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Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

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

#131
From http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/

> How will you guarantee academic honesty?

> All exams are proctored using national proctoring standards. We have access to 4,500 physical proctoring facilities and are working with online proctoring institutions.

Does this mean it won't be available outside the US ("national proctoring standards")?

Or does this mean appearing at prometric-style centers for the tests? I for one do not love taking tests in the alien environment of such centers (especially computer-science related tests), from my experience with various certifications.

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

#132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, at least for the moment an undergrad degree is a prerequisite. More generally, you have to be admitted to Georgia Tech as would any other graduate student. I think there will be quite a few companies willing to pay $7000 in tuition assistance so their employees can get a MS.

> More generally, you have to be admitted to Georgia Tech as would any other graduate student. I don't think they said that. In the faqs they say you don't need to take the GMAT.... which every graduate student has to take.

I think the GMAT is only required for MBA programs. When I was admitted to Georgia Tech as an Aerospace Engineering graduate student in 1992, I didn't need the GMAT, just the GRE.

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

#133
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. Maybe you'd have to take some remedial courses first though. SNHU offers B.S. in CS online. http://www.snhu.edu/ There is nothing in CS that requires your physical presence in a lecture hall to learn.

All I find is a BS in IT, with a concentration in software development. And the IT department is under the School of Business. It doesn't look like they actually offer any computer science courses.

Yep, I looked and discovered the same thing; it isn't a 'pure' CS program. I've discovered lots of these IT programs masquerading as CS programs - it's disappointing, to say the least. I'm really interested in pursuing an undergraduate level degree in CS (I have a liberal arts degree from a Top 15 US school, working full time, but if I could have done everything over, I would have done CS).

In my search thus far, I've found zero schools that offer a traditional undergrad CS program online. And please, before we get into the 'you can learn most of undergrad level CS topics online' - I would like the structure and support from an online, instructor led course that offers student assistance/office-hours. This is something I'd pay for, but because I'm working full time, I can't take classes during the workday.

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

#134
post #7

The cost of a similar master's degree at a university like Georgia Tech can run $40,000. It's not quite the same thing -- watch the video by Charles Isbell on the GT site to hear their differentiation between the "on campus" and online degrees. But it's an amazing value for people who can learn effectively in a MOOC environment and aren't focused on the path into research and academia. The video is also at http://www…

http://www.bursar.gatech.edu/student/tuition/Fall_2013/Fall1...

looks more like 60K depending on your in state/out of state status

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

#135
It's actually a dark day:

1) Until now, the majority of University-affiliated MOOCs have been free. This just changed.

2) I find it immensely frustrating that as CS people, we are lowering the bar for what it means to have a Masters degree in our field.

I'd be happy with this sort of activity if it was being done in all other fields uniformly and/or we had unions representing CS workers. Unions, in principal aren't bad ... they are possibly the only way to protect older workers for example. I used to love the CS field because it always felt like a truly meritocracy. As I get older, I realize it is not.

Let me make a third, controversial, and somewhat ungrounded statement:

3) MOOCs will kill CS research. Already CS research is in deep trouble. Exceedingly few private companies fund basic CS research. Academia was the last haven (if you can call it a haven - it was sad seeing the line of professors quitting their jobs to work for Google, and getting a pay raise and increase in respect for it). Govts exceedingly don't want to pay for basic research these days. Undergrad teaching used to be the way academics supported themselves. This is going the way of the dodo. But we are improving the lot of the CS undergrad you say! True .. but tell me what the poor grad student (who actually wants to get a PhD with the romantic notion of advancing the state of the art) going to do to support him/herself financially?

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

#136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, at least for the moment an undergrad degree is a prerequisite. More generally, you have to be admitted to Georgia Tech as would any other graduate student. I think there will be quite a few companies willing to pay $7000 in tuition assistance so their employees can get a MS.

> More generally, you have to be admitted to Georgia Tech as would any other graduate student. I don't think they said that. In the faqs they say you don't need to take the GMAT.... which every graduate student has to take.

You're right -- that was phrased ambiguously. I should have said "there will be an admissions process similar to that for the non-online MS CS". I don't know what the exact requirements will be.

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

#137
post #105
post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am starting an MS in CS program in the fall (not at GT) and I just have a BA. They let me in, however I have to take a full academic year of remedial courses first[1]. I would imagine they will do something like that. [1]Calculus 1 and 2, Intro to Programming, Data Structures, Foundations of CS, Intro to Computer Systems, Intro to Computer Organization, Algorithms and Data Structures, Structures of Programming Lang…

try http://class-central.com

Thanks, great link.

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

#138

It's actually a dark day: 1) Until now, the majority of University-affiliated MOOCs have been free. This just changed. 2) I find it immensely frustrating that as CS people, we are lowering the bar for what it means to have a Masters degree in our field. I'd be happy with this sort of activity if it was being done in all other fields uniformly and/or we had unions representing CS workers. Unions, in principal aren't b…

First off, the MOOCs associated with this degree will still be free. The degree is not. The change here is that a) an entire MS worth of course material (and the systems to support it) from a respected institution are being created, b) the actual (O)MS degree just became a great deal less expensive.

It remains to be seen whether this lowers the bar or merely opens up more opportunities. I don't think education is a zero sum game. And while there may be a glut of PhDs, there is a shortage of employees with the advanced knowledge and skills in demand now. That's why e.g. AT&T is pushing this program.

While the union issue and age discrimination are interesting and important topics, CS graduates don't have a lot to complain about economically. The field has maintained high employment and excellent compensation during recent times when many other professions suffered greatly. Now, at 40 I don't expect to get funded by Y Combinator because I've almost certainly suffered crippling age-related innovation dementia, but there are plenty of employers that don't think that way.

There have been several articles posted here about the glut of PhDs versus available faculty positions. And actual instruction is a pretty small part of what full professors are expected to do. If you aren't pulling in research grants, your career is on a weak trajectory. So the problem was already there, and I don't think this seriously affects it one way or the other.

One might hope that making education available and practical to many more people at much lower costs might actually help advance the field, both within and without the ivory tower.

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

#139

It's actually a dark day: 1) Until now, the majority of University-affiliated MOOCs have been free. This just changed. 2) I find it immensely frustrating that as CS people, we are lowering the bar for what it means to have a Masters degree in our field. I'd be happy with this sort of activity if it was being done in all other fields uniformly and/or we had unions representing CS workers. Unions, in principal aren't b…

The courses are still free, as per the announcement. However, to be on the actual degree track, you pay a nominal amount of money. I think this arrangement is quite reasonable. Information should be free; credentials should cost a bit.

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

#140
post #124

This all sounds really great and is definitely a step into the direction to make higher education more accessible - a few side notes (for those getting too excited) (1) There have been quite a few online learning (aka distance learning) degree courses from reputable universities for some time. For MSc / Master degrees until recently they all required at least some in-person workshops (normally 1 week long - for a MSc…

University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign had an online Master's in CS as far back as 2001, I believe you had to drive down to campus for tests, though

Georgia Tech already has a distance learning MS in CSE, but not a general MS CS. And I believe the cost is rather higher than this.

http://www.cseprograms.gatech.edu/distancelearning

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