At the time I had chosen my major I decided to pick business to pad out GPA, get a background in finance, and to manage a corporation and would try to study code on the side as opposed to a major since I read about how you didn’t need a CS degree to get a CS job, but then realized that what I had read was partially fake news. It turns out there some degrees stand out when they are ABET certified.
I want to change my major into Computer Science mainly seeing that I don’t have an interest in my current degree Business/Accounting but I want to make a career switch seeing that I had invested in something that is being automated and also do not have as much as a passion for. While I did stupidly ditch the one class I wanted to take out of fear for getting units for a CPA, I wanted to know if there is a unit limit to what I am do or can I take as much units as I can at CSU Stanislaus. I would not mind getting into extra debt since I have not reached the Stafford limit and staying for another 4 years if it means getting into the field I want. Is it too late to switch majors.
Look. employers think accountants are smart and pay them well. It looks like you could be in your last semester and could have a BS Accounting in a few months
I’d guess a BS in CS is a 3ish year detour and I think, for you a waste of time and money.
The cool think about coding is, if you have interest and aptitude you can pick it up lots places after you graduate. It is also an easily demonstrable skill by sharing your projects.
You probably don’t even realize how good a question that is. You have 6 credits to go and you want to dump it all:
Not sure what has provoked this sudden urge to throw the baby out with the bath water, but I am really glad that you have posted here, where you are already getting some good, sound, steadying advice.
One of the most important parts of getting a college degree is something that students rarely grasp: it shows that you can take on a big, long-term project and see it through to the end. The characteristics and skills that involves are ones that relate to living adult life- and that employers are looking for. Particularly relevant here are maturity, being able to delay gratification, not giving up on the home stretch, finding different ways to get to a goal, and handling your own evolution and growth.
FINISH your 6 credits and get the piece of paper. It is not garbage- it is a building block. The field is indeed being automated- but as with any evolution there are those who will be left behind, and those who will be at the leading edge. It’s your choice which you are. So, become expert in the areas of your field that are being automated- from both sides. Find out who the companies are who are doing the automating and find ways to work for them. Figure out the relevant areas of software development and get good at them. Use the suggestions above (and the ones that are likely to follow).
It will be a decision you will probably regret for the rest of your life, especially if you are going further into debt to make it happen.
Get your BS, ASAP then get on with your life.
With a BS in anything you have set yourself apart from the 66% of the population that doesn’t have one. You will be eligible for countless jobs that require the degree. Get one and start building your life. Successful modern careers are full of lifetime of learning. Take some coding classes to expand your knowledge at your own pace and without the drag of silly pre-reqs that go into most BSs.
Your question of “Is it too late to switch majors” can be answered definitively by your school. I suggest that you contact your academic advisor immediately and ascertain the (real) choices that you might have. I think some schools would not allow students to switch majors if they have completed a certain number of academic units. If that is indeed the case for you, then you would need to finish up this degree and apply to schools for a second bachelor degree; abandoning your current program (not getting this bachelor in business administration) would greatly increase the difficulty in getting into a CS program further down the road.
Don’t throw more time and money at undergrad. Finish your degree and start planning how to pivot to what you want to do.
Here’s just one example of a CS master’s degree that’s designed for students who did not study CS as undergrad’s. https://www.khoury.northeastern.edu/programs/align-masters-of-science-in-computer-science/ There are also certificate programs that take even less time. You can add this skill-set without starting virtually from scratch on an undergrad degree that you’ve nearly finished. There’s nothing wrong with your current program as a foundation.
CSU’s put a limit on the number of units you can take as an undergrad. The State of California supplements your actual tuition with State funds. Once you reach a certain limit, they have to start charging you. They will begin to charge you full fees if you haven’t made an effort to graduate.
Your English writing skills, noted here, are weak. Are you currently a non-resident student?
Get your degree done. Apply for a Masters’ degree.
If you do want to change into CS, the school would be the one who could answer whether it is allowed at this late stage.
Regarding going into computing jobs without a CS degree, this is typically done by those who did substantial self-education in CS. These are typically among those with the highest ability and motivation in the relevant areas. Many of those who do have degrees in other fields did them in math-heavy fields like physics, math, or statistics.
As a supplement to my reply above (#10), I suggest that, as soon as possible, you ask your advisor and other officers at the registrar, if your school would allow you to double major in CS at this point in your academic career. Don’t wait, you need to hear the official words, no matter how disappointing that they might be.