Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

blog.udacity.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 190 posts

Re: Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

#11

Post by rayiner »

moistgorilla wrote: post #9

As an undergraduate georgia tech cs student. I wish this was for undergrad degrees also. At least I will be able to get a cheap masters degree.

As a former undergraduate Georgia Tech student, I really would've appreciated the opportunity to do my degree in this format. At the time I was faced with the choice of dropping out and diving into my job at a startup full-time, or staying in school and working only during the summers and losing the ability to take a really important role in the company. The ability to keep working on my degree online might have changed how I approached the choice.

Re: Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

#12

Post by manglav »

I'm so happy to see this - it's a sign of progress of the education system, and it gives me so much relief to see that someone gets it at the top of the education totem pole. I discussed this with a master's degree student a few years ago, because the cost (especially for computer science, no labs) seemed too low to ignore. I will sign up for this as soon as possible.

Also, having a master's in Comp Sci will really help me have a shot for all these software eng. positions I keep applying to as a chemical engineer.

Can anyone tell me how Georgia Tech ranks/is thought of for Computer Science? I know the article says "among the best", but I would rather ask HN.

Re: Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

#13

Post by jholman »

What is AT&T allegedly bringing to the table? Are we assuming that there are people who want to work there, who will view this certification as advancing that goal, is that it?

I read the http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ , and found only this hint:

Why is AT&T the corporate collaborator for this initiative?

As a premier global communications company and a champion for innovation in education, AT&T will provide technology access, connectivity and products at inception, as well as evolving service and platform support. The company will serve on an advisory board and, where appropriate, offer corporate projects for credit, be a source from which Georgia Tech draws curriculum content and guest instructors and offer internship opportunities to select students. AT&T will tap into the program to train its own employees and will recruit graduates.

Technology access, connectivity, service and platform support? Aren't those basically solved problems for Udacity?

Advisory board? Does GaTech have corporate sponsorship on the advisory board of their other Master's programs, setting curriculum? (Maybe they should, maybe they shouldn't, but I doubt they think they need to.)

Re: Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

#14

Post by moistgorilla »

rayiner wrote: post #11
moistgorilla wrote: post #9

As an undergraduate georgia tech cs student. I wish this was for undergrad degrees also. At least I will be able to get a cheap masters degree.

As a former undergraduate Georgia Tech student, I really would've appreciated the opportunity to do my degree in this format. At the time I was faced with the choice of dropping out and diving into my job at a startup full-time, or staying in school and working only during the summers and losing the ability to take a really important role in the company. The ability to keep working on my degree online might have chan…

Honestly, while it sucks that I can't take advantage of what will probably happen in the future (undergrad degrees in this format). I can't say i'm not proud to be going there after hearing about this. I'm happy that this will be an option for our future. Hopefully it's successful and affects all areas of study.

Re: Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

#15

Post by timtamboy63 »

On one hand, I think it's ridiculously awesome that Tech's doing this. Our CoC department is incredibly innovative, and one of the only administrative departments that recognize the need for innovation.

However, I wonder if this would devalue a degree from Georgia Tech. You'd obviously have a lot more people taking the course than you would if it wasn't an MOOC. Thoughts?

Re: Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

#16

Post by ics »

recuter wrote: post #4

http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ > How much does the degree program cost? We’re not yet ready to announce a specific program cost, but the plan is to offer the Georgia Tech OMS CS for a total cost of under $7,000—a fraction of the cost of Georgia Tech’s on-campus program and even less than that of comparable private universities. > The total workload is the same as the residential program; the weekly or hourly worklo…

Only downside I see in the FAQ has to do with this: they say the expected time for completion is still 3 years, though they suggest people may take up to 6 years if necessary. Udacity has been tho most flexible so far in letting people accomplish what they want at their own pace but, having just taken GT's computational photography on coursera, I wonder if they're going to stick to an organized, semester-like schedule.

Re: Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

#17

Post by ics »

manglav wrote: post #12

I'm so happy to see this - it's a sign of progress of the education system, and it gives me so much relief to see that someone gets it at the top of the education totem pole. I discussed this with a master's degree student a few years ago, because the cost (especially for computer science, no labs) seemed too low to ignore. I will sign up for this as soon as possible. Also, having a master's in Comp Sci will really h…

Georgia Tech has an excellent reputation for engineering (and consequently CS, but I roam in different circles so no specific details), but I'm sure there are much more qualified people here to tell you the same thing. They are not Stanford or MIT– they're the ramblin' wreck! ;)

For arbitrary reference, they're ranked #10 by USN&WR: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-gradu...

Re: Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

#18

Post by totalrobe »

rsanders wrote: post #5
dhawalhs wrote: post #2

Where do you see the price $7000?

If you chase the links you end up on the Georgia Tech site about it: http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq . We’re not yet ready to announce a specific program cost, but the plan is to offer the Georgia Tech OMS CS for a total cost of under $7,000—a fraction of the cost of Georgia Tech’s on-campus program and even less than that of comparable private universities. All the content will be free to everybody, but you have to…

Agreed - this is not really "Massively Open" IMO, because it still requires a bachelor's in CS for admission. They do hint at it, but hopefully they will allow an option B for admission.

That would somewhat validate their stated goal of increasing STEM education.

Re: Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

#19

Post by peterlongnguyen »

timtamboy63 wrote: post #15

On one hand, I think it's ridiculously awesome that Tech's doing this. Our CoC department is incredibly innovative, and one of the only administrative departments that recognize the need for innovation. However, I wonder if this would devalue a degree from Georgia Tech. You'd obviously have a lot more people taking the course than you would if it wasn't an MOOC. Thoughts?

Seems like it's explicitly designated "Online Masters" OMS as opposed to simply a regular degree you could complete online, so they're still separating it from the B&M degree.

While I feel like this is a step in the right direction for online education, the fact that this has the online designation plus its availability to a much, much wider audience seems like it would be a temporary setback in the eyes of employers.

Re: Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

#20

Post by wfunction »

timtamboy63 wrote: post #15

On one hand, I think it's ridiculously awesome that Tech's doing this. Our CoC department is incredibly innovative, and one of the only administrative departments that recognize the need for innovation. However, I wonder if this would devalue a degree from Georgia Tech. You'd obviously have a lot more people taking the course than you would if it wasn't an MOOC. Thoughts?

Same here, I think it's a really easy way to devalue their degree unfortunately.

A Bachelor's would be easier to accept, but a Master's? I don't think people are ready for that yet.

Post reply on HN