Re: masters degree in CS

w_tom wrote:

> Depends on numerous factors. For example, many companies
> have so little knowledge of what their employees do as to
> simply (as if it was magic) increase an employee's salary only
> because he has a Master's Degree. The degree means you look
> better on a resume.
>
> However there are many types of CS degree programs. Some
> simply hand out degrees for taking some courses. Others
> actually want to teach more about new or innovative
> technology. IOW if you want to learn something (also), then
> where you take that CS is important.
>
> In America (too often), what you can do is not as important
> as what you can do that affects the bottom line this year.
> That is why so many engineering schools are subverting or
> outright down sizing their engineering programs so as to
> expand their newly established MBA programs. Teaching MBAs
> costs much less than teaching real world knowledge. In Japan,
> there is a expression for it - MBA - Made Being in America.
> The short term business action has become more important than
> a product design done years previous - and only just now
> contributing to the bottom line.
>
> It comes down to this. Do you want to maximize your income
> - doing something worthwhile is irrelevant. Or do you really
> want to accomplish something - personal accomplishment. If
> the latter, then consider the first two paragraphs. If money
> (and greed) is your primary objective, then get the MBA -
> people who cannot do anything but who get the big bonuses by
> looking better on spreadsheets.
>

What do you think about someone who doesn't have a BS in Computer Science?
Should that person (me) go back and get another undergrad degree (the one I
have is in a completely irrelevent field to CS), or go ahead and get the CS
Masters - after taking some prerequisite courses naturally?


jab3

jab3

w_tom wrote:

> While taking master courses with so many CS students, one
> stunning fact became surprisingly obvious. Many did not even
> know a programming language. They were users simply looking
> for a degree to meet company requirements. In one course where
> we simulated a computer system, one of the four team members
> could not program in any language. He wrote the report.
> Others did the programming. It was not the only example.
>
> There really appeared to be little prerequisite in computer
> knowledge other than an ability to run a computer.
>
> If you were asking about a masters in chemistry or
> electrical engineering, then yes, there are some unique
> prerequisite courses necessary to understand required
> courses. But in industry, many programmers have no CS
> degree. They were physic majors or masters of chemical
> engineering who needed a job. Programming job was available.
> Any science background is usually sufficient. Sometimes even
> an English degree will do.
>
> Go for the masters in CS as long as you meet those math and
> other prerequisites. Courses are not hard.

Cool. Thanks for the info. Yeah, I'm learning C right now, along with A+
stuff and operating systems self-study. But the college where I would take
it will require me to take a couple of math courses naturally, since I
don't have them with my liberal arts background - and Computer
Architecture/OS and a programming class. I have a choice between C++ or
Java. I'm thinking I may go with C++, but I don't know. It makes more
sense to me since I'm learning C anyway. Who knows what will happen.


jab3


> jab3 wrote:
>> What do you think about someone who doesn't have a BS in Computer
>> Science? Should that person (me) go back and get another undergrad
>> degree (the one I have is in a completely irrelevent field to CS),
>> or go ahead and get the CS Masters - after taking some prerequisite
>> courses naturally?

jab3