

Ask HN:Want to do Masters Comp Science,no science background in Bachelors. - BikalpT

Background:
Bachelors in social science.
Would like to do Masters in Computer science related field. Is it possible?
Road blocks?
Been learning self-basic programming.<p>Any helpful link, titles suggestions?
Words of wisdom?
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intellegacy
I've done research on this very topic. There are several options:

1) 'Typical' CS masters program. (1-1.5 years) __Accepts students with the
requisite Undergraduate CS experience. (eg. at least Intro to CS, Data
Structures, and Computation)

2) The Undergraduate CS Masters degree: (2-3 years) __For Students with no
CS/programming experience This is basically an undergraduate CS degree, only
it counts as a Masters.

3) Mixed Program: (2.5-3 years) __A masters in CS, with the concomitant
courses, but requires you to take the undergraduate courses first, which may
tack on 1.5 -2 years by my estimate of your situation.

Option 1) is not a likely option for you. If you manage to get accepted to one
of these schools, you will be looking at 3) Mixed Program.

Option 2) is a good choice if you are pressed on time or finances, and want
the prestige of a Masters degree, and don't care too much about taking
Masters-level CS courses.

Another option is to get your second bachelor's in CS. Which is basically
Option 2) but you don't get to call it a Masters.

One recommendation: A lot of the upper CS courses have prerequisites- namely
Intro to CS and Data Structures, as well as Calc I and Calc II.

You could take these at the college if need be but IMHO you could and should
learn these subjects through self-study, because you'll save money and time.
Then when you enter University you can hit the ground running with the more
advanced courses.

~~~
intellegacy
To learn CS, Programming, and Python, I'm currently working through:

6.00x (MIT's edX Intro to CS course), Python
<https://www.edx.org/courses/MITx/6.00x/2012_Fall/info>

CS101 (Udacity's Intro to CS course), Python
<http://www.udacity.com/overview/Course/cs101/>

Python the Hard way (Zed Shaw's online book), Python
<http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/>

Code Academy, (Python track), Python <http://www.codecademy.com/tracks/python>

I consider 6.00x and CS101 to be my CS foundation and Python Hard way and Code
Academy to be brush-up on the Python/programming. Working through all these in
tandem really hits my brain in 4 different but complementary angles.

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codeonfire
I don't think a "real" CS masters would be a good idea without a lot of
undergrad math and CS. Keep in mind what constitutes a masters varies widely.
Some schools are basically just the same undergrad material. Others go far
beyond undergrad topics and pick up where undergrad textbooks end.

It really depends on your goals are.

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mmoran
Don't bother. Learn it on your own and get a job. Job looks way better.

