July 5, 2026
Ctrl+Alt+Degree
Completing a Computer Science Degree on Coursera
He finished an online computer degree at nearly 40—and the comments instantly turned into a war over whether college is worth it
TLDR: A longtime tech worker finally finished a fully online computer science degree after nearly four years, mostly for personal goals and future job flexibility abroad. Commenters split fast between cheering the comeback story and arguing that college is anything from useful proof to a total waste of time.
A veteran tech worker just pulled off the ultimate "better late than never" move: after nearly 21 years in the industry and no college degree, he impulsively signed up for a remote computer science bachelor’s on Coursera in 2022 and has now finished it almost four years later. The degree came through the University of London’s distance-learning program, with exams watched remotely by proctoring software—because apparently even online tests now come with big exam-hall energy. For him, the prize wasn’t just personal closure. A bachelor’s degree can matter for things like overseas work visas, and he also wanted to test himself, fill in knowledge gaps, and stop wondering if he’d left it too late.
But the real fireworks were in the comments, where congratulations lasted about five seconds before the Is College A Scam? Olympics began. One commenter kept it sweet, praising him for sticking with an impulsive decision and landing a first-class result. Another immediately went practical: how do employers even see this kind of diploma? Then came the philosophers and flamethrowers. One person shrugged that computer science is so theoretical it could be taught on a chalkboard with zero computers. Another dropped the thread’s nuclear hot take, calling 11 years of computer science education the “biggest waste of time” of their life and saying universities are basically social clubs with homework. That clash—personal achievement versus degree skepticism—is the whole drama here. The vibe? Half wholesome graduation post, half comment-section cage match.
Key Points
- •The author says he enrolled in a remote Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science on Coursera in September 2022 and completed it about 3 years and 9 months later.
- •Before the degree, he had nearly 21 years of experience in tech, including about 14 years as a software developer and machine learning engineer.
- •He states that lacking a bachelor’s degree had not significantly limited his career in Australia but had affected overseas work options, including E-3 visa eligibility for the United States.
- •The program is delivered fully online through Coursera, administered by University of London Worldwide, with assessments marked by Goldsmiths, University of London.
- •Remote exams were conducted using Inspera proctoring software, and the author notes the program also offers a Performance-Based Admission pathway for applicants without a high school diploma.