Has anyone left software engineering to study something not in the sciences? How did that go?
Ask HN: Anyone left software to study non-STEM subjects?
1–10 of 67 posts
Re: Ask HN: Anyone left software to study non-STEM subjects?
#2I went for a Master's in Education and became a teacher. Teaching computer science and math so still STEM adjacent. I'm still teaching a decade later and I've moved abroad to teach at international schools, currently in Bangkok.
Re: Ask HN: Anyone left software to study non-STEM subjects?
#3I think this question pops up every few months and there’s always many ex-software folks in the comments with interesting stories.
Re: Ask HN: Anyone left software to study non-STEM subjects?
#4Yeah; I went to law school. Big mistake. Luckily, I was able to switch back, and I now work at a legal tech startup as a software engineer :D
Re: Ask HN: Anyone left software to study non-STEM subjects?
#5I did not leave SE (yet), but I'm currently studying sustainability / waste management / etc. It's going great so far, I can recommend going a different or additional route, if you are able to.
Re: Ask HN: Anyone left software to study non-STEM subjects?
#6I studied psychology, almost did a double degree. Then some post-grad work in psychotherapy. After a couple of years of STEM maths, rats and stats was easy. The biggest gain was that I was better equipped to handle negotiations, etc in my tech / business work.
Re: Ask HN: Anyone left software to study non-STEM subjects?
#7I wish I could do something similar. I'll probably pursue Cosmology and Occult study -- they look pretty similar :)
But the money in software is pretty good and I need it. So maybe when I'm 50 years old after 10 years.
Re: Ask HN: Anyone left software to study non-STEM subjects?
#8I left CS for a non tech degree and then ended up back in software development years later as a career pivot. I don’t regret anything and the timing worked out.
Re: Ask HN: Anyone left software to study non-STEM subjects?
#9I went and did a masters on Middle East studies, focusing on Shia rituals in Iraq. I moved to Baghdad (and south Iraq) for a year, wrote up my research here: http://malloc.dog/karbala/, http://malloc.dog/field/iraq/
My day job was writing cpp and elixir, although I kept my job and returned to it. I've been thinking about leaving software completely though.
Re: Ask HN: Anyone left software to study non-STEM subjects?
#10I went to law school after 8 years as a developer. Now I am a plaintiff attorney and sue companies (sometimes tech companies) for fraud. YMMV.