Do I Need a Computer Science Degree to Be a Software Engineer?

There are four common ways of becoming a software engineer in Singapore. Obtaining a university degree in Computer Science is perhaps the most traditional, though time-consuming, route to becoming a software engineer. We outline key considerations to help you decide if this course of study is right for you.

Written by
Kai Yuan Neo
Last updated
June 26, 2023

Do I Need a Computer Science Degree to Be a Software Engineer?

1. Sound theoretical understanding, though time-consuming 

Computer Science graduates have the longest study duration, though courses typically offer a good theoretical foundation. Many Computer Science graduates also perform well at work in the long-term because of their foundations in theoretical computer science. This helps them solve more complex problems as more senior software engineers.

2. Less practical exposure

Courses usually include two to three software-related internships for practical exposure. This practical exposure is often less than that of bootcamp graduates and self-learners, whose focus is on learning practical skills.  

3. Appealing qualification for entry-level jobs

Computer Science graduates are the most in-demand for entry-level roles. Recruiting departments of bigger tech companies tend to screen explicitly for Computer Science university degrees, because that applicant pool tends to be more competitive with stronger candidates overall. 

4. Institution reputation matters

A Computer Science graduate from a less reputable university may not perform as well as a bootcamp graduate with a non-Computer Science degree from a top university. Outcomes across all methods of learning software engineering discussed in this article are generally closely correlated with past performance, even though they may be some outliers.

5. Less practical for career switchers

If you’re looking to transition industries, undertaking a four-year university degree may be a costly and time-consuming endeavour. Many career switchers instead choose to learn basic coding or programming through coding bootcamps.

Stay updated with our newsletter.

Keep up with us! Get all your Rocket Academy updates straight to your inbox. 

By subscribing you agree with our Privacy Policy, and we agree not to spam you!
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

1. Sound theoretical understanding, though time-consuming 

Computer Science graduates have the longest study duration, though courses typically offer a good theoretical foundation. Many Computer Science graduates also perform well at work in the long-term because of their foundations in theoretical computer science. This helps them solve more complex problems as more senior software engineers.

2. Less practical exposure

Courses usually include two to three software-related internships for practical exposure. This practical exposure is often less than that of bootcamp graduates and self-learners, whose focus is on learning practical skills.

3. Appealing qualification for entry-level jobs

Computer Science graduates are the most in-demand for entry-level roles. Recruiting departments of bigger tech companies tend to screen explicitly for Computer Science university degrees, because that applicant pool tends to be more competitive with stronger candidates overall. 

4. Institution reputation matters

A Computer Science graduate from a less reputable university may not perform as well as a bootcamp graduate with a non-Computer Science degree from a top university. Outcomes across all methods of learning software engineering discussed in this article are generally closely correlated with past performance, even though they may be some outliers.

5. Less practical for career switchers

If you’re looking to transition industries, undertaking a four-year university degree may be a costly and time-consuming endeavour. Many career switchers instead choose to attend a part-time coding course or a longer coding bootcamp. Both are great options, it really depends on your needs!

Keep up with us! Get all your Rocket Academy updates straight to your inbox.

By submitting this form, you consent to receive marketing emails from us and we promise never to spam you!
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Related posts

Glad you're enjoying our articles, keep going!