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Have you ever wanted to study computer science but didn't want to pay the high cost of college tuition? Well you're in luck! There is an amazing open source curriculum called OSSU (Open Source Society University) that allows you to enroll in the equivalent of a 4-year computer science degree program completely free of charge.
ossu/computer science Provides a comprehensive education in fundamental computing concepts for all computing disciplines. The curriculum is designed according to the degree requirements of undergraduate computer science majors at leading universities. Use high-quality courses from platforms like edX, Coursera, and Udacity taught by professors from schools like MIT, Harvard, and Princeton.
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The course covers everything from programming languages, algorithms and data structures to operating systems, computer architecture and software engineering. After completing the basic computer science requirements, you can choose advanced electives to specialize in areas such as software testing, game theory, linear algebra, and more.
The best thing is that all course materials are freely available online and you can complete the program at your own pace. While it is possible to finish in 2 years if you study around 20 hours a week, you can adjust it according to your schedule. You'll also join a global community of independent learners who support each other.
Previous requirements
The computer science curriculum has prerequisite expectations at different stages:
- Central CS: Students must have prior experience in mathematics at the high school level, including algebra, geometry, and precalculus.
- Advanced CS: Students may only choose advanced electives after first finishing all required courses in the Core CS section.
- Advanced Systems: Any student who wants to specialize in Advanced Systems electives must have previously taken at least one basic physics course in high school or college.
Introduction to CS
The Intro CS section has beginner-level courses to help students new to computer science understand if it is the right fit for them. Covers introduction to programming to teach basic coding concepts and introduction to computer science to provide students with an understanding of the role of computing in problem solving.
Central CS
The Core CS section has all the courses equivalent to the first 3 years of a university degree in computer science. Build a solid foundation in essential areas such as:
- Central programming: Covers languages, testing, design patterns, architecture, etc.
- Basic math: Develop the mathematical maturity necessary for data structures, algorithms, etc.
- IT tools: Features commonly used tools for tasks like version control, shell scripts, etc.
- Core systems: It deals with the operating system, networking, compilation and architecture of the computer.
- Core theory: Fundamental theoretical concepts such as algorithms, NP completeness, etc.
- Core Security: Secure coding, cryptography and vulnerabilities.
- Main applications: Databases, machine learning, infographics, etc.
- Fundamental ethics: Explore the ethical implications of technology in society.
advanced Informatics
After completing all required core CS courses, students must choose additional advanced CS courses based on their interests and intended field.
- Programation advance: It covers topics such as debugging, parallel computing, UML, software architecture, compilers, functional programming with Haskell, and more.
- Advanced Systems: Delves into digital logic, computer organization, pipelines, parallel processing, virtualization, and other lower-level computing concepts.
- Advanced theory: Includes formal language theory, Turing machines, computability, concurrency models, computational geometry, logic, and game theory.
- Advanced information security: Provides more specialized security knowledge such as compliance, digital forensics, secure development lifecycle, and verification.
- Advanced mathematics: Includes linear algebra, numerical methods, formal logic, probability theory, and other mathematical foundations important to computer science.
Final project
The final project requires students to apply all their learning by building something useful. This provides tangible proof of your knowledge and skills to show potential employers.
Creating a project not only looks great on a resume, but it also validates and reinforces your knowledge. You can create something new from scratch or contribute to an existing open source project that needs help.
For further guidance, there are structured, project-oriented specialization courses you can take. Topics include end-to-end development, data science, robotics, and more. With the basic foundation, you can now identify series that match your interests.
When your final project is complete, send information about it to OSSU. PROJECTS via a pull request. Also, add the OSSU badge to your project's README file. Then, use community channels to announce your creation to your fellow students.
Assessment is done by getting feedback from peers and showing skills instead of traditional grades. It also allows OSSU to evaluate how well its curriculum prepares independent learners for real achievement.
OSSU's computer science degree program offers a fantastic opportunity for those who are interested in studying computer science without the burden of high tuition fees. With a well-structured curriculum that covers all the fundamental concepts of computer science, you can get a comprehensive education in this field. The flexibility of the program allows you to learn at your own pace, making it an accessible option for anyone, regardless of their schedule. So why wait? Start your computer science education today for FREE with OSSU.
Abid Ali Awan (@1abidaliawan) is a certified professional data scientist who loves building machine learning models. Currently, he focuses on content creation and writing technical blogs on data science and machine learning technologies. Abid has a Master's degree in technology Management and a Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications Engineering. His vision is to build an artificial intelligence product using a graph neural network for students struggling with mental illness.
