Should I do a part time Masters in Computer Science?

raul2010

Hi,
I originally posted this in IT Certification before I noticed there was an undergraduate forum. This is probably a better place to ask this.

I am working in IT for a few years now since I graduated with a first class honours in Computer Science. I have been accumulating some of the Industry certs (Microsoft, VMware etc.) and now have the opportunity to do a part time masters which my company will pay for and allow time off for me to study.

It will take ~2 years to complete and I'm wondering if it is worth it or not? My job is relatively secure considering the economic climate but I want to make sure I remain employable in the future. Does having a masters really increase your chances of standing out from the crowd in a job interview or are your IT certifications what employers look for more?

srsly78

IT can mean anything, you really aren't providing much information. For jobs like support etc then yes certs are good. For development however you are MUCH better off working on a portfolio of stuff to show off. Make a mobile app, make a website, whatever. This is infinitely better than any cert.

Also, it depends who you are trying to impress. To get your CV past the HR drone then yes the masters and certs might be good, however a senior engineer will be more impressed by your portfolio.

raul2010

I have worked in Infrastructure support since I graduated - Windows server, Active Directory, SAN, backups, etc. I enjoy working in this area and would like to continue to do so. The masters is very attractive in that my company will pay for it and bend over backwards to help me out with time off etc. However in infrastructure support, I'm not sure how beneficial a masters might be. It could help though should I want to change career direction in future.

djpbarry

Generally speaking, as srsly78 says, experience is more valuable than qualifications. I’m not familiar with the industry, but I’m not really seeing the point in doing a masters in something you already (happily) work at? Unless you’re thinking of doing the masters in a different/complimentary area? In that case, it might be worthwhile, but professional experience in said area would be far more valuable. As has been said, engineers/scientists generally aren’t all that interested in what a piece of paper says you can do – they’ll want to know what you’ve actually done.

envirowill

You should choose a Masters as it would in this climate put you in a slightly better position than you are in now. Lots of people are coming out with degrees. A masters would give you that extra edge over your peers. Like you I work in IT and have a Comp. Sci. degree. I'm a UNIX admin. Doing a Comp. Sci. Masters would get me pretty much nowhere in any company. The only use would if I would like to do a PhD. You should ask yourself whether it is more important for you to study a subject you're interested in (Comp Sci.) or study a Masters which would position yourself better after you finish i.e. Business with an IT angle which would help in going for that IT managerial or team lead position.

Basically what would you learn in an IT masters that you wouldn't be able to learn in a book by yourself? And if you're staying in IT and would like to move up the ranks then maybe a Masters in Business specialising in IT would be the way to go. You don't want to be the 50 year old AD Technician reporting to a 28 year old manager do you?

Goodluck in your decision!

Col_Loki

I had the same decision to make last year, working as a Systems Admin and would like to get into Security/Forensics field. I am currently doing the MSc Computer Science Negotiated in UCD and I get to pick the exact subjects I want to do.

All of the modules I have picked so far have been very technical and geared for industry, I hate the subjects that are more "academic" or "theory" based so it is great to have control over my Masters. There is also an option to take modules from the DCU Security & Forensics MSc as part of it.

Anyway I have my first year over and I absolutely loved it. In my opinion it is a great thing to add to your CV. (and from the recruiters I have talked to/people who have done the masters and are now employed).

What area would you like to get into?

Be warned that it is a big commitment and you might not see much of your friends for a good chunk of the year!

bpmurray

After many, many years in the computing industry, with a primary degree in Chemistry, I decided to do a MSc in Software Engineering in DCU. It was a challenge, fitting in the two evenings a week with all the study and reading but it was worth it in the end. Despite the amount of experience I already had, I learned a whole bunch of new stuff. DCU also run a Security & Forensics part time MSc course which requires quite a bit of maths so its not for the faint-hearted. I suppose it depends on what you really want to do - while a MSc may not help you in your current position, it certainly won't do you any harm.