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Comp Sci Programs at Junior Colleges?

Posted by Cliff on from the untransferrable-credits dept.

An anonymous reader asks: "What place does a Computer Science Department play in a Community College? I recently started taking classes out of an interest in learning new things and getting a few college credits toward my first degree. I come to find out (only 1 semester after I started) that none of these credits will transfer to a bachelor's degree at one of our state schools. Many of the courses here are 'applied technology' such as Linux Administration/Installation or Web programming with PHP, but the local University only accepts their own 'theory based' courses such as Data Structures, Theory of operating systems, and so forth. I was wondering where a community college fits in, has anyone seen a great community college program recently and if anyone knows how these programs are designed?"

3 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. Wrong courses by MobyDisk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Those 'applied technology' courses are IT courses. The 'theory based' courses are CS courses. That's usually a different department. You should ask the university if they offer IT courses and what is comparable to the ones in the community college. I know that in Maryland, the community colleges don't offer much in CS.

    I don't know your state, but I know that in Maryland, the community colleges, colleges, and universities have a shared system. You are guaranteed that any course you take in a state community college will transfer to any state school (and most non-state schools too).

  2. It also depends... by Nos. · · Score: 3, Interesting

    what you're final goal is. If you're looking for a degree, then yes, check before hand if any credits you're getting will transfer over. However, if you're goal is a job, then you have to look at what the qualifications are for the jobs you're interested in. Do they require a university degree or will a technical type diploma suffice? Do you have experience?
    I completed most of a University degree but got fed up with the fact that all I was learning was theory, I really had very little idea how computers worked and had next to no programming knowledge. I worked part time at a local computer store putting together and fixing PCs. I picked up a help desk contract and started doing a lot of learning on my own. I'm now in a fairly senior tehcnical position (actually, the next step up is management). The university classes didn't really help, except to network and learn from things other students did in their spare time. What helped me was experience and proof I did learning on my own.

  3. Depends on the community college by Red_Winestain · · Score: 3, Interesting
    I work at a major public research university. My department awards no credit for any courses taken at the local community college. The reason is that the state cc system is in disarray and has no assurances about the courses. In particular, they cannot assure us about (1) qualifications of the instructor, (2) topics covered, and (3) types of assessment of learning. It isn't that the course is always bad; rather, it is too variable. It also is not the case that we're snobbish or elitist: we give credit to many different institutions at many different levels. It is just that the local cc is in disarray (and has been for years and years).

    That said, other states do things differently: the cc system is specifically set up as a "feeder" to the larger public universities. In many cases, your 2 years at cc give you 2 years credit at the uni.

    This may not help you, but to others, please check before hand about your local cc and transfer credits. We see lots of students who waste two years (of time and money) and get nothing at the next level.