Where can I get a graduation in software programming to become an Apple developer?

Posted:
in AppleOutsider edited January 2014
Hello!



I want to become an Apple developer and write applications for Mac OS X and the iPhone, etc. At present, I have very little knowledge about programming but I have always been very good at whatever little I've learnt. Ever since I switched to the Mac platform about a year and a half ago, I've had this burning desire to write software for it. So...



Can anyone tell me which universities, if any, offer graduation courses in Mac based software programming? They may be in the USA or even anywhere else. I'm looking for a wholly Mac based curriculum that won't burden me with useless subjects such as Physics, Chemistry and stuff. What's the best match?



Thanks in advance!
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 38
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Your best bet is to get a regular degree in CS or something like that and concentrate on learning the basics in languages, like C. If the university offers any mac specific courses (doubtful but maybe) then all the better. Keep on the look out for C and Objective-C. Avoid C++, it has less applicable value for Mac development. C at least will get you grounded in the basics.



    But you will be required to take some mid and high level math courses (algebra, trig, calculus, etc.) and probably basic physics. Unless you have credits that you can use already.



    Then, getting to know Cocoa will be easier done on your own. Some books I like are "Proramming in Objective-C" (Stephen Kochan), "Cocoa Programming for MacOS X" (Aaron Hillegass), and a good X-code specific one "Step into X-code" (Fritz Anderson). I have those and more if you are interested
  • Reply 2 of 38
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aryayush View Post


    Hello!



    I want to become an Apple developer and write applications for Mac OS X and the iPhone, etc. At present, I have very little knowledge about programming but I have always been very good at whatever little I've learnt. Ever since I switched to the Mac platform about a year and a half ago, I've had this burning desire to write software for it. So...



    Can anyone tell me which universities, if any, offer graduation courses in Mac based software programming? They may be in the USA or even anywhere else. I'm looking for a wholly Mac based curriculum that won't burden me with useless subjects such as Physics, Chemistry and stuff. What's the best match?



    Thanks in advance!



    "I don't wanna learn none-dat useless science stuf."



    Idiot.
  • Reply 3 of 38
    Well, I have never been good at science...



    @Outsider

    Thank you for the reply! Can you suggest a university or two?
  • Reply 4 of 38
    So you are telling me you give up really easily... good luck with life...
  • Reply 5 of 38
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aryayush View Post


    Well, I have never been good at science...



    @Outsider

    Thank you for the reply! Can you suggest a university or two?



    Not really. It really depends on where you live, and if you are willing to move. MIT & RIT would be two of the best, both located in the northeast.
  • Reply 6 of 38
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    But let me clarify something: you HAVE to take some science and math courses, and probably biology and chemistry too. Not to mention English, and maybe some Social Sciences stuff.
  • Reply 7 of 38
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    University of Waterloo has a great CS program. When I went, Macs were heavily used for the 1st year stuff, but that was many, many years ago. I am not sure how much, if at all, Macs are used there now, but it is still regarded as one of the strongest CS schools in the world.



    It sounds like you are looking more for some programming courses than a computer science degree. You should look at community colleges and/or business schools. They are pretty good at teaching the fundamentals, but will almost always be Windows driven with a smattering of Unix or Linux. The advice of getting some Mac specific books, once you have the basics down, is worthwhile.
  • Reply 8 of 38
    hirohiro Posts: 2,663member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aryayush View Post


    Well, I have never been good at science...



    @Outsider

    Thank you for the reply! Can you suggest a university or two?



    If you aren't good at science, you probably aren't good at math. If you aren't REALLY good at math I don't want you anywhere near a software development job. Too much software sucks because the coders don't understand enough math and logic to make their way out of an open paper bag.



    So either get good at math or pick a different area to work in, like content creation. And just about any BS in Computer Science will fill the bill for you, since in academia there are VERY, VERY few places that worry about Windows or Mac specific APIs in programming. ANd if they do I would suggest avoiding them anyway since getting that specific is the job of places like Devry.
  • Reply 9 of 38
    giantgiant Posts: 6,041member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aryayush View Post


    Can you suggest a university or two?



    Are you joking? You are going to need at least rudimentary research skills.
  • Reply 10 of 38
    Come on, give the kid a break. He's still in high school for crying out loud...



    He even said he knew very little about programming, so he was obviously unaware that the degree had large sections of science in it.



    For all he knew there could have been an Apple programming technical school. Try to see where he's coming from before you guys jump down his throat.
  • Reply 11 of 38
    No...
  • Reply 12 of 38
    hirohiro Posts: 2,663member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Guybrush Threepwood View Post


    Come on, give the kid a break. He's still in high school for crying out loud...



    He even said he knew very little about programming, so he was obviously unaware that the degree had large sections of science in it.



    For all he knew there could have been an Apple programming technical school. Try to see where he's coming from before you guys jump down his throat.



    No, tough love is the way to go.



    Too many deadbeats went into programming during the dot com bust because they thought they could get rich for basically nothing. That's probably not the case here, but too many idiots go into software totally unawares and goon it up in a death by 1000 miniature bugs.



    aryayush has said he would like to avoid the science, that is the absolute wrong way to go. Should he change his mind and work hard at getting good at a required skillset even if it's not his first love he will be welcomed into the fold with open arms. If not he knows the attitude to expect.



    Nothing harsh there, just the facts of life in a uncluttered though blunt manner. We show him more respect by not pulling the punches up front and letting him know what the far more realistic requirements are.
  • Reply 13 of 38
    For the record, any ABET accredited CS program will require physics and math courses. Granted, there are plenty of universities that have CS as BA degree.



    A lot of software, at this point, is about communication skills. If you don't have good writing or speaking skills in addition to a distaste for math and science, you're going to have a hard time making a living in the software development trade.



    Besides, software development is a lousy way to live. Unless you're brilliant, consider the strong possibility that you'll be outsourced.
  • Reply 14 of 38
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hiro View Post


    No, tough love is the way to go.



    Too many deadbeats went into programming during the dot com bust because they thought they could get rich for basically nothing. That's probably not the case here, but too many idiots go into software totally unawares and goon it up in a death by 1000 miniature bugs.



    aryayush has said he would like to avoid the science, that is the absolute wrong way to go. Should he change his mind and work hard at getting good at a required skillset even if it's not his first love he will be welcomed into the fold with open arms. If not he knows the attitude to expect.



    Nothing harsh there, just the facts of life in a uncluttered though blunt manner. We show him more respect by not pulling the punches up front and letting him know what the far more realistic requirements are.



    Understandable. I think he was just unaware how much math and science went into a CS degree. I wouldn't say the kid is an idiot, just a bit naive. Nevertheless, I get the point.



    So, fuck him.



    (Until he wants to learn science.)
  • Reply 15 of 38
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hiro View Post


    If you aren't good at science, you probably aren't good at math.



    HEYHEY! I suck at math and I am a physicist.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hardeeharhar


    "I don't wanna learn none-dat useless science stuf."



    Idiot.



    Seconded.



    You know, the world would be a much better place if humans were acquainted with the proper methods of empirical justification that are learned through the study of science.
  • Reply 16 of 38
    First of all, thanks to everyone for the replies. I appreciate the "tough love".





    OK, so the problem, if anyone is willing to hear me out, is this:



    I am a nineteen year old student in India. I completed my high schooling a year and a half ago. Out of all the subjects I've had in school, I've always been very good at English and Computers (topping the class with scores like 96 out of 100) but have sucked at just about everything else, specially Science. I used to be above average in Mathematics till the tenth standard but then my school forced me to choose between Maths and Computers in the eleventh standard and I, of course, chose the latter option. So, if I am asked to study Mathematics now, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to do it.



    After that, I decided to go for a degree in multimedia to become an animator. A few months into the course, however, I realised that I am just not creative. I can write up a two thousand word essay but I cannot come up with a catchy title for it. It was the same story in college. I would completely screw up in the drawing and painting classes but would come up tops in the Computer subject when we had our examinations.



    So, I decided to pursue software programming because I have always enjoyed writing code and figuring out solutions when you get stuck somewhere. I find it very difficult to learn stuff but anything that requires logic just comes naturally to me. Even in Mathematics, there used to be certain chapters that I was very good at. From whatever I've learnt and experienced till today, I don't think you need to be good at Maths to be able to code well. Please correct me if I am wrong!



    In India, Macs do not have any importance at all. They are not recognised in any educational institution. So I decided to go abroad.



    Now, what am I doing wrong? Do you guys still thing software programming is the wrong choice? Is so, can you suggest something that I might be good at? I'm just so disappointed right now. It seems that I cannot do anything at all...



    And please pardon my naivety. I've never been to any other country and don't really know anything about the educational system in the USA or anywhere else outside of India.
  • Reply 17 of 38
    giantgiant Posts: 6,041member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aryayush View Post


    ... and figuring out solutions when you get stuck somewhere.



    This is really key, and is exactly why you should start learning to do research so you don't [continue?] to be the kind of person who drags your colleagues down by trying to take shortcuts asking really low-level questions that you could answer on your own. There's nothing more annoying than a developer who asks a question that could be answered with a brain-dead simple google (or other) search since it's a sign that he or she isn't even trying. Don't be that person.
  • Reply 18 of 38
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aryayush View Post


    And please pardon my naivety. I've never been to any other country and don't really know anything about the educational system in the USA or anywhere else outside of India.



    It's generally expensive.



    From what I know, India has plenty of programming jobs (and, hence, education). If you're a star there, then consider moving to one of the big tech hotspots in the USA. High tech investment is now more than 2x what it was in the dot-com boom. Also, believe me when I tell you that a good education in India is very much respected in the USA. You can note my location tag: I am neck-deep in high tech.



    The fact that you say you have good english is, of course, a plus. English has become the language of trade. You may also want to consider a future in high-tech business/marketing. If you have a risky bone in your body, you could make a great life for yourself running a "body shop" (an Indian consulting & HR firm). Seriously: India is the world's largest democracy, and you guys seem to respect the concept of intellectual property. China could very well implode. No one here worries about India in the long term.
  • Reply 19 of 38
    The problem with India is that they don't encourage good students, they want students with good scores and the two things don't necessarily coincide.



    For example, I am very good at computers and therefore, had an exceptional percentage in it when I was in school. But I did really poorly at science and I am therefore not eligible to get enrollment into any half decent college. Plus, the course is so full of stuff from so many other subjects that people like me who are not "jack of all trades" just cannot cope up.



    In any case, I've wasted one year and no reputable college in India will accept me now. They want to see a fresh mark sheet before they will even consider me. The moment they come to know that I passed out of school in 2005, I'll be shown the door.



    I'm sorry for unloading all this on you guys. I am just so confused and it seems no one here (i.e. my friends in India) can help me out because they don't really know about education outside of India or even about software programming and technology. If someone has a magical solution for my woes, please feel free to volunteer!
  • Reply 20 of 38
    hirohiro Posts: 2,663member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by soulcrusher View Post


    HEYHEY! I suck at math and I am a physicist.



    And a physicist slaps himself with the logic stick! Did anyone say being good at science guarantees you are good at math?



    Your likely exalted threshold of suckage probably makes most folks look positively hopeless. We won't mention logic in the same breath though
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