Not to mention the video on youtube in which facebook people congratulate themselves on creating a transaction manager that uses queues to serialise concurrent updates. Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. The data structures are used when implementing the algorithms. You're going because you think it might help you on paper. If so, stop that. Many students, particularly those who do not currently work in tech, choose to study part-time and transition to a full-time schedule before they take on their first co-op.Â, This versatility allows students to balance their jobs, families, and other responsibilities while earning their degrees and advancing their careers.Â, for more information about earning your master’s in computer science. Â. Now, it's been over a year since my program started (I attend part-time). I picked up all these things during my algorithms course. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. First, talk to your advisor. I did a PhD in theoretical physics 12 years ago and my experience is a bit mixed. I think your best source of information is whoever decided you were qualified for the course. No doubt there's material out there specifically intended for part-time students, that could help you attain and maintain "the zone". Students who are particularly interested in research, however, may want to consider studying at Northeastern’s flagship campus in Boston. Stay up to date on our latest posts and university events. As for whether you should continue, If you find that after some experience you are interested in "data structures and algorithms" and "formal languages and automata", then a theory focused computer science degree may be interesting to you. Survival guide from someone who's been in your situation. And finally: don't despair, it might seem very difficult at times, but you'll probably be closer to understanding than you think. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Computer Science is a particularly fascinating field because of its wide variety of applications. 7 Business Careers You Can Pursue with a Global Studies Degree. However, your life being full of other stuff is an obstacle to some extent. Frequently the solution is to have them audit the undergraduate course first. Getting a computer science degree from WGU is the first step towards a new future. Do you just sit there hopelessly but afraid that everyone knows more than you? If you're contemplating a master's degree program in computer science… Front-end web development quite frankly is nothing like computer science. Here are four steps you can take to help you succeed. What's the best way for EU citizens to enter the UK if they're worried they might be refused entry at the UK border? This is particularly important for stuff like DS&A - the only way to get really familiar with an algorithm or with things like pointer manipulation, is to do it. Aligning and setting the spacing of unit with their parameter in table. We offer a variety of resources, including scholarships and assistantships. The solution will tell you the nature of the runtime, i.e. Thank you, your answer has been the most supportive (and realistic) one here! Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Stanford. It's not just the content of the course (most of mathematics is irrelevant to CS), it's the mindset of "being a mathematician" and "doing mathematics formally" that's similar to the formality required in your course, but is mostly absent from everyday apps programming. This is not a physics course. I'm not sure if it is: Any thoughts from others in computer science, engineering, and mathematical sciences would be much appreciated. Read for the sheer hell of it! I want the diploma as hard proof of my quantitative skills, and so do you, nothing wrong with that. How do I get into a Computer Science Masters without an undergrad in CS? Another thing, people seem to take a swing at you for wanting a Master's diploma. Where to continue my research-oriented studies after Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science? i'm not saying that's a bad reason, but it certainlt isn't helpful in the motivation category. Did you start out your program by taking undergraduate-level CS courses to bring yourself up to speed, or did you dive straight in to graduate-level coursework? Until you deal with the lack of background I don't think there's any way to tell whether you lack aptitude. Tips for Taking Online Classes: 8 Strategies for Success. Computing and IT, As a rapidly-growing field with more than 550,000 new jobs predicted by 2028, computer science offers an exciting career path for people who want to use their problem-solving skills in the tech industry. At the undergraduate level, "Data Structures and Algorithms" is typically the weed out course for our department. More generally, my advice to anyone starting out in computer science is to figure out what it is you are weak at and work to get stronger in it. A Best Colleges rank of 6 out of 1,715 schools nationwide means Stanford is a great college overall. Yes, neuroplasticity drops as you get older, but all that means is that you need to work harder, know what a linked list is and how it works; or, have a good set of notes that I can quickly use to refresh my memory. Code.org reports that there more than 475,000 open computing jobs nationwide (as of January 2019), and less than 50,000 computer science students graduated into the workforce last year. A master's degree in computer science is a great way to start or advance a career, and it can also provide an educational foundation for future studies. I'm sure you know from your real-world experience, that being 'good' and 'clever' isn't enough - you have to be able to communicate your ideas to others and work collaboratively, because interesting software is non-trivial and non-trivial software is too big & complex for one person to do on their own. What/how did you program? While learning Computer Science is challenging, it’s not impossible. "it's very possible to work in front end web development without encountering [data structures and algorithms" -- maybe that's why so many web "applications" are hogging CPU like there's no tomorrow?. One strategy I found works for me, is to just focus on learning stuff; just learn anything that's related to the course. Her winding career has taken her from financial services to full-time freelance writing, and she now spends most of her time asking Northeastern professors for crash courses in their areas of expertise. Students who don’t already have a computer science background may feel the added stress of learning a completely new skillset.Â, A comprehensive and supportive computer science degree program can provide the right framework for students of any background. What makes a MSc in Computer Science difficult for someone who has no specific background but 10 years of experience as a programmer? Many choose to … The problem is the input to the algorithm and is expressed in terms of n - the size of the problem. I'm fairly sure that revisiting that material would take rather more than just the spare time that I have left over after doing a master's in the spare time from my job. Public Health Careers: What Can You Do With a Master’s Degree? I decided to apply because 10 years after college I had a fairly successful career as a front-end web developer and figured it would be great to have a degree so as to look like a more legitimate programmer than what my anthropology B.A. If you're in this program because you want to learn more for your own sake, that's great you will get out of it what you put into it. Next: View Schools Created with Sketch. If I were you I would probably be asking the university (a) whether there's anything else I can work towards with the course credits I have, (b) whether there's an approved means to take the program more slowly, giving more time to fill in any missing background as I go. “We work with them on maintaining their confidence because it might not be easy to develop these skills right off the bat.”Â, Northeastern’s extensive faculty and academic support resources are essential in helping students build this confidence, particularly in the Align program. They don't know more than you and quite possibly don't get it even worse. Samantha Costanzo Carleton is a reporter and content marketing writer who treats every story like it’s her latest big scoop. “They’re both master’s in computer science degrees, so they carry the same weight and reputation.”Â, Students build a general foundation in computer science with classes in programming, algorithms, and theory, and then choose five electives in an area of interest. As a test, take a look now at the harder mathematics and physics problems from the courses you took. But man are they still sticking with it (for better or worse, who really knows). Virginia. For your case, I think studying part-time makes sense, but I don't think you should attribute other people's ability to study full time to them having parents that help with the costs. If that is the case, you should seriously reconsider whether the degree is actually worth the trouble. Students have the opportunity to advance their careers, specialize in emerging technologies and gain analytic and strategic thinking skills. Nobody but you can tell whether you should quit, but given the information, I would re-evaluate whether (a) a master is achievable for you, and (b) whether getting a master's degree is actually worth it for you. Plausibility of an Implausible First Contact. One of my CS instructors told us "To look around the classroom and by the second week you won't see half of your classmates." Seriously. Check with your professors whether you've done the sorts of things they think you would have to do to prepare, and whether that preparation is feasible on your schedule. A front-end web developer qualifies you for a computer science degree like typing 100 words per minute qualifies you for a typewriter mechanic. That's not a bad thing but as others have pointed out, programming is different than CS. These problems are half the size of the original problem, so you get a recurrence that says. Further, doing ok in maths and physics is a good indicator that you'll do well in maths and physics, it by no means qualifies you directly for a CS master. Computer science is one of the faster-growing industries in the country, as computers and technology continue to evolve. The question is, what can you do about it? Which game is this six-sided die with two sets of runic-looking plus, minus and empty sides from? Even if you think you understand it, test yourself with other students to make sure your understanding is solid! Should hardwood floors go all the way to wall under kitchen cabinets? Select a Sustainable Career: Employment in all computer occupations is expected to increase by 22 … I initially struggled hard to connect everything that I had learned/experienced since college to why I was applying to graduate programs in computer science. But here's my experience as someone in similar shoes. The more code you write and have to debug, the better you'll get to understanding what's going on. That way, the next time I'm coming to a subject I and I see "linked list", I will either: Again, practice, practice, practice. At Northeastern, faculty and students collaborate in our more than 30 federally funded research centers, tackling some of the biggest challenges in health, security, and sustainability. Why do most Christians eat pork when Deuteronomy says not to? Firstly, you may have not taken into account that master-level CS courses are, well, for students on master-level. I had the kind of courses you're talking about, multivariate calculus etc. By providing us with your email, you agree to the terms of our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. I decided to apply because 10 years after college I had a fairly successful career as a front-end web developer and figured it would be great to have a degree so as to look like a more legitimate programmer than what my anthropology B.A. A mid-Atlantic state known as the Old Dominion because of its loyalty to the British crown … Do PhD students sometimes abandon their original research idea? Being criticized by some of the commentors here and having my inadequacies pointed out to me isn't doing much to help my self-confidence in a difficult degree program. I would add that, I am surprised that at least some of this was not already discussed during your enrollment into the Masters program with your advisor. Is a Computer Science degree hard? Students take it in their second year after having had intro to programming. It's helpful to think of the recurrence relation T(n) as the behavior of the problem. Go back to 20 year old you in undergrad, what would you do then? As you likely learned by now, it is possible (quite common, actually) to be a terrific programmer and still struggle with fundamental CS topics, such as algorithms. No, it does not at all save you from training like the others. degree might imply. I found it amusing that you mentioned the Master theorem, given the nature of the question (M.Sc.). This step is not recursive, as it is performed after the problem has "come back" from being recursively solved. This allows more students to pursue their degrees without having to uproot their existing lives with a move.Â, “There’s a lot of momentum around networking with employers, doing personal projects, and connecting with each other,” Barry says of the campus communities. degree in Computer Science is intended as a terminal professional degree and does not lead to the Ph.D. degree. How to avoid boats on a mainly oceanic world? I did decent in (undergrad) maths and physics courses, surely those (master) CS courses will be ok. If not, then you're less prepared for CS now than you were then, and like everyone says you weren't fully prepared then. A master’s degree in CS typically involves the standard data structure, algorithms and computer architecture curriculum (albeit at a deeper level than you might get as an undergrad), plus a specialty in some area, such as machine learning. Learning CS can be daunting and I would guess from what you said your job is that you don't realize a fundamental thing about programming, and that's to make it easier for other programmers. If it's just this one course (admittedly an important one, presumably other courses later require it) then it's entirely possible that you'll crack it eventually. Determine how a master’s in computer science aligns with your career aspirations. There may have been a time when programming was really applied algorithms, but today the skills required to write your average web application is relatively disjoint from what you learn in CS 101. Plus receive relevant career tips and grad school advice. Each campus features top-tier faculty who are experts in their fields with years of industry experience that informs their teaching. A master’s degree in computer science typically takes anywhere from two to three years. These courses give students the skills they need before entering the traditional master’s program.Â, Align students take the class in object-oriented programming instead of an introduction to programming course as part of their bridge to the traditional master’s program but graduate with the same degree.Â, “The master’s degree is the exact same curriculum,” Barry says. Proof techniques from discrete math helps you understand the correctness and runtime complexity of an algorithm. A thesis and final examination (thesis defense) are required. Many concepts in my basic algorithms course requires a good grasp of recursion, which I didn't have before entering the program. To be honest, this sounds like a personal choice and not really heavy on pros and cons that aren't personal. And you certainly deserve kudos for going back for it, not many people have the courage! If the latter, then I think that you should first enroll in the necessary undergraduate prerequisite courses. site design / logo © 2020 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa. Yes, you'll need your running. I would not quit right now if I were you. Earning a degree in computer science takes significant time and effort, but students have many options when it comes to structuring their degree programs. Industry Advice I recommend http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/introduction-algorithms. Find out the steps you need to take to apply to your desired program. I'm sure you won't regret it! You would talk to your classmates and teacher to get a better understanding. Interesting reflections. Can the automatic damage from the Witch Bolt spell be repeatedly activated using an Order of Scribes wizard's Manifest Mind feature? Computer Science is a difficult field to study and learn for a number of reasons. I don't know what type of exam you're up against, but I suggest you narrow down the syllabus as much as possible, and concentrate only on what you're supposed to know that will get you to pass. If you're in this program for career advancement, this degree might help you land management level positions but will have little or no effect on your ability to find developer level positions for frontend work. Computer science is a major for problem solvers who want to learn how to use computers and computational processes to build websites, program robots, mine data and more. The recurrence basically says that the problem starts out as n and then becomes two problems of half size, which the algorithm is then applied to (hence the T). And if you scrape a pass that doesn't mean you can't visit the tougher material at the end a second time, and the early material a third. You seem very flip-floppy MNRC. “They start off with a two-semester sequence that gives them the foundational skills they would have received through an undergraduate degree.”Â, This accelerated program begins with introductory courses in programming using Python and discrete math theory. I even see people with very limited math skills pass hard courses. If explanations that work for your colleagues don't work for you then you might consider one-to-one tutoring. They fail at almost every class (or just barely scrap by). a lack of a background in undergraduate computer science, the fact that I am an older student who is nearly 40, Age probably isn't a major factor. You’ll also need a resume that clearly showcases the skills you can bring to a job. Personally I wouldn't do anything hasty until I'd at least reached the end of the course once. Sometimes, being. You're very welcome. degree might imply. Computer Science is very hard. The best approach is to have a study plan with only the essential stuff and not to get overwhelmed by anything else. EdD vs. PhD in Education: What’s the Difference? Also, don't worry about asking someone 'super clever' for help - you'll actually be doing them a favour by getting them to explain it to you in a way that you can understand. Earning a degree in computer science takes significant time and effort, but students have many options when it comes to structuring their degree programs. EDIT: It's been 7 months since I posted this and I've realized the problem. If I, like you, had asked people whether I should quit because I had zero knowledge of graphs and trees prior to taking the course, I would probably have received discouraging comments as you do now. (Georgetown Center on Education). It's something that I've struggled with many times. From what I've seen of many web based programming is that there's a lot of backdoor programming going on. It is a completely different and new skill set. Computer Science Resume - Samples & How to Guide. While there are no hard and fast rules that guarantee you have the background and skills required to complete a thesis in Computer Science, there are some indicators. Sounds strange, I know, but having to explain something to someone (who may or may not be as clever as you), forces you to understand your subject better; to organise your own thoughts. You have what it takes, you were right in your assumptions that if you can understand math, you can understand computer science. How is time measured when a player is late? It sounds like you fell into a couple of common traps at the same time. Computer science is hard. That's like "I had heard that basketball is mostly running, so was under the (mistaken) impression that doing well in running means doing well in basketball". If Jedi weren't allowed to maintain romantic relationships, why is it stressed so much that the Force runs strong in the Skywalker family? If they successfully convince you you're not good enough then you definitely will not succeed, regardless of your skills. “You really want to commit to it,” Barry says. If you still cannot do them very well, then consider to quit. To anyone starting graduate school in computer science--never underestimate the importance of recursion! Naturally that's extremely expensive, but if the class hears "and then throw the Master theorem at it" and knows what that means and how to fill in the details, and you don't, then clearly they have background you don't and so you need things filled in that they don't. So, my #1 tip to anyone undertaking a university-level course is: find people on your course(s) that you get along with and build relationships with them around the work. I don't think people realize how important it is to have self-confidence when trying to achieve something. Students also participate in online seminars, workshops, and other programs to prepare for co-ops and their job search.Â, Align students benefit from a comprehensive academic standing program in addition to these resources. Having a strong undergraduate background in computer … How is the Q and Q' determined the first time in JK flip flop? This is the answer you're looking for when you construct the recurrence. Your master's program is a marathon which the other students have been building up to. Chances are that the former is so much better at thinking analytically and out of the box and not being scared of challenges that coming from an entirely different discipline is causing him less trouble than being schooled in a different programming language paradigm does the other. Lots. Which of the four inner planets has the strongest magnetic field, Mars, Mercury, Venus, or Earth? If you were me would you quit the program? It certainly does. I know what I need to know, I just applied to the master because I need a better degree. If you want to work in your current profession, you might not even be able to put it to much use. Whether you have a technical or non-technical background, here’s what you need to know. "A CS degree makes me (look like) a legitimate programmer" -- that might be the core fallacy right there. He/She would know your situation much better than us. Students then progress to an object-oriented programming course, which includes a large-scale project using Java, and one in data structures, algorithms, and computer systems applications. I used it as a way to fill the gaps in my knowledge, by breaking a topic into its constituent parts, exploring the things I didn't understand and then return to the parent topic while this new knowledge was fresh in my mind. I enrolled at my current MSc in computer science program last year having never completed a single computer science course in college. I already have a master's in mathematics, graduated 14 years ago. To this end, most professors create a scaffolded model within their classes to support students at all levels of experience.Â, In addition to faculty support, students in the Align and direct-entry programs have access to a range of academic resources. In order to do this I had to start from the ground up and delayed my undergrad graduation to take the prereq classes for the Masters. All the programming I had done in the past was iterative. I'll put in 3-5 hours a day towards the course but preferably i would like to study an hour in the morning and an hour at night. This means that when I had my algorithms course (following the same book as your course), I hadn't had any discrete math at all. I don't have a mathematics A level how hard is it to get by? That can be hard to do initially if you are overwhelmed by the material and everything just appears really difficult, but talk to your professor and ask him or her to help identify your areas of weakness, never give up, and you will be able to master the material soon. “It’s a lot of weekly and daily practice because you’re learning a new skill.” Â, Unlike some degree programs, there is no difference between the full- and part-time programs at Northeastern, Barry says. Benefit of a 1-year MSc in Comp Sci in the UK, Master's Degree Curriculum and its Effects on Teaching Opportunities. This usually means that they will pay all your tuition, sometimes the additional fees, and a monthly stipend. I'm a CS major, but I started out as a physics undergrad. What prevents a large company with deep pockets from rebranding my MIT project and killing me off? A lot of people here are perfectionists and think you ought to know everything, I've even seen someone here suggesting you should know Lagrangian mechanics, I really don't see the relevance of that at all. If the answer is 'yes', then I move on, if 'maybe', I check my knowledge against Google, if 'no', then I create a separate sheet and work on it until I do (decomposing further as necessary).