5 ms·

What sort of benefits come from getting a Masters? Everyone I talk to seems to say a Masters in CompSci is useless, and that you may as well do a PhD instead.

vkou 2y ago
> What sort of benefits come from getting a Masters Google will hire you to work on moving protobufs around as an L4, instead of an L3.
- seangrogg 2y ago
  This cuts so much deeper than it has any right to.
- esafak 2y ago
  By the time you get the degree, you could be promoted to L4 and saved money along the way, so you're saying it's a bad idea.
roland35 2y ago
I believe a masters has helped me stand out as a candidate at least. Plus, I learned a great deal about computer engineering! The fundamentals have come in handy.
janalsncm 2y ago
A lot of job requirements that I see ask for Masters or PhD, so you’re hitting the minimum requirement plus giving yourself a shot of having applicable work experience (read: doesn’t write spaghetti code). That said, there’s probably a huge selection bias due to my background.
teamonkey 2y ago
A Masters can help with work visas and gaining residencies in some countries
lizknope 2y ago
Machine learning could be hardware as well. I'm in integrated circuit design and there are lots of custom hardware AI accelerators in development. Almost all of the new grads we hire have a masters degree in electrical or computer engineering (not computer science)
LouisSayers 2y ago
It helped me get a visa for Italy (I took part in a startup accelerator program). Other than that not much else... I mean you learn things, but you could also learn things from watching YouTube, doing courses and reading books! I've also seen people do PhD's and from the outside it seems like a lot of them did it just for the title - one of my friends though seems to love Academia and is now a professor.
adastra22 2y ago
As someone who hires, my opinion is the exact opposite. A masters is good, but a PhD is at least a yellow flag.
- zfnmxt 2y ago
  > PhD is at least a yellow flag. Why?
  - adastra22 2y ago
    Usually an inability to get shit done, too much of a scientist vs. engineer approach (not good in industry outside of very specific jobs), and a personality type that is not an aggressive go-getter. Yellow flag not red because this is a general observation with plenty of exceptions, of course.

vkou 2y ago

> What sort of benefits come from getting a Masters Google will hire you to work on moving protobufs around as an L4, instead of an L3.

seangrogg 2y ago
This cuts so much deeper than it has any right to.
esafak 2y ago
By the time you get the degree, you could be promoted to L4 and saved money along the way, so you're saying it's a bad idea.

roland35 2y ago

I believe a masters has helped me stand out as a candidate at least. Plus, I learned a great deal about computer engineering! The fundamentals have come in handy.

janalsncm 2y ago

A lot of job requirements that I see ask for Masters or PhD, so you’re hitting the minimum requirement plus giving yourself a shot of having applicable work experience (read: doesn’t write spaghetti code). That said, there’s probably a huge selection bias due to my background.

teamonkey 2y ago

A Masters can help with work visas and gaining residencies in some countries

lizknope 2y ago

Machine learning could be hardware as well. I'm in integrated circuit design and there are lots of custom hardware AI accelerators in development. Almost all of the new grads we hire have a masters degree in electrical or computer engineering (not computer science)

LouisSayers 2y ago

It helped me get a visa for Italy (I took part in a startup accelerator program). Other than that not much else... I mean you learn things, but you could also learn things from watching YouTube, doing courses and reading books! I've also seen people do PhD's and from the outside it seems like a lot of them did it just for the title - one of my friends though seems to love Academia and is now a professor.

adastra22 2y ago

As someone who hires, my opinion is the exact opposite. A masters is good, but a PhD is at least a yellow flag.

zfnmxt 2y ago
> PhD is at least a yellow flag. Why?
- adastra22 2y ago
  Usually an inability to get shit done, too much of a scientist vs. engineer approach (not good in industry outside of very specific jobs), and a personality type that is not an aggressive go-getter. Yellow flag not red because this is a general observation with plenty of exceptions, of course.