It should be something in between. I have done my undergrad at Cambridge and I am now at Stanford, and the curricula differ a lot. Cambridge is very theoretical

It should be something in between. I have done my undergrad at Cambridge and I am now at Stanford, and the curricula differ a lot. Cambridge is very theoretical, and teaches a lot about core computer science - they love functional programming, discrete mathematics, denotational semantics etc. Stanford, on the other hand, is much more hands-on. It's more project-based, where you have to actually implement something. At the same time, I feel that students here learn less about the theory. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. Personally, I feel lucky to have the theoretical background as an undergrad and now be able to apply that knowledge as a grad at Stanford. I think there has to be something in between, and computer science as a major should not be on either ends of the extremes (theory/application). I do not want to see a CS major who has no clue about programming any more than I want to see a CS guy who lacks the theoretical understanding of his subject.