OSSU: Getting Started (Post 1)

Hey everyone! I want to share a new long-term personal challenge I’ve decided to embark on completing the full curricula of the Open Source Society University (OSSU) for Computer Science.

I’ve been thinking for a while about how to deepen my understanding of systems and solidify my programming foundations. Until now, I hadn’t found the right approach, but I recently came across OSSU’s curricula and loved the concept.

A quick note for those who don’t know my story: I started programming at age 30, after spending over 10 years working as a designer. When I made the career switch, I chose to learn independently and focus on Web Development, taking courses and building projects on my own.

Now, a couple of years later, as I near 33, I’m aiming for a different kind of learning. My first years in development were all about acquiring the skills I needed to land a job. (I mean, we all need a job to pay the bills, right? Haha)

In this new phase, I’m eager to dive into programming fundamentals and broaden my core knowledge base, since my training so far has been very specific and web-focused to meet market demands.

Over the past few months (or even the last year), I’ve often wondered if I should go back to school and pursue a degree in engineering. But I always end up just asking about the study programs and never actually signing up for the courses.

While searching for information again (as I do every November and July when enrollment typically starts in Argentina), I stumbled upon the OSSU syllabus and thought to myself:

‘Why not give it a shot? It’s free and it covers the topics you’ve been wanting to learn. You’ve got nothing to lose by trying.’

And that’s how I ended up writing this blog post. Partly because, as you know, I love sharing my programming adventures whenever I get the chance, and partly because I know this information could be useful to others looking for something similar.

What is the Open Source Society University?

The Open Source Society University (OSSU) is an organization that curates study programs designed for self-learners but aligned with the learning standards of some of the world’s most prestigious universities.

They offer study programs in Computer Science, Mathematics, Data Science, and Bioinformatics.

Each of these curricula is made up of free courses provided by various platforms like Coursera, EDx, or even the platforms of different universities themselves.

The idea behind OSSU is that anyone can independently learn the same topics you would in a formal course. It’s perfect for those who want to gain knowledge without necessarily needing a degree or certificate for their studies.

The only downside, in my opinion, to these study programs is that they’re 100% in English. Some courses might have subtitles, but that’s not guaranteed. So, for those of us in LATAM, once again, knowing English becomes a vital skill in tech.

Other than that, I’ve been checking out reviews and going through the proposed curricula, and it’s super comprehensive. Plus, you always have the option to forge your path, but at least this program guides you through learning the fundamentals of engineering, math, computer architecture, cybersecurity, data, and more.

Why did I decide to start this new journey?

I’ve been job hunting as a developer for a few months now, and I’m noticing that the job market is getting more and more competitive. The bar for hiring junior developers is pretty high right now.

My goal with this course is to solidify my professional path as much as I can. I don’t want to know how to develop just for the web; I want to understand why the web is the way it is, how we got to this point with the tools and capabilities we have, and what’s coming next.

As I often say, based on my own experience studying design at university, formal education tends to be broader. It’s not as focused on a specific job role or programming language, but it aims to give you a set of tools that let you navigate and specialize within a broad field of study—in this case, computer science.

That’s what I’m looking for—a bit more foundational knowledge, a bit more of that general understanding that helps me grasp this field more deeply.

And, of course, I’m grateful that this is a free program, open and available to everyone.

If you’re looking for something similar, I recommend checking it out and giving it a shot. You’ve got nothing to lose, and you might learn a lot of useful things for your career.

Next Steps

I’ll be updating my progress here and on social media. I promised to do a weekly update on X, and I’ll be putting together a monthly update for the blog.

Sharing this journey with others helps me avoid procrastination. Maybe the hardest challenge for self-learners is finding the motivation, even when you’re not feeling it, and pushing forward when the only pressure to keep going comes from within.

I started a few days ago by reviewing the math prerequisites. It’s been fun revisiting topics I haven’t touched in years (and when I say years, I mean over 10 years haha).

I wish I had my old math notebooks from when I was studying design at FADU, but oh well, Flor from the past didn’t save them.

I’ve also started the first introductory computer science course (the famous CS50p), which teaches you the basics of Python programming. So, a new programming language for me 🙌

I’ll see you in about a month with updates on how it’s going. If you decide to join the OSSU study plan, feel free to drop me a message on social media so we can go through the process together!

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