Starting a career in software development is exciting, but it can be hard to know what the best first step is. We are here to help you decide. There is a huge range of qualifications open to you that will help you establish the skills needed to become a developer. The most common of these qualifications roughly fall into two categories; university degrees and coding bootcamps. Below, we have compiled the advantages and disadvantages of both to help you find the right match.
Coding Bootcamps:
Coding bootcamps are usually online courses that can be completed on a flexible basis in between 3 and 12 months. They are ideal for people who are changing careers or want to get going in the workplace quicker than a more traditional degree would allow. They focus entirely on coding skills, getting you up to date with qualities in demand with top employers. The major pros and cons of these bootcamps are below.
Advantages of Coding Bootcamps:
- 1 year or less of study
- Teaches up-to-date and in-demand skills
- Flexible payment and funding options available
- Flexible learning options
- Option of online study
Disadvantages of Coding Bootcamps:
- Do not cover more general background topics e.g. calculus
Computer Science Degrees
A computer science degree is a three to four year course, undertaken with a university of your choosing. They tend to be full-time and funding is dependent on which country you are studying in. A look at the pros and cons of this type of study is below:
Advantages of Computer Science Degrees:
- Holistic programme of study
- Gives student full university experience
- Background skills in calculus and mathematics are taught
- Potentially funding available depending on country
Disadvantages of Computer Science Degrees
- 3-to-4-year study time
- Full-time study
- Onsite
- Costs of maintenance during course duration
Coding Bootcamps vs University Degrees
The advantages and disadvantages listed above highlight that the major differences between university degree and coding bootcamp pathways is the time it takes to complete the qualification. Degrees take a much longer time to complete and therefore delay you getting real-world experience and building a reputation with employers. On the other hand, they do teach more background skills and principles that could support you in a variety of roles.
Coding boot camps, in contrast, can be completed much quicker, and teach skills that are all highly relevant to the demands of employers. They do not give a background in the same varied topics as a computer science degree but they give the ability to join an agile development team with a firm grasp of all major programming languages.
A lot of the decision on which is the best choice for you will come down to your needs around time and flexibility.
If you want to know more about coding bootcamp curriculums, check out the details of our Full Stack Coding course for more information.
