Introduction
Since 2022, I have been studying at the University of the People (UoPeople) to earn a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. This post is a reflection on my journey so far and the experiences I have had.
Why UoPeople?
I chose UoPeople because it is an accredited online university that offers tuition-free education. This means that I can study from anywhere in the world without having to worry about the cost of tuition. The flexibility of the program allows me to work while pursuing my degree. Besides that UoPeople accepted me as a student, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow. I previously attempted to study at a traditional university but had to drop out due to financial constraints. UoPeople has given me a second chance to pursue my dream of earning a degree in computer science.
Challenges
The first challenge I faced was adjusting to using English. I’m not a native English speaker, so I had to improve my language skills. Although UoPeople accepts a certificate validating English proficiency, I wanted to challenge myself to improve my skills. I took the English Composition course, which helped me improve my writing skills. Another challenge was time management. I work as a freelancer and have other responsibilities, so finding time to study has been difficult. However, I have learned to manage my time better and prioritize my studies. After a few weeks, I found that the amount of effort becomes more manageable.
Online Learning Experience
There is an initial learning curve when transitioning to online learning. I had to get used to the online platform, submitting assignments, and interacting with classmates. One of the first courses I had to take was related to online learning, which helped me understand how to navigate the platform and communicate with my peers. It is important to take that course seriously because it sets the foundation for the rest of your studies. Navigating the platform, and managing workload becomes easier if you understand how to use the tools provided.
Courses
The courses at UoPeople are challenging but rewarding. I have focused mostly on general education courses so far, but I am looking forward to diving into more computer science-related courses. The professors are knowledgeable and supportive, and the assignments are designed to help you learn and grow. The overall experience has been positive, and I am excited to continue my studies.
CS Courses
I have taken a few computer science courses so far, below a list of the courses I have taken and a small description of each:
- CS1101: Programming Fundamentals This was a basic introduction to programming using Python. We learned about variables, data types, loops, and functions.
- CS1102: Programming I In this course, we delved deeper into programming concepts and learned about object-oriented programming. Using Java, we created more complex programs and learned about some data structures.
- CS1103: Programming II This course built on the concepts from Programming I and introduced more advanced topics such as algorithms, recursion, and sorting.
- CS1104: Computer Systems This course focused on the hardware and software components of a computer system. We learned about the CPU, memory, storage, and operating systems. This course was really fun for me, since I’m interested in hardware as well as software. It used the famous Nand2Tetris course as a base. We wrote assembly programs and built a simple 8-bit computer from scratch.
- CS2203: Databases 1 This course introduced the basics of databases and SQL. We learned how to create databases, tables, and queries. We also learned about normalization and database design. I found this course really interesting, and used some of the knowledge at work to improve my database design skills.
Conclusion
There is much more to say about my experience at UoPeople, but I will leave it here for now. I’ll keep updating this post as I progress through my studies and share more about my experiences.