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Masters Degree Software Application Development

andrew79

I am about to complete my BS in Software Engineering for Computer Science and debating about getting a Masters in either software or cyber....is anyone taking this program or know someone who has taken it?

Was wondering if it would be really worth it, seems like if I can get 12 credits to transfer Id only need to take 24 credits worth which would be 4 terms so really could be done in a year.

TIA!

 

 

  • Hi Andrew,

     

    It's hard to know. On the face of it I'd say any education can be worthwhile, and deciding to do a Masters or not is partially down to how you feel about it. I did a masters, and it initially only made a difference of about £500/$700USD to a starting salary so money-wise it is not initially worth it, given how much you will spend on the year that you're not working. And it was a lot lower-cost to study when I studied, this is regretful that nowadays the huge expense has to be factored into it.

     

    Having said that, maybe the year studying is worthwhile since you'll exit uni a bit more mature, and that could partially sway firms/recruiters who want experience, but may give you an edge over new graduates with one less year education than you. Personally I do not regret it nor think about it as a year lost to work, I enjoyed that year and it allowed me to apply my three earlier years to a more substantial project of my choosing, with real-world applications but still in an educational setting, and it probably partially helped with my first interviews (and I still apply some of the knowledge I gained in that year - Master's projects will make you a mini-expert in a field, although it might be narrow - depends on what you do!). Equally, those that worked immediately after a Bachelors degree are unlikely to regret their decision either, because there's so much learning to do throughout your career (provided you seek and take the opportunities) that one more year in uni could pale into insignificance perhaps.

     

    If you do it, then as for which topic you specialize in, I think that's less important, both software development and cyber-security is important. Personally I'd go with software development and then if I was interested in a cyber security job, I'd do the specialist courses paid by an employer, if I expressed interest to them in that area. But that's just me, I will have different interests than you.

  • Statistically the higher degree is worth it, in terms of salary over the course of a whole career, versus the loss of salary while obtaining the extra degree and cost of the degree.

    Individual circumstances may dictate it is not feasible or not desirable to delay entering the work force.

    It is also important to enjoy what you are doing. I didn't find the academic environment to be friendly or enjoyable, with everyone scrabbling for individual achievement and recognition and using whoever they could to get there. Your mileage may vary.

  • In the US, most wage scales are degree biased.

     

    When I picked up my masters in computer science my salary went up about 20% plus since I was moving into management, the degree allowed me to get anywhere from 30 to 50% more money than someone with just a bachelors degree.

     

    So if you just want to code, you probably don't need a masters, but if you want to be a team leader and progress up the chain of command, then a masters will pay you nice dividends over the years.

     

    Your choice.

     

    DAB

  • When I was finishing my bachelor's degree, my plan was to continue with my master's but also interview to get experience. I got a great offer that I felt I couldn't refuse, so I took it. I learned a lot during that first job. After a year, I took advantage of a company benefit to pay tuition for an advanced degree and completed one class. Lots of people do this, and they get the added benefit that their company pays for their next degree. That is a great way to go. For me personally, it was too much -- working full-time and attending class left me no time with my family. After ~2.5 years at my first job, I was granted a sabbatical, and I went back to school full-time to finish my master's degree.

     

    Leaving after my bachelor's was a good decision for me. When I later went back to get my master's, I was a much different student after having seen the real world in action.

     

    To be honest, I don't know the education level of my colleagues. I am much more aware of who has good ideas and who gets stuff done. I'm not sure having a master's degree has helped me or not, but I am happy that I got it. If you like Academia or think you may ever want to teach at a junior college, then getting a technical master's is a great thing. It is a wonderful life achievement. I also agree with that if you want to move up the chain of command, having your master's will help, although from what I've seen, there is very heavy favoritism towards engineers with MBAs rather than MS in engineering.

     

    Good luck!

    Bryan

  • in reply to bhfletcher

    That is a good point about the MBA. It is more useful if you want to climb the ladder, and it is probably a bit better to get some technical experience before going back to get it.