I'm actually lucky enough to be in one. I work in the University of Maryland system, and I receive tuition remission. I take classes at University of Maryland, University College. It's not exactly the same as UMBC (where I did undergrad the first time around. Ironically enough I started off in computer science before switching to English literature; four years after getting the BA, I'm back for the computer science degree), but it's still within the University of Maryland system.

I'll be watching the George Tech program closely.

Seeing as I've met Stanford programmers that didn't even know how to write object oriented php before, what exactly is your definition of "real"?

I would expect such a student to understand data structures and algorithms, language concepts, and other underlying principles for databases and operating systems. Yes, the passionate ones that are learning and participating in projects outside of class will have a better working knowledge and exposure to many languages. It goes without saying that it's not the best use of your time and money to be learning OO PHP at a university like Standford.

I wouldn't expect anyone to know object oriented PHP. However, if they have Stanford credentials, I would expect them to be able to learn it in a very short timeframe.

Also, a computer science degree does not make someone a software engineer.

Why would object oriented PHP be a part of Stanford's coursework?

You'd expect students of that caliber to work outside of the classroom.

What if the person did plenty of work outside the classroom, but it never happened to involve object-oriented PHP? I just don't understand the bizarre notion that if one hasn't written object-oriented PHP before, then apparently, well, I'm not even sure what the conclusion is supposed to be, but it seems to be along the lines of "you are a crappy programmer."

I think the problem is many people mistake CS programs for some sort of vocational education.

Right ... but why would you assume they'd have used PHP?

Traditional schools are horrific at teaching web programming languages - but I agree they should be able to pick it up quickly.

That's because traditional schools teach CS, not web programming.

This seems a strange criterion. Do you mean that you expect all programmers to have written in PHP? Or do you mean, you'd expect a competent programmer to pick it up quickly?

I've been programming professionally for 18 years, and informally for 30. The most contact I've had with PHP is changing a couple of strings in an internal script.

I believe the point was that there aren't any equivalent programs for a Bachelors at a respectable school (this is a Masters program), not that GT isn't good.

This option has been around for well over a century: http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/

True, but they have no CS degree. There are lots of online "information systems" undergraduate degrees out there.

This one seems to be pretty close to a CS degree: http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/g...

Do you have any experience with this program? BSc in Information Systems and Management looks interesting.

Not directly. I did study in London on campus. However, there are plenty of cases where outstanding alumni of those distance BSc programs got admitted to a later on-campus Master's program. Also, the content of those distance BSc courses is identical to the on-campus versions. They teach the same courses, and you'll sit the same exams.

EdX is working on it. They're introducing the beginning of one. Not sure if they meet your "real" standard or not.

"Real" probably means "an official degree from an accredited institution". Is EdX going to offer diplomas in accredited programs?

No, but they are doing a new program-of-study (beyond a single course) certificate program called the XSeries Certificate (MITx is offering two of these, a 7-course one in "Foundations of Computer Science" and a 3-course one in "Supply Chain Management")

They offer "ID Verified" certificate on some courses for a small fee, certificates which should be more valuable than the regular ones. However I don't think they're accredited.

Check out http://www.saylor.org/ , they have a full curriculum in CS and the course work would be comparable to a brick and mortar university. If you need a piece of paper that claims you are a "real" CS however, they aren't going to get you there.

Georgia tech does that "half way" as well

http://www.dlpe.gatech.edu/dl/

I agree seeing the rest of the way would be good.