Are good programming skills required for an MS in CompSci?

I'm sure some programming skills are necessary in order to successfully complete a graduate degree in CompSci. But what level of programming skill is required?

I'm a couple years away from finishing my undergrad with TESC (BSBA in CIS). I'm 24 and have no professional experience in IT. I'm hoping that the BSBA combined with some IT certificates will be enough to help me land an entry level IT position.

Rather than pursuing an MSIT after graduation, which would be somewhat redundant, I was considering an MS in CompSci. This would likely be an on-campus program at the University of Central Florida. However, I have little knowledge of programming and find it a bit difficult to learn on my own without an instructor.

After I get my BSBA, should I take some programming courses at a local community college? How many languages would I be expected to know for grad school?

I'm only going to graduate from TESC with 24 graded credits anyway. I'd like to have at least 54 before I apply to a grad school.

 

The level of proficiency in the languages themselves will probably be similar. Whereas the TESC CIS curriculum requires at least 3 credits in a programming language, CS programs will usually incorporate languages like Java and C++ into classes like Intro to CS, Object-oriented Programming, etc. Whereas CS is more theoretical though, going into topics such as architecture, data structures, etc., and also requires a higher level of math, if I were you I'd try to incorporate as many of the MS program pre-reqs as possible into my undergrad degree plan.

 

Computer Science is more programming oriented, you would need to have credits in data structures, operating systems, programming and computer architecture before applying to a good schools. Most schools would accept you even if you don't have the credits by adding prerequisite classes.

 

If you career interests lay in IT rather than software development and software engineering, a graduate degree in computer science will prove rather useless. Personally, I would recommend an MBA with a specialization in project management or information systems, or a graduate degree in leadership with an information technology focus. However, at 24 or 25 years of age a graduate degree might not provide the ROI in the short term.

Finish the BSBA and in the meantime think about which segment of IT you would like to work. HelpDesk positions these days practically demand an undergraduate degree and certifications and most importantly experience. Health care informatics is a growth field right now and might be worth considering.

 

With the BSBA in CIS another avenue to explore is the financial and banking sectors. These organizations rely heavily upon automated computerized systems to monitor suspicious transactions including money laundering, reporting on regulatory and compliance within the context of financial transactions, as well as a lot of back-end data loading, massaging, and storage.

Since you are earning the BSBA through TESC you might want to add an AA or AS degree to your degree plan in the interim so you can start applying for employment with a completed degree. There is no addition cost except the added graduation fee.

If you are interested in pursuing or at least researching a career in the financial and banking sectors, send me a PM with any questions. I have a few years experience from an IT and business systems perspective in this area.

 

sentinel. im curious why u bring up age into the discussion. is there something about the IT industry not hiring people of certain ages for certain types of jobs?

 

I'll provide my $0.02 here - if you are looking for an entry level job that requires, say a BS or BA, having a doctorate won't pay any more, so the ROI on that degree in the short term is zero.

If you are looking for a job that requires a PhD and pays very well, say a CTO at a software firm, you likely won't have the necessary experience in order to get the job.

It's not about age, per se, it's about experience. As an example, in my MBA kickoff, someone (around 24/25) asked if a MBA would qualify them to be CEO of a midsize firm (midsize being in his mind around $500M in revenue). It's a telling comment - while you may have the knowledge, you wouldn't have the experience, the connections and other criteria. You may be able to read a balance sheet but probably couldn't hold your own at a board meeting.

BTW, you can probably teach yourself programming without too much difficulty. I'd look at one of the higher level languages such as Java rather than C/C++/C#.

Again, just my $0.02.

 

Not to jack this thread, but it never ceases to amaze me how the present crop of twenty-somethings sees themselves. I was at a reception recently with a group of new associate hires from a small consulting firm and nearly shot straight liquor out of my nose laughing when a 22-year old kid told me how excited he was to be getting out of "bootcamp" so that he could start giving Fortune 500 CEOs advice on how to run their companies. It would have been funnier had he not been absolutely serious. I'm 33 now, and I remember being a pretty arrogant bastard in my 20's, but there is no way those sort of words would have escaped my lips. I hope for his employer's sake someone reined him in before he got to a client site.

 

Yeah, them arrogant little 22-year-olds are so naive they don't even realize that the old geezers that run the Fortune 500 companies won't even listen.

 

Ahh yes, the millennials. The generation where everyone got a soccer trophy for just being on the team and were told how great they are.

 

I work for a very small company, and the boss is also the owner/CEO. When I told him I was going to start working on a master's degree, he asked me what I had planned to do with it. I told him that I was planning to take over for him when he retires in a few years. I mean, I'm a twenty-something (29, borderline), and have almost 3 years of corporate experience. I'm ready! All those soccer trophies have prepared me for this moment!

 

I'm 24 and see this first hand among several people who recently graduated from a local public university. They want to make $100k their first year out of college. Upon graduation, I'll be happy with $12-15/hr which is a lot better than the $9.25 that I'm making now.

If a bachelors degree wasn't a minimum requirement for most employers, this wouldn't be an issue. However, when someone in their 20's graduates with $30-40k in school debt, they're going to demand a higher wage. Employers would be better off recruiting for people with practical technical skills or certifications rather than degrees.