Master's degree choice criterion

[laminutederire]

Hi there  

I'm currently stumbling on my choice for master's degree in computer science. 

I am still waiting on answers from the University, but I am preparing myself to the eventuality of having to choose. What can be the criterion to choose a university for the master ? 

I looked at rankings but they feel unreliable at best.

I tried contacting professors and engineers in the field to have their insight, and it's really 50-50. Both are almost equally as expensive and both cities are comparable in terms of size and everything.

I don't know what to factor in in order to choose. Has  someone an idea?

[Mug]

I wouldn't look at rankings, look at student satisfaction when choosing your university.

Masters degrees are usually variable by university so one university's masters may be a research project and another might be another year of usual studying. You should look to see which one suits you the best.

 

I'm studying for my masters at the university I graduated from because it's cheaper, they lop £3k off the tuition fees for you which is cool. Make sure you have a good reason for choosing the university that you do. I think it is worth doing one, the unemployment statistics are significantly lower for people with a masters than people without.

[Donut417]

Ok, so I am a undergrad a Eastern Michigan University. Let me give you some pointers. 

 

First of all you have to evaluate costs. Simple as that. Its not just tuition and books. I have $150 a semester for a commuter parking pass. I was informed by a student who stays in a dorm that not only do they have to pay for a resident pass, but they have to pay for a commuter pass too if they want to park in certain lots. This wouldn't be an issue but EMU's college of business is 2 miles away from main campus, Plus campus is quite large. Some instructors use the connect codes in the books. Those codes only come with new copies with the books. You can generally purchase access seperatly but It normally $90 or more. So you have to know that. OH and Amazon is your friend, because you can buy used books and rent books for the semester. Also are you staying on campus or you going to rent or stay at home and commute? 

 

Do you have college credits yet or are you starting fresh? If your starting fresh you might consider community college first. At least in the US this is a cheaper option to a 4 year univerity. You can at least get your starter classes taken care of and transfer the credits. This is what I did, it can save you a shit ton of money. Plus it gets you in to the college mind set before you really start paying. 

 

Ratemyprofessor.com is the best website for college students. Students can give their professors a rating. At EMU I have had really good professors and shitty professor like my Staffing Organization Professor who Id like to punch in the back of the head. Lucky for him, Im in one of his Online Classes. Also, EMU takes student ratings as well and from what I have seen, they release those to students. 

 

Check to see what the University is known for. Most Universities have programs that set them apart. EMU has a pretty solid Business School, with many programs. I also think they are known for their IT programs as well. 

 

Also, you need to research the area the school is located in. EMU for instance is in Ypsilanti Michigan. Not the best of areas. There are attacks on people all the time, some of them are students. For me, its not an issue, I have class from 11:30 am to 2:15 Pm so before the assholes come out. But, I get alerts in my EMU email all the time about police issues. So just be aware of the area. 

 

Next you might consider going to the school and talking to students directly. They would be able to paint a better picture on how well the school is. Talk to some Academic Advisers who can answer some of your questions. 

 

Good luck with your masters degree. My sister starts her's this spring. She just graduated from EMU with a Bachelors Degree. I cant wait till I graduate. 

 

 

[laminutederire]

9 hours ago, Mug said:

I wouldn't look at rankings, look at student satisfaction when choosing your university.

Masters degrees are usually variable by university so one university's masters may be a research project and another might be another year of usual studying. You should look to see which one suits you the best.

 

I'm studying for my masters at the university I graduated from because it's cheaper, they lop £3k off the tuition fees for you which is cool. Make sure you have a good reason for choosing the university that you do. I think it is worth doing one, the unemployment statistics are significantly lower for people with a masters than people without.

Cost is a non issue here since it's a double degree in Europe.

I'm hesitating between Ethz in Zurich and EPFL in Lausanne. Both have nearly null unemployment rate.

One is 1 year and a half and the other I'd 2 years long, should that make a real difference ?

8 hours ago, Donut417 said:

Ok, so I am a undergrad a Eastern Michigan University. Let me give you some pointers. 

 

First of all you have to evaluate costs. Simple as that. Its not just tuition and books. I have $150 a semester for a commuter parking pass. I was informed by a student who stays in a dorm that not only do they have to pay for a resident pass, but they have to pay for a commuter pass too if they want to park in certain lots. This wouldn't be an issue but EMU's college of business is 2 miles away from main campus, Plus campus is quite large. Some instructors use the connect codes in the books. Those codes only come with new copies with the books. You can generally purchase access seperatly but It normally $90 or more. So you have to know that. OH and Amazon is your friend, because you can buy used books and rent books for the semester. Also are you staying on campus or you going to rent or stay at home and commute? 

 

Do you have college credits yet or are you starting fresh? If your starting fresh you might consider community college first. At least in the US this is a cheaper option to a 4 year univerity. You can at least get your starter classes taken care of and transfer the credits. This is what I did, it can save you a shit ton of money. Plus it gets you in to the college mind set before you really start paying. 

 

Ratemyprofessor.com is the best website for college students. Students can give their professors a rating. At EMU I have had really good professors and shitty professor like my Staffing Organization Professor who Id like to punch in the back of the head. Lucky for him, Im in one of his Online Classes. Also, EMU takes student ratings as well and from what I have seen, they release those to students. 

 

Check to see what the University is known for. Most Universities have programs that set them apart. EMU has a pretty solid Business School, with many programs. I also think they are known for their IT programs as well. 

 

Also, you need to research the area the school is located in. EMU for instance is in Ypsilanti Michigan. Not the best of areas. There are attacks on people all the time, some of them are students. For me, its not an issue, I have class from 11:30 am to 2:15 Pm so before the assholes come out. But, I get alerts in my EMU email all the time about police issues. So just be aware of the area. 

 

Next you might consider going to the school and talking to students directly. They would be able to paint a better picture on how well the school is. Talk to some Academic Advisers who can answer some of your questions. 

 

Good luck with your masters degree. My sister starts her's this spring. She just graduated from EMU with a Bachelors Degree. I cant wait till I graduate. 

 

 

For costs, they are pretty much similar, give or take a thousand euros for the whole master. I guess I need the answer for excellence scholarships which are significant and would change the costs balance between the two.

 

I am already enrolled in higher education and I have a bachelor in engineering and it would be part of a double degree, so I know I'll go to one of them.

 

Unfortunately that website doesn't to have that much ratings in Europe

 

The masters are respectively the best and second best at those universities and they were ranked 1st and 6th in computer science master's degree worldwide, so they're essentially the same to that regard. 

 

Areas are great (yay Switzerland ), which doesn't help choose

 

So does student feedbacks who paint a 50-50 balance. Or were you talking about people in the related industry who could give their view on it?

[Mug]

3 hours ago, laminutederire said:

Cost is a non issue here since it's a double degree in Europe.

I'm hesitating between Ethz in Zurich and EPFL in Lausanne. Both have nearly null unemployment rate.

One is 1 year and a half and the other I'd 2 years long, should that make a real difference ?

What is it about that extra year that makes the degree better? Do you recieve extra qualifications or kudos because you did it?

 

I'd consider attending open days of the universities where you can meet the professors. Following that I think you'll have a better idea, there's always one that impresses you more, usually because the lecturers are better or the facilities are better, something like that (e.g: my university just had new labs put in over summer 2016).

[VerticalDiscussions]

My teachers always says "You dont need a master degree for working anywhere that doesnt require background experience already and you definetly do not need a doctorship unless your going to work on an educational environment, being those the only areas where a financial difference is felt".

 

Pretty useless from that point of view, but hey your choice. I cant do any of them nonetheless, mathematics too hard ehe.... -.-

 

Unless of course, you want to be a teacher.

[laminutederire]

2 hours ago, Mug said:

What is it about that extra year that makes the degree better? Do you recieve extra qualifications or kudos because you did it?

 

I'd consider attending open days of the universities where you can meet the professors. Following that I think you'll have a better idea, there's always one that impresses you more, usually because the lecturers are better or the facilities are better, something like that (e.g: my university just had new labs put in over summer 2016).

It's an extra 6 months. Objectively it shouldn't matter that much if courses are denser and the same amount of content can be done.

Yeah you're right! I'll try to plan a trip there (I'm actually from France (in the West)).

One has opened a lab with IBM recently, it apparently is pretty amazing!

1 hour ago, VerticalDiscussions said:

My teachers always says "You dont need a master degree for working anywhere that doesnt require background experience already and you definetly do not need a doctorship unless your going to work on an educational environment, being those the only areas where a financial difference is felt".

 

Pretty useless from that point of view, but hey your choice. I cant do any of them nonetheless, mathematics too hard ehe.... -.-

 

Unless of course, you want to be a teacher.

I plan on working in R&D, which requires at least a masters degree and prefers a PhD apparently. The former makes sense a bit but the latter not so much. The former is equal to some kind of experience, which can be good if you're more capable in an academic environment anyway 

[VerticalDiscussions]

22 minutes ago, laminutederire said:

-snip-

Wow, this world is becoming too hard xD. Well good luck tough, but the requirements are still exaggerated :l. Like the 5-6 years of experience when the person just left university -.-

[laminutederire]

28 minutes ago, VerticalDiscussions said:

Wow, this world is becoming too hard xD. Well good luck tough, but the requirements are still exaggerated :l. Like the 5-6 years of experience when the person just left university -.-

I know, sometimes you have to have to have a PhD but you can't be too old as well.. 

[VerticalDiscussions]

3 minutes ago, laminutederire said:

-snip-

On the bright side, the jobs that require one are quite rare these days :p.