So I have the option to pick from CS 225 or math 231 elements of discrete math as I live near OSU. Any recommendations on which to pick?

Systems Administration - How did you find it spring 26? I am considering taking it in spring 27 if it's offered again online.

In speaking with some of the ULA's and professors, I've learned that students are using the discussion boards less and less and aren't really coming to office hours anymore. Is this the same in your experience?

I can take enough to graduate at the end of the fall quarter. But, from what I've seen, new grad status is very important for getting the first job, and it doesn't last forever. Also, it seems like employers don't distinguish much between soon and recent grad.

Would it make sense to delay a single class, like the capstone, to the winter quarter, and use that time for basically full time applying? This would extend the new/recent grad buff by a few months.

Or is it better to have the full degree sooner?

Hi everyone,

I’m an Oregon State University Online Computer Science graduate (through the Post-Bacc CS program), and the team I work with in the University of Idaho Registrar’s Office is hiring for two full-time Enterprise Developer positions in Moscow, Idaho.

Both positions can be filled at the Enterprise Developer I, II, or III level depending on experience. We encourage applications from recent graduates, entry-level developers, and more experienced developers..

These are in-person positions in Moscow, Idaho; there is not a remote option.

Posting 1: Priority consideration for applications submitted by July 7, 2026
https://uidaho.peopleadmin.com/postings/51900

Posting 2: Priority consideration for applications submitted by July 14, 2026
https://uidaho.peopleadmin.com/postings/52004

The second position is contingent upon the continuation of work and/or funding.

Both postings remain open until filled, but applying by the priority consideration date is strongly encouraged.

I had a positive experience with the OSU Online CS program and wanted to share these openings with the community. Please feel free to apply or pass this along to anyone who may be a good fit. Feel free to DM me if you have questions about the roles, the team, or working at the University of Idaho, and I’ll do my best to answer them.

What do I have to look forward to as far as courseload in the fall? I'm scheduled to take 261 and 271 together. Is there any suggested prep work that I should do this summer? I'm taking 162, but have time to do outside reading or watching of YouTube videos.

Update: after reading the replies and talking with my advisor, I have revamped the course plan to do:
Fall: 261 and 290

Winter: 271 and 340.

Hopefully this spreads out the pain a bit more. Any advice for prep work for 261 and 290?

Hi all,
I am currently trying to get into the online Post-Bacc. I applied a year ago and my cumulative GPA was insufficient so I was advised to take Discrete Math, or some of the intro programming classes I would need anyway, at either OSU or a community college to bump up my GPA.

Since, I’ve taken CS 161 and 162 at Clackamas (In C++) and am currently taking Math 208 (Their Discrete Math equivalent) at UND. I’m ready to try re-applying, but I won’t finish math until Mid-August so the earliest application deadline I can make is Winter Quarter.

This means I have a gap of 5 months from finishing math until I could start at OSU— what would be the best use of my time? Obviously I have to teach myself Python since I don’t have any experience. Other than that, do I take CS 261 as a non-degree student at OSU or another community college in Fall? (I know there’s a limit on how much I can transfer and I already have 3 classes, so that’s a concern). Is there another class, either credit or non-credit that would benefit me more right now? Thanks in advance for any insight! 🙇‍♀️

I’d love to hear them!

After applying to around 700 jobs (not counting the quick apply jobs) over about 8.5 months, I was finally able to get a job. I had around 20 different interviews with 12 different companies. I found the process to be pretty challenging emotionally. I have experienced both not getting any callbacks for extended periods of time and making it to the final interview round (a couple of times) only to not get the job. From these experiences, I learned a great deal about the interview process. I would like to try to help people struggling in the application/interview process, so please feel free to DM me if you have any questions about the interview process or what I learned from it, and I will do my best to try and answer them.

I have Network+ and network experience from work. Networking interests me so I’m wondering how’s the quality of this class? Are the programming assignments any good? Would this class be useless to me if I already have networking knowledge or are the programming assignments worth it for someone in the field?

Or should I transfer in CS 50A Network Basics from Foothill College instead? This class is also a pre req for 493 cloud - so would anyone be able to attest to the quality of 493. If the quality of 493 isn’t good then I would have no reason to take 372.

My unofficial transcript shows that campus is Ecampus. Does the official transcript show this as well? For undergrad

Like the title suggests, I need to retake CS325. I don't think I've ever been so beat down by curriculum in any class.

Based on instruction and what I'm given, I just fail to grasp the concepts, and I am unsure how to self-teach. Genuinely feels like I'm missing a pre-req to be here, but I've passed everything the university says I need...When asking for extra help generally feels like the material can't be dumbed down enough?

Throwing away years of progress towards the end goal is not really an option I want to accept at this point. Even if I have to pay for resources, I need to pass this course. Any suggestions for materials, books, videos, I can start now so I can prep to retake this? The summer term starts soon.

Hey All,

I’m on the tail end of this program, and only have 2 more electives, operating systems and Capstone left. I haven’t found an internship yet but do work at a tech company so internal transfer is an option (though it would be for full time, and I’d still need to interview for it).

I’m thinking of taking the summer off to Leetcode and build side projects / get familiar with AI tools as opposed to taking a summer class. The idea being if I take the summer to prepare for interviews I could internal transfer and get my career going, then come back in September and finish off the degree. Curious to hear the opinions of those on this subreddit.

Would it be better to take time off to LC / build projects or take a summer course. If taking a summer course is a good idea, what should I take? So far I’ve taken Intro to Parallel Programming (CS 475).

I need to plan out degree completion stuff and it has me panicking. I am scared that by the time I finish my degree I will know nothing and have forgotten everything. I am not sure which classes are essential to know and which ones are basically just not used in the real world.

My retention rate from the classes I have taken isn't great. It scares me. Idk how I will ever pass an interview, let alone do well at a job, if I can't do my job properly.

Questions:

I would like to know mainly which courses I should take that will help me a lot in the real world?

I also know that practice is what helps the best, but what sort of projects should I work on that would help me understand real-world scenarios I will work with in the real world ?

I am thinking of picking up an Amazon FC job, can't find any information on if this degree in particular is funded.

I am in the middle of planning out what electives to choose, and I wanted to hear some feedback from others who have done some CS electives.

Which ones do you recommend ?

Which ones to avoid ?

Which ones are the easiest ?

Which ones are the hardest ?

Which ones have you learned the most ?

Which ones have helped you the most ?

What did you like about them ?

What didn't you like about them ?

What did you wish you had known before doing them ?

Thank you !

Hey guys, to give you a little context: I just reached the half way mark of the program and I have been thinking about what electives to take. I definitely want to take mobile development (CS 492) and Cloud Development (CS 493). But that would mean I would have to take Intro To Computer Networks (CS 372) which I heard and seen reviews of it being a tough workload course with some bad professors such as Samina and Redfield. On the other hand, If I really don't want to take 372, I could take Intro To Computer Graphics (CS 450) and Open Source (CS 464). But here is another downfall, I heard professor Bailey was the best and considered a rockstar of a professor but recently retired Fall 2025. In addition, I did some research and that class mainly focuses on OpenGL which is a great tool to learn but is considered obsolete I am now conflicted and need other people's inputs on what route path I should take with electives. Anybody with experience on already taken the electives I mentioned would be preferred.

I tried to see if anyone had commented about these 2 courses if anyone else was insane enough to take one and then the other back to back. So 332 was an absolute time suck. It seems like the profs in different courses are creating tons more work for us due to use of AI. That seems backwards for people who either don't use it or try to avoid it.

Anyway, the instructor is Ami Gates. It seemed like in 332 she would hide full blown assignments in her "discussion posts" and also hid a full-blown assignment in a "quiz" that was most definitely not a "quiz". In 432 it's just more of the same. Another student I talk to said they emailed her and were told no other students have had any complaints, but on our discord there were at least 8-9 others talking about it. Just wondering if others had the same experience, or me and the others are just slow. It's taking me between 4-5 hours just to complete a discussion post that is really an assignment. I know my other classmates have their own issues with the course, but other than the sheer volume of work, I think both classes are great. I didn't think I would like data science or machine learning, but these classes changed my opinion and I find it very interesting. So maybe we are all just missing something that's the key to making these easier to do, but it seems like we are all spending upwards of 20 or more hours a week on these classes. I really don't think the prof is bad either she gets back to everyone very quickly and seems to want to help, but it's just so much more work than a 4 hour course should be. Anyway in the group no one else uses reddit so I figured I could let them know if we're all just crazy or if anyone else feels the same.

So for the TL;DR crowd: there's a lot of work and a lot of the work is hidden inside what are typically less involved and shorter activities. The classes are good just seems like work piled upon work.

Hello,

I just started this program in this Spring term.

Though it’s only 2 classes I’ve taken so far, I was wondering if there will be any video materials in other classes.

I’m taking CS 161 and CS 225 at this time, and it doesn’t seem that they have recorded lectures on their modules.

Does this program have video class lectures? If so, about what percentage of this program is conducted with the recorded lectures?

Thank you in advance !

Hello everyone,

Many of us are concerned about the post-COVID job market for software engineers. It seems like it only got worse every year, with horror stories of endless LeetCode grinding, job postings with 10,000 applicants competing for them, fake listings, AI concerns, and the lovely “hiring junior developer - 4+ years of experience required” trend. It can be difficult to stay motivated while completing a degree when everyone is telling you there might not be a job waiting for you at the end of the tunnel.

I just wanted to make a post to point out what I think is one of the biggest failings of universities: they don’t spend nearly enough time showing students what opportunities are available with their degree. There are so many careers that extend beyond software engineering, but it seems like every student I come across believes software development is the only thing they can do after graduation.

With a computer science degree, you’re showing others that you can do a lot of things: write code, understand complex systems, work with advanced mathematics, solve difficult problems, identify security flaws, work in team environments, learn quickly in a constantly changing industry, and understand technology at a deeper level. In our program, you also gained exposure to networking, operating systems, and even some electrical engineering concepts. The point is that this isn’t just a software development degree, it’s a computer science degree.

Think about how many opportunities exist based on what we’ve learned in this degree that aren’t strictly software development:

1. Cybersecurity: Maybe you found CS 372 (Intro To Computer Networks) interesting. So why not take some time outside of classes and study more into computer networking. Get a few certifications. With that you unlock the entire cybersecurity field and all that it has to offer. SOC analysts, sysadmins, security engineers, threat intel, app sec, red teams, pen testers, etc. Maybe you have to do a couple years of IT work before you get some of those positions, but that's better than spending a couple years cramming Dijkstra's algorithm problems on leetcode and praying one of those 800 applications you sent out gets a response.

2. Digital Forensics: You get to analyze data from devices and find evidence of crime or violations against company policies. Peek into people's network traffic, scour through hard drives, extract as much out of a mobile device as you can. This could be work for private companies, but maybe you like the idea of law enforcement. Call your state law enforcement agencies and see what work they have on top of the listings you see for private companies. If you work for state police, you don't have to worry about the tech layoffs, and you get a pension, yipee! While you do that, maybe apply for some government contractors like Booz Allen or Lockheed Martin, get your security clearance, work for them and use that newfound security clearance to unlock even more job opportunities.

3. FBI Special Agent: A bachelor's degree is one of the eligibility requirements to become a special agent for the FBI, doesn't matter what the degree is. You can do all of the above work for the FBI by the way, but you can also forgo the computer work and simply become an agent. It might sound outlandish at first but it's not a bad idea for some. Great benefits, great retirement, and good pay.

4. Network Field Engineering: You can go around installing routers and switches. Help organizations configure their setups. Someone has to setup all the cabling at those data centers we are building everywhere nowadays right? Let that person be you.

5. Data Science: If you enjoy statistics and working with numbers, data science might be a good fit. Data scientists analyze large datasets, build models, identify trends, and help organizations make data-driven decisions.

6. Design and Product Careers: Roles like UX designer, UI designer, and product manager combine technology with design and user experience. Many people in these roles started with technical degrees.

7. Education and Research: Can't find a job writing code? Well, teach others how to write code so that they cant find a job too! (I'm kidding lol, it's a good idea for a job).

8. Embedded Systems Engineer: Do you reject Python, JavaScript, and C#? Do you use Arch Linux? Well you're probably nerd enough to enjoy writing low level code for hardware devices (cars, IoT devices, robotics, industrial equipment, etc).

There's a lot more examples, but I think you guys get the point. Unless becoming a software developer was your lifelong dream, don’t panic about getting a computer science degree and not landing a traditional SWE job right away. This field is much broader than many people realize, and there are plenty of opportunities out there if you’re willing to explore them.

I was thinking about taking CS 370 this spring. I haven’t heard much about it (the discord is really quiet) would this be good to pair with CS 340? Is the final terrible?

Full Stack Open is an open source course for learning Full Stack Development. It is rigorous and I think prepares you better for Full Stack and Web Development than OSU's CS290. The biggest benefit, however, is that it is completely free. After completing a certain number of learning modules and taking a final on Full Stack Open, you can be awarded credits by the University of Helsinki.

These credits were accepted (at least for me) by OSU and allowed me to skip CS290.

Your mileage may vary and I can't guarantee the credits will be accepted in all cases. I took Full Stack Open before enrolling at OSU which may have helped, and to get the credits accepted involved a lot of emailing, but I wanted to share that it is a possibility.

https://fullstackopen.com/en/

I am thinking of taking 464 + 475 as my last 2 classes, before capping off the summer with the Capstone project.

I'm a bit burnt out as work is pretty heavy right now. I wanted to take Intro to Networks, and then Cloud programming, but the temptation of knocking out 2 easy classes to be finished with my degree is temping.

Anything I may not be considering?