I’m currently a transfer student at UCLA who is majoring in philosophy. I initially wanted to go to law school but since then I have changed my mind. I am taking an intro to C.S. and I’m enjoying it very much. Since UCLA does not allow current juniors to transfer into their engineering school, what are my options? I’m okay with taking the necessary time off to finish the pre-reqs for a C.S. program and transferring again.
Have you taken any upper division classes?
Philosophy, yes. C.S., no.
considering the fact that CS has a 4% admit rate… I can assure you it is next to impossible for anyone to switch into that major once they transfer… especially if you are not currently in the school of engineering.
Hate to say it, but it’s really not possible to switch to computer science. Too many obstacles.
Go speak with an academic counselor immediately.
It is far too late to switch majors at this point. However, it is not to late to pursue a career in tech and the end goal is really all that matters. Unfortunately, UCLA is one of few university that does not offer a CS minor, which is why you need to speak with a counselor there to formulate a plan for graduate school.
Masters degrees are becoming the new standard for more and more fields in this generation. Masters programs also care less about the title of the bachelor degree that applicants receive and more about whether they met the basic requirements and GPA.
So, it is too late for your first degree to be in C.S., but it is not too late for last degree to be in C.S.
Agree with the post from @TheVisionary You don’t need to have a UC MS degree, BTW, to enter the field, an MS from other schools will still be plenty good. And remember employers want to see a genuine passion for the field ( examples are taking part in competitions, hackathons, open-source projects, etc.) and not just a degree.
I’d start by talking to the grad advisor for CS at UCLA (since you’re already there) and see if it would be possible to get into the MS program, and if so what classes to take. Take a look at CSU as well. Many CSU campuses have a program where you can be admitted to a MS program in something called “limited status” where you make up any deficiencies in your undergrad classes.
You might be able to transfer to a different UC but I think you’re going to have trouble with the high-unit junior or senior standing rules. Something to check…
And its worth checking whether you can get an undergrad degree at a CSU; the app deadline for next fall is past, but if you’d be eligible for admission you could spend the next year taking CS classes at a CCC and apply for transfer to a CSU. I think you have lots of options, about the only one probably isn’t getting a BS from UCLA.