<p>I DREAM of getting an MS in computer science. However, my bachelors degree is in Finance (please keep the jokes to yourselfs...lol). But I am so determined to get accepted into an MSCS program (at a tier two or three school, nowhere fancy) that I have started taking math and CS undergrad classes. So far I have under my belt Calc I and II, Discret Math, Computer Science I and II. I am planning on taking Linear Algebra, Computation Theory, Operating Systems and Computer org and Architecture before applying. Question is, what do you think are my chances of getting accepted (I have gotten all A's in my Math and CS classes so far and I will try as hard as possible to get A's in my rest classes). Do you believe I should take more classes before applying (like maybe software engineering, OO design, or something like that)?</p>
<p>You should call the head of the MS CS at the college you want to go to.</p>
<p>It sounds like you are trying to replicate the major requirements of an undergraduate degree. I would guess that many programs have far fewer stated requirements than what you’ve taken and what you plan to take. I think that there are many part-time programs with only a few requirements if you wish to go this route.</p>
<p>I had a look at the UMass CS Grad admissions requirements and they list</p>
<p>C/C++
Data Structures
Discrete Mathematics
Calculus
Algorithms
Programming Languages
Architecture
Operating Systems
Automata Theory (Foundations)</p>
<p>If you want a rigorous MSCS, then this would be a decent guide. If you want something easier and faster, then you could look at part-time schools.</p>
<p>BCEagle91 that list you have is what almost every school I have looked into has so it seems pretty standard. I am looking for a pretty rigorus program but I know with my undergrad inexperience in tech fields will put me at a great disadvantage compared to my “co-appliers” who might have science or tech degrees.
Anyways, do you guys know what Automata Theory is? What do you learn in those classes?</p>
<p>I guess a simple way to put it is that you learn about little theoretical machines and the problems that they can solve. It’s a bit hard to explain without showing some simple machines and what they can do but my guess is that you can pick this up from Michael Sipser’s book on the Theory of Computation. We used a book on Computer Language Theory (don’t remember the title) which provided a gentler introduction compared to Sipser.</p>