Regarding the Masters level degree with CS - I'd recommend getting one with a few caveats. First, you must want to go into industry. If you want to do research (read: cutting edge, so called "unconstrained" research), you need a PhD. But, a Masters in CS will almost automatically (at most places) get you a bump in salary and entry position. Quite good if you want to go into industry.
If you decide you want a Masters, I'd recommend doing it in another field (one that compliments your CS background). If you dig hardware, go the engineering route. If you are really into Math, get a Masters in math with a CS tilt (you could pick some research advisers out of both math and CS, I suppose). Or, if you really like Algorithms, Security, AI, or some other field, get a Masters in CS.
As with all thoughts about graduate school - figure out _what_ you want to do. Then figure out _who_ in the world is on the cutting edge. From there select your schools to apply to. Don't just apply to Berkeley or Stanford because they are "prestigious". There are plenty of areas such "prestigious" schools are severely lacking in. In graduate school, it is _who_ you work with (and ultimately publish with), not where you go that counts.
In either case - you have a plethora of options ahead of you. I'd consider them all, and see what best works for you:).
The demand for CS people with a heavier than normal background in mathematics is quite large. I just graduated with a BS in CS, minor in Math and worked my Senior year at JPL. The demand for people with my background in such fields (up to and including world class places like JPL) is larger than your unemployed ex-sysadmin friends at slashdot would like you to think. Bottom line...CS+Math = endless possibilities, and great money.
Then again I'm leaving my job at JPL this summer to start my PhD in CS in the fall. Why? Money is much better with a PhD, I have a lick of cred if I'd like to start my own company, I will truly get challenged by the mathematical rigor in areas of Machine Learning and Vision, _and_ I'll be (hopefully) furthering the science.
So, CS + Math = great job outlook, endless possibilities for grad school, and really good money. You are in quite a good place:).
Before you go making acusations about the limitations of OS X and Linux regarding their rendering capabilities, know what you are talking about. The majority of research based data visualtion systems (bioinformatics, database visualation, flight modeling, etc) are done in a UNIX VARIANT. Sure, you can say that Lightwave runs on Windows, or 3d studiomax...but you are really coming at it from a terrably ignorant position. Case and point, consider any rendering farm. Most who want to be as efficient as possible use UNIX - and I can't think of one rendering farm that actually uses Windows.
Know what you are talking about before you unzip Bill's pants, please.
Not completely relevant - but this proves a point. I'm a second semester transfer at a CA state univ. I went to community college my first year and a half. I've been actively researching in CS (Computer Science) since I started back at my JC. Today, I go to a State College (Still top 35 in the nation in CS, but that doesn't mean anything), have done undergrad research with professors, and now am going to be doing research at JPL/Caltech in the upcoming summer (on a fellowship, none the less). What is the point? I went to community college, am currently an undergrad at a State Univ, and am going to be supported to research in the Caltech/JPL area of things. Where you go does not matter. What you DO (gpa, and activities related to your field) matters much more to research institutions of the highest calibur (Caltech/JPL), as well as in the job market.
Again, I apologize for any hardships I've caused you by making a spelling mistake. Professor Degree Level refers to the only thing that professors can have and teach (PhD). I'm sorry you never made it that far, and I'm sorry for what ever your life is lacking for the need to attack those who you feel are superior to because of a simple spelling mistake.
Usually those who criticize others for such things as the comment in this article, and in your case, have somthing lacking. Thus they feel compelled to pick on things that they could never attain (IE Professor Degree Level), and in your case, one letter spelling mistakes.
I'm sorry for your sadistic situation, as I truly hope you find what your life is lacking.
Absolutely agreed. But I think the point is the quote is making a very broad statement about profs in general. Point being, the bad instructors (as you have described above) should be dealt with. I had one last semester who had literally 400 complaints on file, but was tenured so no one could do anything about it. But the really excellent instructors need to be recognised here and not discounted, as the quote does.
I'm a college student right now and to pay the bills I work PT at a High School in LA Unified, and I can't say that I agree with you more. There are a few wonderfully dedicated teachers there, but they are definately the minority. Most public schools have become degree mills more than anything else, because of the quality of instruction that is required of the teachers.
My comments are generally towards University Professors, whom without, we would not have the internet, and other wonderous technologies, amongst the mostly wonderful instruction they give. Now I understand there are BAD teachers, and I've had some. But if our country disregards the importance of professors or good secondary school teachers, we might as well just give up as a country as a whole - because GOOD teachers as a source for knowledge is where our country thrives. Whithout teachers (good ones), all of us are nothing.
Humoring the author here, what about the professors that do both? Plenty of my professors teach during the day/at night and work at JPL or other research firms in the LA area. Not sure where your ignorance is coming from, but it's quite unfounded about the teaching community, in general.
Not sure what school you went to, or what major you were but that is quite a shame. But being an instructor, when you could be making much more money , is one of the most selfless jobs you can take.
I've read some ignorant things on/., but none as ignorant as this. Teaching is one of the most admirable things a person can do as it gives back to the community in every way, shape, and form. Those who 'do' learn from those who teach.
As a student I actually think that it is much more true that "those who cannot teach 'do'" rather than vica verca. Get some common sense before saying somthing extremely STUPID like that.
A few more years of CS does make a profound difference in more ways than one. I simply pitty the educational institution that let you pass though their doors with that kind of idea about what CS is all about.
Well, with your piece of paper your job can be moved overseas. With pieces of paper that speculate you spent 3+ years on ONLY CS you have graduated to a level of research and academia that a bachelors degree alone cannot provide, and job security that your piece of paper provide.
Sounds like someone isn't too happy with their chosen profession and should have stayed in school for a bit longer to learn what CS is actually all about.
Well, like I said - anyone can hack somthing out with decent knowledge about the language, but not everyone can come up for CS research theory.
Being a Computer Scientist != being a coder.
Um, to do research in CS grad work is a must. Thus, it is a prerequisite to being cutting edge in CS.
And how exactly would someone with no knowledge about your research be able to 'make it work'? Did it ever occur to you that most who do academic research are the ones who code it? And likewise goes for typical research at any other company. It follows that in depth knowledge of the theory that comes from CS research is a pre-requisite to being able to code it.
Thus, it also follows that you should get a clue about what your talking about before making a fool of yourself.
Wow, are you sure about this tough guy? If you want to be a programmer that does nothing but hack java code for your run of the mill application, sure you don't need any math. But if you want to do somthing USEFUL in the CS field (research, grad work, etc.) you cannot DO WITHOUT the math.
I'm a CS major in my Junior Year. We are expected to take pretty much all of the Math EE majors take which is all of the Calc Series (I-III), DE, Linear Algebra, the Physics Series (I-III) and other Engineering related Math. It's quite related to CS so if your looking to get into a degree program without Math, I wouldn't reccomend it because if you ever do grad work in CS/want to be well rounded, you will need some of this math.
Slashdot Mirror
Regarding the Masters level degree with CS - I'd recommend getting one with a few caveats. First, you must want to go into industry. If you want to do research (read: cutting edge, so called "unconstrained" research), you need a PhD. But, a Masters in CS will almost automatically (at most places) get you a bump in salary and entry position. Quite good if you want to go into industry.
:).
If you decide you want a Masters, I'd recommend doing it in another field (one that compliments your CS background). If you dig hardware, go the engineering route. If you are really into Math, get a Masters in math with a CS tilt (you could pick some research advisers out of both math and CS, I suppose). Or, if you really like Algorithms, Security, AI, or some other field, get a Masters in CS.
As with all thoughts about graduate school - figure out _what_ you want to do. Then figure out _who_ in the world is on the cutting edge. From there select your schools to apply to. Don't just apply to Berkeley or Stanford because they are "prestigious". There are plenty of areas such "prestigious" schools are severely lacking in. In graduate school, it is _who_ you work with (and ultimately publish with), not where you go that counts.
In either case - you have a plethora of options ahead of you. I'd consider them all, and see what best works for you
The demand for CS people with a heavier than normal background in mathematics is quite large. I just graduated with a BS in CS, minor in Math and worked my Senior year at JPL. The demand for people with my background in such fields (up to and including world class places like JPL) is larger than your unemployed ex-sysadmin friends at slashdot would like you to think. Bottom line...CS+Math = endless possibilities, and great money.
:).
Then again I'm leaving my job at JPL this summer to start my PhD in CS in the fall. Why? Money is much better with a PhD, I have a lick of cred if I'd like to start my own company, I will truly get challenged by the mathematical rigor in areas of Machine Learning and Vision, _and_ I'll be (hopefully) furthering the science.
So, CS + Math = great job outlook, endless possibilities for grad school, and really good money. You are in quite a good place
Before you go making acusations about the limitations of OS X and Linux regarding their rendering capabilities, know what you are talking about. The majority of research based data visualtion systems (bioinformatics, database visualation, flight modeling, etc) are done in a UNIX VARIANT. Sure, you can say that Lightwave runs on Windows, or 3d studiomax...but you are really coming at it from a terrably ignorant position. Case and point, consider any rendering farm. Most who want to be as efficient as possible use UNIX - and I can't think of one rendering farm that actually uses Windows. Know what you are talking about before you unzip Bill's pants, please.
Not completely relevant - but this proves a point. I'm a second semester transfer at a CA state univ. I went to community college my first year and a half. I've been actively researching in CS (Computer Science) since I started back at my JC. Today, I go to a State College (Still top 35 in the nation in CS, but that doesn't mean anything), have done undergrad research with professors, and now am going to be doing research at JPL/Caltech in the upcoming summer (on a fellowship, none the less). What is the point? I went to community college, am currently an undergrad at a State Univ, and am going to be supported to research in the Caltech/JPL area of things. Where you go does not matter. What you DO (gpa, and activities related to your field) matters much more to research institutions of the highest calibur (Caltech/JPL), as well as in the job market.
Again, I apologize for any hardships I've caused you by making a spelling mistake. Professor Degree Level refers to the only thing that professors can have and teach (PhD). I'm sorry you never made it that far, and I'm sorry for what ever your life is lacking for the need to attack those who you feel are superior to because of a simple spelling mistake.
I truly hope you find what your lacking.
Usually those who criticize others for such things as the comment in this article, and in your case, have somthing lacking. Thus they feel compelled to pick on things that they could never attain (IE Professor Degree Level), and in your case, one letter spelling mistakes.
I'm sorry for your sadistic situation, as I truly hope you find what your life is lacking.
Observe I wrote, one of the most selfless jobs you can take. Not, it's more selfless than firefighters and EMT's.
And the funny thing is I didn't call anyone stupid. I stated that what the author said was stupid, and might I add Ignorant.
Oh I'm sorry, I put a c instead of an s. Extremely stupid of me to make a spelling mistake, idiot.
Absolutely agreed. But I think the point is the quote is making a very broad statement about profs in general. Point being, the bad instructors (as you have described above) should be dealt with. I had one last semester who had literally 400 complaints on file, but was tenured so no one could do anything about it. But the really excellent instructors need to be recognised here and not discounted, as the quote does.
The thing is, its not funny.
I'm a college student right now and to pay the bills I work PT at a High School in LA Unified, and I can't say that I agree with you more. There are a few wonderfully dedicated teachers there, but they are definately the minority. Most public schools have become degree mills more than anything else, because of the quality of instruction that is required of the teachers.
My comments are generally towards University Professors, whom without, we would not have the internet, and other wonderous technologies, amongst the mostly wonderful instruction they give. Now I understand there are BAD teachers, and I've had some. But if our country disregards the importance of professors or good secondary school teachers, we might as well just give up as a country as a whole - because GOOD teachers as a source for knowledge is where our country thrives. Whithout teachers (good ones), all of us are nothing.
Humoring the author here, what about the professors that do both? Plenty of my professors teach during the day/at night and work at JPL or other research firms in the LA area. Not sure where your ignorance is coming from, but it's quite unfounded about the teaching community, in general.
Not sure what school you went to, or what major you were but that is quite a shame. But being an instructor, when you could be making much more money , is one of the most selfless jobs you can take.
Those who can't do teach...
/., but none as ignorant as this. Teaching is one of the most admirable things a person can do as it gives back to the community in every way, shape, and form. Those who 'do' learn from those who teach.
I've read some ignorant things on
As a student I actually think that it is much more true that "those who cannot teach 'do'" rather than vica verca. Get some common sense before saying somthing extremely STUPID like that.
A few more years of CS does make a profound difference in more ways than one. I simply pitty the educational institution that let you pass though their doors with that kind of idea about what CS is all about.
And by the way, Computer Science != coding.
Well, with your piece of paper your job can be moved overseas. With pieces of paper that speculate you spent 3+ years on ONLY CS you have graduated to a level of research and academia that a bachelors degree alone cannot provide, and job security that your piece of paper provide. Sounds like someone isn't too happy with their chosen profession and should have stayed in school for a bit longer to learn what CS is actually all about.
Well, like I said - anyone can hack somthing out with decent knowledge about the language, but not everyone can come up for CS research theory. Being a Computer Scientist != being a coder.
Um, to do research in CS grad work is a must. Thus, it is a prerequisite to being cutting edge in CS. And how exactly would someone with no knowledge about your research be able to 'make it work'? Did it ever occur to you that most who do academic research are the ones who code it? And likewise goes for typical research at any other company. It follows that in depth knowledge of the theory that comes from CS research is a pre-requisite to being able to code it. Thus, it also follows that you should get a clue about what your talking about before making a fool of yourself.
Wow, are you sure about this tough guy? If you want to be a programmer that does nothing but hack java code for your run of the mill application, sure you don't need any math. But if you want to do somthing USEFUL in the CS field (research, grad work, etc.) you cannot DO WITHOUT the math.
I'm a CS major in my Junior Year. We are expected to take pretty much all of the Math EE majors take which is all of the Calc Series (I-III), DE, Linear Algebra, the Physics Series (I-III) and other Engineering related Math. It's quite related to CS so if your looking to get into a degree program without Math, I wouldn't reccomend it because if you ever do grad work in CS/want to be well rounded, you will need some of this math.