering a Master's in Professional Writing online at Chatham University.
     

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