The latest articles on DEV Community by Matthew McAdams (@mattmcadams). https://dev.to/mattmcadams https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F304453%2F557b2f66-84dc-41ac-bd1a-af89b13c81ae.jpg https://dev.to/mattmcadams en Matthew McAdams Wed, 08 Apr 2020 22:18:03 +0000 https://dev.to/mattmcadams/to-cs-or-not-to-cs-39j6 https://dev.to/mattmcadams/to-cs-or-not-to-cs-39j6 <p>Hello Dev community, this is my first post here! I'm graduating this semester with a bachelor of fine arts with a major in graphic design (queue the blank stare) and I've been working as a front-end developer at my university for about 4 years. I've since discovered that I'm much happier pecking at code than pushing pixels and decided I'd pursue a career in UI/UX, web design, and/or front-end development.</p> <p>I know how to code. I'm not an expert and don't claim to be, but I feel that I can hold my own and generally know what I'm doing. I have a deep understanding of accessibility, HTML, CSS, and am comfortable with JavaScript. I recently started playing around with Vue to build my website. (It was previously built with PHP) I'm comfortable with Git, the command line in general and the Node ecosystem.</p> <p>I'll admit that I don't have knowledge of more full-featured languages like Python, C#, Ruby, etc. But I love learning. Its what I like so much about this industry, that I'm constantly learning new things. </p> <p>As I'm looking at jobs and networking, however, it never fails. As soon as a potential employer or connection finds out I don't have formal training in computer science they look at me like I wandered off on the wrong floor. They completely shut down and my experience and portfolio suddenly mean nothing.</p> <p>So, as I'm approaching graduation I'm starting to question the value of my degree and what I should do next. I don't regret getting my BFA. It has been an extremely good experience and I like to think of myself as a decent designer because of it. But I do wonder if I should go back to college for a BS (bachelor of science) or BA (bachelor of arts) in computer science. I've also thought about a bootcamp or an online program that could grant a certificate just to have something to prove that I didn't just learn HTML last night.</p> <p>If you were an employer, what would you advise? Do employers respect certificates from online programs? With as much money it costs to go to a bootcamp, would it be better to get a CS degree? If I did go for a CS degree, would a BA be looked down on?</p> <p>Are there any certificates or programs you could link that are well respected in the industry?</p> <p>I'd especially love to hear from any of you who got a job in tech without a CS degree at all. What were your experiences finding a job?</p> <p>Thanks everyone!</p> question