[G-delta]

My original point was that the jobs unique to the CS major are converging rapidly to several in computer systems; do these other topics (e.g. theory of computation and esoteric algorithm D&A) lend themselves to employment outside of academia better than the domain-specific knowledge a chemical engineer has, for instance?

I agree with you that CS is more than coding, but the educational establishment does not. The CS curriculum in most American universities comprises architecture, networks, operating systems, software engineering, some algorithm D&A, and Java/Python/C++, at maximum. The fundamental issue is that a proper study of the other components of CS you bring up demands mathematical maturity. Consequently a 3 year course of study in algebra, analysis, and topology is likely much better preparation for advanced study in CS than a 4 year course of study in software engineering, which is what most American CS degrees are. It is one thing to debate how useful CS is as a field beyond programming, but a completely different problem to determine how useful the training offered in a CS degree is.

[gulato]

Lots of discussion about degrees as signaling and such around. I didn't realize this was where we ere going.

If you walk out of a university only knowing how to code, you've wasted an opportunity. (and a lot of somebody's money)