<p>I just recently graduated from a top 15 computer science school (according to US news) and currently I’m a software engineer at a large company in the Washington DC area. One of the company perks is tuition assistance, which I hope to take advantage of by attending a nearby part-time computer science masters program (Johns Hopkins Engineering Program for Professionals: <a href=“http://www.epp.jhu.edu)%5B/url%5D”>http://www.epp.jhu.edu)</a>. </p>
<p>I chose a part-time program because I enjoy working in the industry and want to continue doing so. My undergrad 3.1 GPA also doesn’t give me much hope for applying to full-time grad schools in my area. </p>
<p>Alas, the only school I applied to was JHU EPP, but there are several aspects of the application process that concern me:</p>
<li> No GRE required</li>
<li> No thesis required (however, there is a class you can take to do work with faculty)</li>
<li> No LORs required</li>
</ol>
<p>All you need is a minimum 3.0 and a BS in CS that has a few required classes.</p>
<p>Can someone advise me on the following questions:</p>
<li> Would future employers view the program negatively because of the easy application process?</li>
<li> Could getting the masters hurt my future in any way? </li>
<li> How would this degree be regarded if I later apply for an MBA (or maybe a CS PhD)?</li>
</ol>
<p>If it weren’t for these concerns, I would attend immediately because the classes look interesting + challenging, it’s essentially a free masters, and it’s nearby to my company.</p>
<p>I've been in software engineering at all levels for almost 33 years. From my POV the answers to your questions are:</p>
<p>1) No. It is very common for people to do these part time MS programs. The application process is different because the expectations for the students are different. E.g. no one is expected to teach and the research component is small or non-existent. (After all, your daily job is basically continuous research.) And of course, you (or your company) is paying them, not the other way around.</p>
<p>2) No, while JHU isn't MIT, it is still a fine school with great name recognition. What the MS will do for you is meet a checklist item in the HR department when your resume is being processed. In effect, it is the ticket to higher level positions and higher compensation bands. Not to mention improve your self-image and impress the ladies. And yeah, you'll learn some cool stuff too!</p>
<p>3) Positively - you've shown you can do graduate level work. Probably more so for the MBA than a CS PhD. </p>
<p>Start your paperwork first thing on Monday!</p>
<p>Thanks William! I think all I needed was reassurance that I'm making the right choice. I'm also not too sure getting a CS masters would really impress the ladies, but it's nice to hope, right? :)</p>
<p>I'm a part-timer (in CS), and I have to say, I would be uncomfortable doing a master's program, whether full or part-time, that didn't require either a thesis, a capstone project, or a comprehensive exam (my own preference, based on my interests, strengths, and weaknesses, is overwhelmingly toward thesis or project over exam). There are programs out there that allow part-timers and have these integrative experiences.</p>
<p>However, if you are not going on to a PhD or going for research positions, it is unlikely that anyone will care. They will see that you have a master's (from a university with a very good reputation) and be suitably impressed. They are unlikely to ask or care about admissions standards for your program.</p>
<p>If you DO decide to go on to a CS PhD, the lack of thesis in your master's could hurt you. My impression is that academia does not have a high opinion of master's programs that are just classes without an integrative experience, and since the focus of a PhD is research, you missed a golden opportunity to prove that you will be a competent researcher. However, the fact that you were a part-timer working in the field instead of a full-timer won't hurt you by itself.</p>
<p>I actually just received an acceptance letter (I sent in the application a while ago), so maybe their standards aren't that high, haha. But to my defense, I think the 3.0 applies to the "latter half" of my studies and I believe my GPA was well above a 3.0 if only counting my junior and senior years (most semesters I had associate dean's list and that included extremely heavy semesters involving 4-5 technical classes). I also took some summer courses and did really well in those.</p>
<p>Right now I'm still not sure where my future lies, but I know that I really enjoy programming and the field of computer science. It's been my experience that industry experience is more valued for CS so that's why I'm working full-time. However, I am indeed concerned that taking this part-time path could hurt me if I ever want to pursue a PhD (which I may, given my interests in the field).</p>
<p>Although Hopkins doesn't require a thesis, it does offer the following course:</p>
<p>605 . 801 - Independent Study in Computer Science I:
"This course permits graduate students in computer science to work with a faculty mentor to explore a topic in depth or conduct research in selected areas. Requirements for completion include submission of a significant paper or project."</p>
<p>I am allowed to take this course when I am nearing graduation, and I imagine it would be with a professor within my concentration (right now I'm thinking of doing Database Systems and Knowledge Management because I like AI). Would taking a class like this be a way to leave the doors open for a future PhD?</p>
<p>By the way jessiehl, if you don't mind me asking, which CS program are you attending?</p>
<p>CS Major, I am in the same boat as you. I graduated as an Comp Eng. from a highly rated school and I recently applied to JHU's EPP program. I hope I get in although my GPA does not meet their requirements. The silly part is that the majority of my graduating Engineering class had GPAs lower than mine. Good Luck.</p>
<p>I am a grad spl student in JHU -EPP.
I applied for CS Phd program in Hopkins and didnt get admission this year. I am planning to apply after completion of MS in part time.</p>
<p>I hope this EPP program will provide the right path. And also as you said you can choose independent study option to do your project to get research exp.</p>
<p>Also I think if you can attend classes in Homewood by inter divisional registration from EPP, you will get more experience on group projects. Also when you apply for Phd after this MS EPP, you may need to take some other courses depends upon your advisor.
I am also not sure whether it affects PhD admission…confused though.</p>
<p>I recently applied to the EPP program and am still awaiting a reply. I’m planning to do the Masters in computer science online if I’m accepted, since I’m not located in Maryland. Does anyone doing the program have any comments – how they like it, how it’s going for them?</p>
<p>I’m about to apply to JHU’s CS EPP program as well. I’m going to submit LOR’s and a statement of purpose anyway, because my undergraduate transcript isn’t that impressive despite my graduating GPA being 3.0. I have a lot of Ws and retakes on there. And I’ve actually been academically dismissed from the first university I went to. Yes, it was long hard struggle getting that bachelors degree for me.</p>
<p>Plus I’ve actually already been admitted to another of JHU EPP’s masters programs … the systems engineering program. However, after taking the first class I decided systems engineering is NOT for me and computer science is really where I should be.</p>
<p>It’s been about 5 years since my last attempt at pursuing a masters degree at JHU. So hopefully they’ll forget about that when considering my admission into the CS program. Also my 8 years of experience working in the industry combined with shining LORs from my supervisors and a stellar statement of purpose should help me out a great deal.</p>
<p>My undergrad GPA was good, but EPP can’t officially admit me because I’m missing a required prerequisite course in computer organization. My school didn’t offer such a course when I was an undergrad. I’m going to take a computer organization class over the summer through UMUC’s online program and hopefully start EPP in the fall.</p>