At UCSB they offer 5 year masters programs in various engineering majors. I am already in CS at my school and I was considering a 5 year masters at UCSB or if I should go to another school for a masters. I could do a CS B.S. + M.S. in 5 years or EE B.S. + CS M.S. in 5 years. I was wondering if it seems like a better idea to do the EE + CS option as I could get a job in either one whereas a CS B.S. + M.S. would only open up the path to a career in CS. What seems like a better idea?
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another school for a MS is not a great idea. The 5 year program usually saves you a year of classes since you get to double-count some classes towards both degrees. That means dollars; a year out of the workforce in school will cost you $75K or more in lost income, even if the school was free.
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figure out what you want to do in life. Its unfair that in engineering you need to decide early on which branch, and there still is a chance to change your mind (provided you keep your grades up). But that’s the way the cards play out. The time for mindlessly “keeping options open” is gone. Or at least it ought to be. If you do the EE + CS option I’m not sure how competitive an applicant you are for some CS jobs since you didn’t take all the classes the fulltime CS kids took. And if you don’t exercise your “option” and choose EE then you spent $75K plus the cost of 1 more year at UCSB on that option.
To sum up: figure out if you want to be an EE or CS person. Soon, no later than the end of frosh year. Then get the MS in that.