Member Avatar for PhiberOptik

I am a confused student who isn't sure what he should or shouldn't take in university. I love programming from what I have done; i know a good portion of php/html/sql/javascript. I really enjoy it more than other stuff like messing around with hardware, networking, security etc.

As of right now I am enrolled at my local university and will start classes in pursuit of my comp sci degree. My main question is will I be happy with a major in programming. My dream involves project managing large projects.

So any opinions/advice/experiences please share them i am eager to find out what other people like myself have done or are doing!

Thanks PO

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Member Avatar for Salem

Once you get past the size of programs which you can write yourself, there is an awful lot to writing a program which isn't actually writing a program.

Requirements, design, testing, configuration management and all sorts of other skills come into play.

At the very least, your course should have a significant team software project somewhere along the line to test your knowledge of such things.

Member Avatar for majestic0110

Hi there PhiberOptik , the important thing to remember is that a degree (at least here in the UK) is really only an "entry ticket" to an entry level software developer/progamming job. To get to the stage where you will be managing projects (i.e. a team leader) and other developers will take time, experience and hard work. Its also worth mentioning that development in a degree/educational environment is vastly different to that in the workplace. If you hand in a project that half works for you degree, you may get a score of 50%, in the real world you get zilch I am afraid. Customers are not interested in software that "half works". Sorry for the lecture (you probably get enough lectures at college/university!) but keep this in mind!

Member Avatar for PhiberOptik

Hi there PhiberOptik , the important thing to remember is that a degree (at least here in the UK) is really only an "entry ticket" to an entry level software developer/progamming job. To get to the stage where you will be managing projects (i.e. a team leader) and other developers will take time, experience and hard work. Its also worth mentioning that development in a degree/educational environment is vastly different to that in the workplace. If you hand in a project that half works for you degree, you may get a score of 50%, in the real world you get zilch I am afraid. Customers are not interested in software that "half works". Sorry for the lecture (you probably get enough lectures at college/university!) but keep this in mind!

You make a very good point. The first two years of my degree are generalized into Basic computing, security, network, and programming so i guess I will follow what ever i am most interested in. I really like programming and getting things to work.

I want to learn to write software that controls robotic parts too. I have been very fascinated by robotics just not the whole hardware aspect of it. If that makes any logical sense.

Member Avatar for majestic0110

I understand what you mean there phiberoptik, good luck! All I will say is that learning to program is not easy and takes time, patience and perserverance! But it really pays off when you can get things to work, like you say! Best of luck!:)

Member Avatar for Abzero

if you looking for management; a 'Computer Engineering' heavy degree is good. Make sure there is a good degree of programming in it as well.

But as others say; your most likly going to enter on the ground floor, and work your way up.

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