How important is it to have a computer science degree?

I think I'm one of the best-suited people to answer this question.

I have zero degrees in computer science. As an undergrad, I majored in history and English. I was a software developer and am now a computer science professor.

Assuming that you want a software development job, a computer science degree is incredibly important.

First, while I will admit to a talent for this stuff, I really didn't know what the hell I was doing when I got my first dev job. I just kept at it, made major mistakes, but seemed to get things working.

Second, I struggled to get jobs. I got them, but it took longer because I didn't have the degree. I decided to pursue an MS in software engineering.

Now dear reader, you may think, "software engineering, computer science, what's the difference?" Your opinion is sadly not universally shared. I learned what I needed to learn, but an MS in CS is seen as more valuable.

Third, when I went for my PhD, I chose a program in "information sciences and technology". Since I have no actual CS degrees, I faced a lot of bias, people who wouldn't hire me for faculty positions because of the label on my degree. This is less of an issue at the top of the field, but I'm not at the top of the field.

If you want to follow a route like mine and know that ahead of time, choose CS.

It is eminently possible to do what I did, even today. However, there was some luck involved (and would be today), and a hell of a lot of scrambling. My professional life would probably have been a lot easier if I knew what I wanted to do at the start (and had the maturity to do the work).

• I think：我认为。
• one of the best-suited：最适合的之一。
• people to answer：回答的人。
• this question：这个问题。
• zero degrees in：在...方面没有学位。
• computer science：计算机科学。
• As an undergrad：作为本科生。
• I majored in：我主修了。
• history：历史。
• and：和。
• English：英语。
• I was a software developer：我曾是一名软件开发人员。
• and am now a computer science professor：现在我是一名计算机科学教授。
• Assuming that：假设。
• you want：你想要。
• a software development job：一份软件开发工作。
• a computer science degree：计算机科学学位。
• incredibly important：非常重要。
• First：首先。
• while I will admit to：虽然我承认。
• a talent for：在...方面有才华。
• this stuff：这方面的事情。
• I really didn't know：我真的不知道。
• what the hell I was doing：自己在做什么。
• when I got my first dev job：当我得到我的第一份开发工作时。
• I just kept at it：我只是坚持不懈。
• made major mistakes：犯了重大错误。
• but seemed to get things working：但似乎总是能让事情正常运行。
• Second：其次。
• I struggled to get jobs：我曾经很难找到工作。
• I got them：我找到了。
• but it took longer because：但因为花了更长的时间。
• I didn't have：我没有。
• the degree：学位。
• I decided to pursue：我决定追求。
• an MS in software engineering：攻读软件工程硕士学位。
• Now dear reader：现在亲爱的读者。
• you may think：你可能会想。
• software engineering：软件工程。
• computer science：计算机科学。
• what's the difference：有什么区别？
• Your opinion is sadly not universally shared：不幸的是，你的看法并不普遍共享。
• I learned what I needed to learn：我学到了我需要学的东西。
• but an MS in CS is seen as more valuable：但计算机科学硕士学位被认为更有价值。
• Third：第三。
• when I went for：当我去攻读。
• my PhD：我的博士学位。
• I chose a program in：我选择了一个项目。
• information sciences and technology：信息科学与技术。
• Since I have no actual CS degrees：因为我没有实际的计算机科学学位。
• I faced a lot of bias：我面临很多偏见。
• people who wouldn't hire me for：不愿雇佣我担任。
• faculty positions：教职。
• because of the label on my degree：因为我的学位标签。
• This is less of an issue at：在该领域的顶级职位上，这个问题不太重要。
• the top of the field：该领域的顶级。
• If you want to follow：如果你想要追求。
• a route like mine：像我这样的路线。
• and know that ahead of time：并且事先知道这一点。
• choose CS：选择计算机科学。
• It is eminently possible to do what I did：完全有可能做到我所做的事情。
• even today：即使在今天。
• However：然而。
• there was some luck involved：其中涉及到一些运气。
• and would be today：今天也是如此。
• a hell of a lot of scrambling：大量的奋斗。
• My professional life would probably have been：我的职业生涯可能会。
• a lot easier：更容易一些。
• if I knew what I wanted to do at the start：如果我在一开始知道自己想要做什么。
• and had the maturity to do the work：并且有成熟度去做这项工作。