Will I be looked down on? (CS degree from Western Governor's University)

[KamenRiderTorbjorn]

Lately I was considering getting a CS degree from Western Governors University. I was wondering how would employers treat me if I was to end up with a degree from there? How would other schools treat me if I decided to get a graduate degree someday?

 

[hutchphd]

Are you worth anything? I guess yes.
Seriously, if you don't have confidence in your abilities why should anyone else. If you are learning stuff you want to know what is the down side? What are the alternatives? Choose from what you have available and work hard.
The degree itself is a very small part of the package in my limited experience. But really capable people do often have degrees from top colleges by the nature of things.

 

[KamenRiderTorbjorn]

Are you worth anything? I guess yes.
Seriously, if you don't have confidence in your abilities why should anyone else. If you are learning stuff you want to know what is the down side? What are the alternatives? Choose from what you have available and work hard.
The degree itself is a very small part of the package in my limited experience. But really capable people do often have degrees from top colleges by the nature of things.

I just simply wanted to know would having a CS degree from western governors will hurt my chances employment wise despite the fact that its a regionally accredited school?

 

[sysprog]

I just simply wanted to know would having a CS degree from western governors will hurt my chances employment wise despite the fact that its a regionally accredited school?

As @hutchphd pointed out, a CS degree is not so important. Can you code? Can you understand the goals and the algorithms by which the goals are attained?

A CS degree from an accredited institution is a worthy achievement even if it's not from a top school. Employeers might look at the submission from the MIT or Cal Tech guy ahead of yours, but if you have what it takes to help the employer to prosper, then you are in demand.

If you have proficiency, that's far more important than where your degree is from $-$ if you know that you know your stuff, then you can be confident, and you'll be off and running $\dots$

 

[Mondayman]

I don't think so. My ex went the newest law school in the country, and everyone that went to Osgood Hall or UBC said nobody would hire them because it's a no name school. Yet many are finding jobs in Vancouver and Toronto law firms, as well as in the smaller towns where this is a shortage. Where someone went to school doesn't say a whole lot about that person.

 

[haushofer]

Fascinating topic. Here in Holland such a discussion would be unthinkable. Companies don't give that much about where you graduated, because all universities are good.

But then, Holland is small compared to the US.

 

[sysprog]

Fascinating topic. Here in Holland such a discussion would be unthinkable. Companies don't give that much about where you graduated, because all universities are good.

But then, Holland is small compared to the US.

I think that @KamenRiderTorbjorn is concerned about it being an online university, albeit an accredited one $-$ it seems to me that the consensus here is that what you can do matters much more than where you got your credential from.

 

[PeroK]

Lately I was considering getting a CS degree from Western Governors University. I was wondering how would employers treat me if I was to end up with a degree from there? How would other schools treat me if I decided to get a graduate degree someday?

They'll treat you better than if you don't bother to go! The real question is what are the experiences of WGS graduates? That shouldn't be too hard to find out.

 

[Zexuo]

What employment prospects did you have in mind after school?

 

[hutchphd]

I just simply wanted to know would having a CS degree from western governors will hurt my chances employment wise despite the fact that its a regionally accredited school?

Although I am phobic about all things Republican at this point in history, I believe that Mitch Daniels has done several good things. Prior to his assuming the presidency of Purdue U he helped found western governors, and I believe it has proved a success. So in addition to haranguing the OP about personal improvement, perhaps as a midwesterner I can assure him that western governors has a pretty good reputation and I would have no hesitancy in that regard.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

The time constant on the name of the school on your BS degree is pretty short with Comp Sci degrees. Computer geeks have more confidence than people in other fields in discerning what you can do in a new job from your work experience and track record of what you've done in current and past jobs.

 

[CrysPhys]

The time constant on the name of the school on your BS degree is pretty short with Comp Sci degrees. Computer geeks have more confidence than people in other fields in discerning what you can do in a new job from your work experience and track record of what you've done in current and past jobs.

But that still leaves open the significance of the reputation and brand-name recognition of the school for a fresh grad with no work experience and no employment track record (which, as far as I can tell, will be the OP's scenario).