[umanwizard]

Doing well in a STEM degree like CS or Math is valuable for two reasons:

(1) it usually, but not always, implies that the candidate has at least some coding knowledge; and,

(2) [most important] it is a good proxy for logical/mathematical intelligence.

As long as IQ tests for employment remain a legal grey area, employers will continue using STEM degrees as a filter.

The claim that (2) is the most important is anecdotal, being based on my own experience: I have a degree in mathematics, which doesn't really imply (1) to nearly the same extent as CS, and I have never felt it made it more difficult to get job interviews.

[qudat]

That sounds like a round-about way to train, prepare someone for a profession. The CS program is an artifact of how slow universities are to adapt to the needs of a growing industry. I would much rather see software development slip into an apprenticeship program rather than rigged up to a program that was never intended to train engineers.

[umanwizard]

Well, the CS program at most "normal" (non-elite) schools is already pretty practical and engineering-focused, AFAICT.