WGU

I've been asked to do a review of Western Governors University's online degree program. Given my background, I naturally looked first at their IT programs. The one I chose to look at most closely was the BS of IT Software focus. This was the closest thing I could find to a programming degree being offered.

My first issue was that the courses being offered seem more in line with someone who wants to understand enough about software to be a QA Analyst, but not actually write any themselves. Perhaps that's the entire focus and I just missed the point, but if not then there seemed to be a serious lack of work involving modern programming languages. I see no Java, no functional languages, no intro to frameworks of any kind. All I see are Web Programming, and Software I and II listed.

My college days were spent in similar classes, as I went to more of a trade school than an actual college and I spent most of my first few years of work learning things that I should have had in hand on the day I graduated. I made it, but it didn't have to be that hard, had I chosen the right school in the first place.

One thing I did like about the school is that it is fairly affordable. So if one of their other programs interests you then feel free to take a look. They're a not for profit school so that helps to keep the cost down.