danielhep 6 days ago

I’m wondering how the undergrad CS course is as an experienced dev and why you decided to do that? I have been a software developer for 5 years with an EE degree, and as I do more software engineering and less EE I feel like I am missing some CS concepts that my colleagues have. Is this your situation too or did you have another reason? And why not a masters?

2
plantwallshoe 6 days ago

A mix of feeling I’m “missing” some CS concepts and just general intellectual curiosity.

I am planning on doing a masters but I need some undergrad CS credits to be a qualified candidate. I don’t think I’m going to do the whole undergrad.

Overall my experience has been positive. I’ve really enjoyed Discrete Math and coming to understand how I’ve been using set theory without really understanding it for years. I’m really looking forward to my classes on assembly/computer architecture, operating systems, and networks. They did make me take CS 101-102 as prereqs which was a total waste of time and money, but I think those are the only two mandatory classes with no value to me.

lispisok 5 days ago

Computer architecture and operating systems are really important classes imo. Maybe you dont touch the material again in your career but do you really want the thing you're supposed to be programming to be a black box? Personally I'm not ok working with black boxes.

aryamaan 5 days ago

as I am also thinking mildly about doing masters cause I want to break into ai research, I am curious what your motivations are, if you would be open to share those.

mathgeek 6 days ago

> And why not a masters?

Not GP, but in my experience most MSC programs will require that you have substantial undergrad CS coursework in order to be accepted. There are a few programs designed for those without that background.

glial 6 days ago

Shout out to the fantastic Georgia Tech online masters program in CS:

https://pe.gatech.edu/degrees/computer-science

(not affiliated, just a fan)