I am in my Sophomore year of undergraduate school and I am interested in applying to a Masters program in computer science, especially the ones that are meant to train students to join the industry after graduation. Is it important to present undergraduate research even if I have no intention of going into research at at all? If so, what are the reasons for this?
So your only motivation for going to grad school is to get a job? Where? Can’t you return to your country to find a job after graduation?
If you are an international student, you may want to give this some thought.
It’s really difficult to find US companies that are willing to sponsor international students if you can’t get a US clearance. Additionally, Masters degree candidates in CS will rarely find grants or scholarships to fund a Masters degree.
You can investigate current company websites of companies where you would like to find employment and note that many cannot offer employment to non-citizens.
Thanks for your reply. I just wanted to clarify a few things in related to this answer as it might lead the discussion into a different direction if left unstated.
- Some people actually want to go work in the industry with a deeper understanding of what they are doing. I am simply one of them.
- I just want to know why there is such a huge emphasis on undergraduate research when applying to grad school while there are many Masters programs that aim to put more educated professionals into the workforce.For example, UC Berkeley offers a 1-year master's program that does not lead to a Ph.d.
No sure why you would want a MSCS if you are looking for a career in industry. Lots of other Masters programs open to CS grads that would be more appropriate
“For example, UC Berkeley offers a 1-year master’s program that does not lead to a Ph.d.”
THOSE sort of programs are offered to people who ALREADY have been working , often for years, have a management level position, and want or need the additional degree to qualify for upper management level position.
Those type of programs are not offered new college graduates.
I don’t know about computer science but there are a lot of geology jobs that want a masters. So it is common for people to go to grad school to make themselves appealing to employers. Research can help you and your profile though. I don’t know about cs so i’ll use geology examples. Say you want to work with ground water after graduation (hydrologist) so maybe you can research whether or not the local ground water is sustainable and what factors could impact it?
This way you are able to gain experience as well as technical skills regarding equipment. Or what some of my friends have done, they went to grad school to test slope stability and their applied research was funded by the department of transportation. There are funded master programs, they are just more compectitive. If you are serious about grad school you should apply to at least 6-7. Applied research is what you want. Good luck!
If your question is: Is undergraduate research necessary for admissions to grad programs?
Then the answer is: Not necessarily. Some grad programs are more interested in that kind of experience. Others aren’t. Your college advisor should be able to help you find places that don’t expect a new grad student to come in with any previous research experience.
If your question is: Do all graduate programs require that their students participate in research activities?
Then the answer is: No. Some graduate programs do not have research components. Some Masters programs are course-work based, and may require a couple of extensive papers that discuss the published work of others who have actually conducted field or experimental research. Some will require a practicum or internship where you put your book learning to work, and then write a long report about that experience. Again, your on college advisor should be able to help you identify programs that meet your own professional goals.