11 ms·

Announcing Online MS in Computer Science in Collaboration with Georgia Tech

634 points by rsanders 13y ago

dhawalhs 13y ago
Where do you see the price $7000?
- lazyjeff 13y ago
  On http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ it says: How much does the degree program cost? We’re not yet ready to announce a specific program cost, but the plan is to offer the Georgia Tech OMS CS for a total cost of under $7,000—a fraction of the cost of Georgia Tech’s on-campus program and even less than that of comparable private universities.
- rsanders 13y ago
  If you chase the links you end up on the Georgia Tech site about it: http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq. We’re not yet ready to announce a specific program cost, but the plan is to offer the Georgia Tech OMS CS for a total cost of under $7,000—a fraction of the cost of Georgia Tech’s on-campus program and even less than that of comparable private universities. All the content will be free to everybody, but you have to apply to Georgia Tech and pay if you want the actual degree. You also have to have a Bachelor's degree, which is a disappointment for me. I left college before completing my BS in CS, and I'd love to be in this program, but I wouldn't be admitted. [disclosure: my wife works in the Georgia Tech Professional Education group, which is how I heard about this]
  - totalrobe 13y ago
    Agreed - this is not really "Massively Open" IMO, because it still requires a bachelor's in CS for admission. They do hint at it, but hopefully they will allow an option B for admission. That would somewhat validate their stated goal of increasing STEM education.
    - rsanders 13y ago
      The course materials and participation are MO, just not the Masters degree itself. At the next family-attending Georgia Tech Professional Education function I'm going to petition everybody who'll stand still to allow people without a BS to earn the degree. But I think I'll actually be preaching to the choir. Anyway, it's a huge step for them to create this program as is. And once the concerns about "degree devaluation" have passed, and enough demand has become apparent, maybe they'll be ready for the next step.
  - kyllo 13y ago
    All the content will be free to everybody, but you have to apply to Georgia Tech and pay if you want the actual degree. Really?! Forget the degree then, I just want the content!
recuter 13y ago
http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ > How much does the degree program cost? We’re not yet ready to announce a specific program cost, but the plan is to offer the Georgia Tech OMS CS for a total cost of under $7,000—a fraction of the cost of Georgia Tech’s on-campus program and even less than that of comparable private universities. > The total workload is the same as the residential program; the weekly or hourly workload depends on how quickly students wish to complete the program. This is revolutionary. Not only is it much cheaper, the incentives are now back in alignment. I know plenty of people that could graduate much faster and get on with their lives - The schools on the other hand, want them to stay longer (and thus pay more). This removes the nickel and dime element and all kinds of backwards tedium.
- ics 13y ago
  Only downside I see in the FAQ has to do with this: they say the expected time for completion is still 3 years, though they suggest people may take up to 6 years if necessary. Udacity has been tho most flexible so far in letting people accomplish what they want at their own pace but, having just taken GT's computational photography on coursera, I wonder if they're going to stick to an organized, semester-like schedule.
- clicks 13y ago
  Agreed, revolutionary. In a way, it costing $7000 (rather than being free or nearly free) goes further in lending it credibility. I do wonder though that still for those who would have trouble affording even that, would FAFSA provide aid/loans? And moreover, is an undergrad degree a pre-requisite? I wonder if college dropouts can enroll in this program.
  - rsanders 13y ago
    Unfortunately, at least for the moment an undergrad degree is a prerequisite. More generally, you have to be admitted to Georgia Tech as would any other graduate student. I think there will be quite a few companies willing to pay $7000 in tuition assistance so their employees can get a MS.
kmfrk 13y ago
That Udacity is behind this initiative makes this much, much more exciting to me (I'm not big on the whole MOOC business, but Udacity is different; it's the Khan Academy of MOOCs). I've found them to hold themselves to a very high standard, and as someone who's been right in the middle of education-based experiments gone wrong, this makes me feel a lot more optimistic about this project. Still, I'd recommend people at least let it run for a full one or two years before giving it a shot. The second mouse gets the cheese and all that.
rsanders 13y ago
The cost of a similar master's degree at a university like Georgia Tech can run $40,000. It's not quite the same thing -- watch the video by Charles Isbell on the GT site to hear their differentiation between the "on campus" and online degrees. But it's an amazing value for people who can learn effectively in a MOOC environment and aren't focused on the path into research and academia. The video is also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zihmiLx3Xlk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zihmiLx3Xlk. [edit: added link to video]
- pitt1980 13y ago
  http://www.bursar.gatech.edu/student/tuition/Fall_2013/Fall13-all_fees.pdf http://www.bursar.gatech.edu/student/tuition/Fall_2013/Fall1... looks more like 60K depending on your in state/out of state status
waterlesscloud 13y ago
The signs are telling me I should cash out my bitcoins and get an online MSCS!
moistgorilla 13y ago
As an undergraduate georgia tech cs student. I wish this was for undergrad degrees also. At least I will be able to get a cheap masters degree.
- rayiner 13y ago
  As a former undergraduate Georgia Tech student, I really would've appreciated the opportunity to do my degree in this format. At the time I was faced with the choice of dropping out and diving into my job at a startup full-time, or staying in school and working only during the summers and losing the ability to take a really important role in the company. The ability to keep working on my degree online might have changed how I approached the choice.
  - moistgorilla 13y ago
    Honestly, while it sucks that I can't take advantage of what will probably happen in the future (undergrad degrees in this format). I can't say i'm not proud to be going there after hearing about this. I'm happy that this will be an option for our future. Hopefully it's successful and affects all areas of study.
- libria 13y ago
  You also save $700/year by not needing a parking pass.
rayiner 13y ago
I think Georgia Tech is just the right kind of partner for something like this. Solid name recognition to give credibility to the degree, but not one that's so steeped in exclusivity that it might be compromised by association with the online format. And the pricing, $7,000, is spot-on for what this offers.
manglav 13y ago
I'm so happy to see this - it's a sign of progress of the education system, and it gives me so much relief to see that someone gets it at the top of the education totem pole. I discussed this with a master's degree student a few years ago, because the cost (especially for computer science, no labs) seemed too low to ignore. I will sign up for this as soon as possible. Also, having a master's in Comp Sci will really help me have a shot for all these software eng. positions I keep applying to as a chemical engineer. Can anyone tell me how Georgia Tech ranks/is thought of for Computer Science? I know the article says "among the best", but I would rather ask HN.
- ics 13y ago
  Georgia Tech has an excellent reputation for engineering (and consequently CS, but I roam in different circles so no specific details), but I'm sure there are much more qualified people here to tell you the same thing. They are not Stanford or MIT– they're the ramblin' wreck! ;) For arbitrary reference, they're ranked #10 by USN&WR: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/computer-science-rankings http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-gradu...
- gt565k 13y ago
  It usually ranks top 10 in CS for undergrad. It might be in top 5 for graduate school. The robotics lab at GT's College of Computing is insane.
  - otoburb 13y ago
    >The robotics lab at GT's College of Computing is insane. Right there is one of several reasons where having physical access to College of Computing facilities (e.g. robotics labs) would help justify the cost of the full on-campus MS degree program, as differentiated from an OMS where you may only have remote access to a subset of CoC facilities (e.g. compute clusters). EDIT: As per rsander's link posted in this thread[1] GT plans to go from 300 on-campus students to 10,000. Without a corresponding bump in facilities, it would seem that MS student projects would (naturally/obviously!) take priority over OMS projects. More specifically, OMS students may have to be resourceful with the money they're saving and rent/buy their own resources for computationally intensive projects. [1] http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/05/14/georgia-tech-and-udacity-roll-out-massive-new-low-cost-degree-program http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/05/14/georgia-tech-a...
jholman 13y ago
What is AT&T allegedly bringing to the table? Are we assuming that there are people who want to work there, who will view this certification as advancing that goal, is that it? I read the http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ , and found only this hint: Why is AT&T the corporate collaborator for this initiative? As a premier global communications company and a champion for innovation in education, AT&T will provide technology access, connectivity and products at inception, as well as evolving service and platform support. The company will serve on an advisory board and, where appropriate, offer corporate projects for credit, be a source from which Georgia Tech draws curriculum content and guest instructors and offer internship opportunities to select students. AT&T will tap into the program to train its own employees and will recruit graduates. Technology access, connectivity, service and platform support? Aren't those basically solved problems for Udacity? Advisory board? Does GaTech have corporate sponsorship on the advisory board of their other Master's programs, setting curriculum? (Maybe they should, maybe they shouldn't, but I doubt they think they need to.)
- rsanders 13y ago
  I think the real reason you have AT&T involved is that without that sort of influence, this degree program wouldn't have happened until years later. Universities, and boards of regents, are deeply conservative, risk-averse institutions in some ways. There's also a lot of cost to startup a program like this, and public universities aren't exactly rolling in money right now. Beyond that, a lot of companies have some kind of tuition assistance for graduate degrees, and a lot of companies are having trouble finding skilled talent to begin with. So it's a way to save money and improve recruiting. The business models of companies like Udacity and Coursera are probably going to rely heavily on the hunger of companies the size of AT&T, Google, etc. for a steady supply of trained workers. Somebody's got to pay the bills and make the VCs rich. I like to think of this as shifting part of the cost of the education from the individual to the company that's ultimately benefitting from it. Of course, one might worry about some unspecified negative influence from the corporate sponsors, but in this incredibly transparent educational environment, such influences would be pretty obvious and self-defeating.
- michaelrbock 13y ago
timtamboy63 13y ago
On one hand, I think it's ridiculously awesome that Tech's doing this. Our CoC department is incredibly innovative, and one of the only administrative departments that recognize the need for innovation. However, I wonder if this would devalue a degree from Georgia Tech. You'd obviously have a lot more people taking the course than you would if it wasn't an MOOC. Thoughts?
- peterlongnguyen 13y ago
  Seems like it's explicitly designated "Online Masters" OMS as opposed to simply a regular degree you could complete online, so they're still separating it from the B&M degree. While I feel like this is a step in the right direction for online education, the fact that this has the online designation plus its availability to a much, much wider audience seems like it would be a temporary setback in the eyes of employers.
  - untog 13y ago
    I do wonder what the immigration repercussion of this is, too. I've often considered taking a Masters simply because it would make it easier for me to stay in the US.
    - rsanders 13y ago
      From the Inside Higher Ed article I linked elsewhere: > Galil and Bras both said they did not think the Udacity partnership would cannibalize its existing master’s degree program. They said the residential college experience would still appeal to students who are on a Ph.D. track, who want a full range of career services and who want visas to live in the United States while they study.
      - otoburb 13y ago
        Nice find. This adds more weight to the idea that the "online" designation was carefully thought out to avoid immigration quagmires.
- 13y ago
rietta 13y ago
Wow! As a Georgia Tech alumni with a MS from the College of Computing, I approve of this development!
Inebas 13y ago
I like this development. I went to GT for both bachelors and Masters but with BME and ECE, respectively. However, I am doing web development at a startup. I wonder how this OMS course would impact me and others in similar situations.
ghc 13y ago
This is a great development. I'm proud of my alma mater for doing this, and I think Georgia Tech is just the right institution to pull it off (in partnership with Udacity, of course).
Sindrome 13y ago
I take it this degree will be accredited by the same body that administers Georgia Tech. Has anyone heard otherwise?
- waterlesscloud 13y ago
  It doesn't directly say that, though they do say it's a degree from an accredited institution, which is likely intended to mean the same thing.
- caw 13y ago
  From the FAQ: This program has been approved at every relevant level of the University System of Georgia, up to and including the Board of Regents.
- rsanders 13y ago
  I can ask about that (my wife works at GT PE), but this video implies a pretty strong equivalence. The relevant part is right at the beginning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zihmiLx3Xlk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zihmiLx3Xlk
johngalt 13y ago
I'm surprised they started with a masters, but I guess it makes sense. They are only targeting people who've already gone through an accredited degree program. Makes the program more likely to be taken seriously. Udacity already issues credit for a fewer lower level classes via SJSU. I wonder how soon the gap will be closed and a whole online degree available.
- cloverich 13y ago
  > They are only targeting people who've already gone through an accredited degree program. Makes the program more likely to be taken seriously. I think not only that, but also allows the curriculum to be more focused. Likely they weren't prepared to throw in all the non-major related classes that typically go with an undergraduate degree. Its a great start.
- sonoffett 13y ago
  I think you'll be surprised about what degrees are actually "accredited" and what ones are not. For example, UCSD, Princeton and Cal Tech do not have ABET accredited C{S,E} degrees.
  - mbreese 13y ago
    Why would I care about ABET accreditation for a CS program? It's not like CS is a regulated field that requires a national standard. That would be like complaining that a schools History department isn't accredited. For things like medicine, professional engineering, legal, etc... I care that those degrees are from accredited programs, but not CS. What I do care about is that the school itself is accredited and legally allowed to confer degrees. For what it's worth: CalTech does have ABET accredited programs in Chemical, Mechanical, and Electrical engineering. So, they must not feel that ABET accreditation offers much for a CS program.
    - sonoffett 13y ago
      I misread the FAQ, it's the institution and not the degree that they care is accredited. > Why would I care about ABET accreditation for a CS program? I'm not sure why someone would care (some people do though). ABET does not offer accreditation to history departments (now there's a controversial idea). I found the fact that these institutions do not have them as an interesting curiosity.
fiatmoney 13y ago
The fact that they qualify it as an "online master of science" makes it significantly less attractive. It implies they're not willing to put their name & reputation behind its equivalency (in terms of rigor & qualifications of outgoing students) to an offline degree.
- rsanders 13y ago
  Yeah, I find that a little wishy-washy, too. I guess that's part of the buying decision you have to make -- are you willing to risk the lesser cachet for the convenience and affordability? I'd do it in a second, but then I'm probably the target audience (other than not having completed my BS). I'm almost 40 years old, with a wife and child, and the flexibility is crucial to me. This isn't an alternative to a traditional MS program; the traditional MS just isn't even an option for me. I see it as a way to get credit for the MOOC work I'm already doing for fun and fulfillment.
  - otoburb 13y ago
    +1 to your points except the one about the "Online" in OMS being wishy-washy. I propose that this was not just a way to appease administrators, but is a pilot program that other institutions will be closely observing. If institutions can persuade students to accept an Oxx designation (online prefix), then administrations are modelling that they can not only increase revenues based on free MOOC numbers, but simultaneously protect on-campus degree branding. I am guessing that many online/distance-learning degrees are conferred without making it clear that the degree was earned in this way. Although this is great for students, I'm sure this causes angst in administrations for fear of brand dilution and obvious revenue threats. The O-prefix would be a great experiment to see if it sticks. As rsanders said, this really appeals to a certain demographic (older, family/multiple jobs, flexibility, striking distance of employee tuition assistance programs, etc). I am part of that demographic and am sorely tempted to sign up. One unintended benefit of reducing the cost of such degrees is that it will become (much?) more common for people to hold multiple graduate degrees, which may help offset the perceived 'weakness' of the O- designation.
    - 13y ago
jurassic 13y ago
This is a huge step in the right direction, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm disappointed about the BS in CS requirement. Plenty of people with BS degrees in other technical fields probably could pass a fair placement/entry examination given the chance.
- aweb 13y ago
  Apparently you can try to apply with another kind of BS : "Formal admission into the OMS CS program will require a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from an accredited institution, or a related Bachelor of Science degree with a possible need to take and pass remedial courses"
  - gee_totes 13y ago
    I wonder if you can get in with just a BA.
    - laughfactory 13y ago
      I imagine that it comes down to demonstrated (or expressed) ability, acumen, motivation, and interest. But it depends on how heavily they lean on their heuristics. If you're interested I wouldn't let your fear that they won't accept BA's stop you from applying. I have a BS in Economics and am currently enrolled in a Master's in Computer Science. I mention that because I know there are plenty of BA in Economics programs around...and I can't imagine they differ that much from the program I graduated in.
      - icelancer 13y ago
        BS Econ to BS CS is exceedingly common, though. Not so much for, say, East Asian Arts.
    - wilfra 13y ago
      I am starting an MS in CS program in the fall (not at GT) and I just have a BA. They let me in, however I have to take a full academic year of remedial courses first[1]. I would imagine they will do something like that. [1]Calculus 1 and 2, Intro to Programming, Data Structures, Foundations of CS, Intro to Computer Systems, Intro to Computer Organization, Algorithms and Data Structures, Structures of Programming Languages, Introduction to Finite Automata, Introduction to Operating Systems. P.S. Anybody know where I can learn any of the above online cheap or free? If I learn it elsewhere I can test out of the classes.
petercooper 13y ago
I'm taking an "online" (distance learning, really) MSc in software engineering here in the UK and it'll cost about $11000 or so all in, so this is especially great value given it's the US.
- icewater 13y ago
  What school are you going through if you don't mind me asking. Thanks.
pradeep89 13y ago
This would be more useful to US students than outside students. Although we can get high quality education, in the end people need jobs, may be high paying jobs and H1B is still big hurdle !
fpp 13y ago
This all sounds really great and is definitely a step into the direction to make higher education more accessible - a few side notes (for those getting too excited) (1) There have been quite a few online learning (aka distance learning) degree courses from reputable universities for some time. For MSc / Master degrees until recently they all required at least some in-person workshops (normally 1 week long - for a MSc in the UK afak 6-8 sometimes 12 weeks over 2 years). These workshops were there for the benefit of the students (networking, group work / access to profs in person, socializing, campus feeling etc.) and various other requirements (e.g. degree requirements). The outcome of these degree programs was normally the same degree that you would have received for taking all courses on campus. (2) All universities that have offered online degrees without in-person workshops in the past differentiate / protect their higher priced and more strongly access-limited on-campus degrees by providing different degrees - GaTech does the same here - after successfully completing this course you will receive an OMS in CS from GaTech not a MS in CS from GaTech. It is to be seen if this will be received differently in the industry (as this was with such degrees in the past) or we finally are getting to a change here. (3) The course will start Fall 2014. I would be surprised if EdX and/or Coursera will not soon announce something similar. (4) From the FaQ it looks like ATT is sponsoring the course creation etc. with US$2M.
- vasyainv 13y ago
  University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign had an online Master's in CS as far back as 2001, I believe you had to drive down to campus for tests, though
  - rsanders 13y ago
    Georgia Tech already has a distance learning MS in CSE, but not a general MS CS. And I believe the cost is rather higher than this. http://www.cseprograms.gatech.edu/distancelearning http://www.cseprograms.gatech.edu/distancelearning
  - rjbez17 13y ago
    Now you can go to local places that proctor the test. A few co-workers are doing this now from Minneapolis, going to a community college to take the tests. Also, it costs about $7k a year assuming you are taking one class a semester for 4.5 years.
jskonhovd 13y ago
The following is the current admissions requirements from GT for there MSCS. I wonder how well this is going to translate for the OMS. http://www.cc.gatech.edu/future/masters/mscs/admissions http://www.cc.gatech.edu/future/masters/mscs/admissions
thorum 13y ago
As an undergraduate student, this makes me wonder if I should just hold off on getting a B.S. entirely until I can do it through Udacity.
sidcool 13y ago
How would this be valued by the Employers?
Omnipresent 13y ago
This is truly revolutionary. I can't wait for this show to get on the road. The FAQs don't mention a requirement of a GRE or other standardized exam for formal admission. Does anyone know if that is likely to change in future (I hope not)?
- rsanders 13y ago
  Apparently the GRE will not be a requirement. From http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/05/14/georgia-tech-and-udacity-roll-out-massive-new-low-cost-degree-program http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/05/14/georgia-tech-a...: > The second type of student will be “prospective degree-seeking” students who will be admitted to the program tentatively because they will not have to take the GRE as other applicants do. If they do well in two core classes, Georgia Tech will put them on the degree track. The university expects to enroll 2,000 such students in the next three years.
rsanders 13y ago
I wish I'd had this article to post instead. It has some detailed information about the cost of a traditional MS in CS (the online version is "one sixth the cost"), revenue share with Udacity, admission requirements, and a lot more. http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/05/14/georgia-tech-and-udacity-roll-out-massive-new-low-cost-degree-program
pyvek 13y ago
I'm so very happy about this. But I'm still wondering why they decided to launch a masters course as opposed to bachelor? And I hope they provide an option for people without bachelor degree take this course (perhaps with entrance test of some kind?).
laughfactory 13y ago
I'm going to apply as soon as they open the gates. I've been "attending" a different, more average, online MS in Computer Science but find the thought of imminently affordable tuition and Georgia Tech quality very appealing.
- Hortinstein 13y ago
  what program are you currently in?
codeonfire 13y ago
"At present, around 160,000 master’s degrees are bestowed in the United States every year in computer science and related subject disciplines" Computer science is 7,426, so what are the other 152,574 degrees in?
- laughfactory 13y ago
  Humanities? Now THOSE degrees are a waste of money.
deepGem 13y ago
"Do applicants need to take the GRE? No." This is just great.
nsxwolf 13y ago
I would only be interested in this if I knew how an MS would improve my income, and I don't see how it would.
k2xl 13y ago
Gt alum here. Gt is a great school, but who says that is a forecast of how well an online class will be? Online classes have been around for about a decade now. But i cant see how taking a class online from Georgia Tech aint gonna be different than taking an online class from another university. The benefits of getting a CS degree at a university is gaining that physical connection with the professors. There isn't going to be a single thing these online classes will have that you wouldn't be able to find online yourself or at another online course at another institution. But what you miss is the personal interaction with the professors and students - something you can't get from an online chat room. Especially at Masters level - where your interaction with professors is much closer. This is a step in the wrong direction. If this was for a BS, I could understand. Especially because it gives access to those who don't have access to that education. But the real benefit of higher education is the personal connections IMO. There isn't really any additional "knowledge" CS pieces that is taught at MIT and not at a normal university. what separates universities is those personal connections with the faculty and the community. At GT (I received a BS in Computational Media), the real value came from the people - individual connections that help pave your way through career choices and research topics. I mean come on, what's next? PhD in CS with 3000 other students? Defending your thesis to a random professor thousands of miles away who you only have email contact?
- vasyainv 13y ago
  You have a point, but you are also missing the point. Quite a few people who could benefit from a formal Master's program in CS which is also from a competitive University, may not have the time due to career and family to attend classes full time. But this way they can still get their education
  - k2xl 13y ago
    But that isn't what a masters degree is about. If you have a career and family to take care of and don't have time to go to classes, you probably don't have time to commit to a masters degree. And again there is no evidence that an online class from Georgia Tech would be any better than an online classes from anywhere else. Georgia Tech is reputable because of the faculty and research. How does that correlate to online classes?
fuzzythinker 13y ago
I want to know if they allow transfer of graduate courses/units taken at another university (hopefully yes).
callmeed 13y ago
Does anyone know of decent online BS CS programs?
- karpodiem 13y ago
  I've been long for a long time, and have yet to find anything. I really hope Udacity/another MOOC offers a BS in CS at some point.
Hortinstein 13y ago
> We anticipate opening enrollment for matriculation during Fall 2014 My heart sank a little, I have been looking for something like this forever and was planning on applying today after I read the press release. I joined the mailing list and may even contact the admissions office for the B&M College of Computing to see if there are any pilot programs I could apply to. I am currently in Tokyo for work and finding a decent place online to continue my education in computer science has been difficult. Just set aside $7,000 in a new checking account for the associated fees. This is the most exciting thing I have seen on HN in a while, awesome time to be a Computer Scientist!
auctiontheory 13y ago
This is a great start, but it seems to me that in the current environment (at least in the US) an MS CS is pretty redundant for students who already have a BS CS. Traditionally the MS CS has been more popular with prospective software engineers who lack a formal CS credential. Let's see how flexible Georgia Tech is on its admissions requirement of a "related Bachelor of Science degree." I expect this program will be a big hit with non-US students who want a US credential.
joezhou 13y ago
Do i get a discount for being alum?
sivanmz 13y ago
This is interesting, a lot to ponder. Will $7000 seem reasonable once hordes of graduates hit the market and commoditize the profession? Or is CS a good fit for only a limited number of people, regardless of price? It's fascinating that this field, which is difficult because it requires precision, lends itself so practically to automatic grading online. As exciting as MOOCs are, will we be bound to use them in what's left of our free time just to keep up?
axomhacker 13y ago
From http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ > How will you guarantee academic honesty? > All exams are proctored using national proctoring standards. We have access to 4,500 physical proctoring facilities and are working with online proctoring institutions. Does this mean it won't be available outside the US ("national proctoring standards")? Or does this mean appearing at prometric-style centers for the tests? I for one do not love taking tests in the alien environment of such centers (especially computer-science related tests), from my experience with various certifications.
throwaway1979 13y ago
It's actually a dark day: 1) Until now, the majority of University-affiliated MOOCs have been free. This just changed. 2) I find it immensely frustrating that as CS people, we are lowering the bar for what it means to have a Masters degree in our field. I'd be happy with this sort of activity if it was being done in all other fields uniformly and/or we had unions representing CS workers. Unions, in principal aren't bad ... they are possibly the only way to protect older workers for example. I used to love the CS field because it always felt like a truly meritocracy. As I get older, I realize it is not. Let me make a third, controversial, and somewhat ungrounded statement: 3) MOOCs will kill CS research. Already CS research is in deep trouble. Exceedingly few private companies fund basic CS research. Academia was the last haven (if you can call it a haven - it was sad seeing the line of professors quitting their jobs to work for Google, and getting a pay raise and increase in respect for it). Govts exceedingly don't want to pay for basic research these days. Undergrad teaching used to be the way academics supported themselves. This is going the way of the dodo. But we are improving the lot of the CS undergrad you say! True .. but tell me what the poor grad student (who actually wants to get a PhD with the romantic notion of advancing the state of the art) going to do to support him/herself financially?
- rsanders 13y ago
  First off, the MOOCs associated with this degree will still be free. The degree is not. The change here is that a) an entire MS worth of course material (and the systems to support it) from a respected institution are being created, b) the actual (O)MS degree just became a great deal less expensive. It remains to be seen whether this lowers the bar or merely opens up more opportunities. I don't think education is a zero sum game. And while there may be a glut of PhDs, there is a shortage of employees with the advanced knowledge and skills in demand now. That's why e.g. AT&T is pushing this program. While the union issue and age discrimination are interesting and important topics, CS graduates don't have a lot to complain about economically. The field has maintained high employment and excellent compensation during recent times when many other professions suffered greatly. Now, at 40 I don't expect to get funded by Y Combinator because I've almost certainly suffered crippling age-related innovation dementia, but there are plenty of employers that don't think that way. There have been several articles posted here about the glut of PhDs versus available faculty positions. And actual instruction is a pretty small part of what full professors are expected to do. If you aren't pulling in research grants, your career is on a weak trajectory. So the problem was already there, and I don't think this seriously affects it one way or the other. One might hope that making education available and practical to many more people at much lower costs might actually help advance the field, both within and without the ivory tower.
mikevm 13y ago
Does anyone know Georgia Tech's CS MS curriculum?
- rsanders 13y ago
  It's described here: http://www.cc.gatech.edu/future/masters/mscs/program http://www.cc.gatech.edu/future/masters/mscs/program The OMS won't initially have all the same courses (or specializations?), but the plan according to one of the GT videos is to reach approximate parity over time.
  - mikevm 13y ago
    Thanks. I can't wait to hear more on the admission process. Will they require a certain GPA? Will they need recommendation letters (as they do now)?
izztmzzt 13y ago
I have a BBA, and would have hoped the requirements for the Masters course would have at least offered some way to let other majors apply. Limiting it to only BS majors will limit the participation of a large group of their current users. I guess the next thing they need to add is a undergrad in CS or something else to help bridge the gap.
- karpodiem 13y ago
  We're in similar situations - I have a BA but would love to do a CS undergrad degree online. Most of the community college/online programs out there consist of IT courses with a few CS courses mixed in. Which is no where near the curriculum of a traditional CS program. I really hope that someone offers an undergraduate CS degree online at some point.
danielharan 13y ago
Awesome. Did anyone else wonder how much it would cost to live on beaches of South-East Asia or some other cheap and sunny locale while doing this?
nobrains 13y ago
From the PR announcement: "Initial enrollment will be limited to a few hundred students recruited from AT&T and Georgia Tech corporate affiliates."

634 points by rsanders 13y ago

dhawalhs 13y ago

Where do you see the price $7000?

lazyjeff 13y ago
On http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ it says: How much does the degree program cost? We’re not yet ready to announce a specific program cost, but the plan is to offer the Georgia Tech OMS CS for a total cost of under $7,000—a fraction of the cost of Georgia Tech’s on-campus program and even less than that of comparable private universities.
rsanders 13y ago
If you chase the links you end up on the Georgia Tech site about it: http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq. We’re not yet ready to announce a specific program cost, but the plan is to offer the Georgia Tech OMS CS for a total cost of under $7,000—a fraction of the cost of Georgia Tech’s on-campus program and even less than that of comparable private universities. All the content will be free to everybody, but you have to apply to Georgia Tech and pay if you want the actual degree. You also have to have a Bachelor's degree, which is a disappointment for me. I left college before completing my BS in CS, and I'd love to be in this program, but I wouldn't be admitted. [disclosure: my wife works in the Georgia Tech Professional Education group, which is how I heard about this]
- totalrobe 13y ago
  Agreed - this is not really "Massively Open" IMO, because it still requires a bachelor's in CS for admission. They do hint at it, but hopefully they will allow an option B for admission. That would somewhat validate their stated goal of increasing STEM education.
  - rsanders 13y ago
    The course materials and participation are MO, just not the Masters degree itself. At the next family-attending Georgia Tech Professional Education function I'm going to petition everybody who'll stand still to allow people without a BS to earn the degree. But I think I'll actually be preaching to the choir. Anyway, it's a huge step for them to create this program as is. And once the concerns about "degree devaluation" have passed, and enough demand has become apparent, maybe they'll be ready for the next step.
- kyllo 13y ago
  All the content will be free to everybody, but you have to apply to Georgia Tech and pay if you want the actual degree. Really?! Forget the degree then, I just want the content!

recuter 13y ago

http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ > How much does the degree program cost? We’re not yet ready to announce a specific program cost, but the plan is to offer the Georgia Tech OMS CS for a total cost of under $7,000—a fraction of the cost of Georgia Tech’s on-campus program and even less than that of comparable private universities. > The total workload is the same as the residential program; the weekly or hourly workload depends on how quickly students wish to complete the program. This is revolutionary. Not only is it much cheaper, the incentives are now back in alignment. I know plenty of people that could graduate much faster and get on with their lives - The schools on the other hand, want them to stay longer (and thus pay more). This removes the nickel and dime element and all kinds of backwards tedium.

ics 13y ago
Only downside I see in the FAQ has to do with this: they say the expected time for completion is still 3 years, though they suggest people may take up to 6 years if necessary. Udacity has been tho most flexible so far in letting people accomplish what they want at their own pace but, having just taken GT's computational photography on coursera, I wonder if they're going to stick to an organized, semester-like schedule.
clicks 13y ago
Agreed, revolutionary. In a way, it costing $7000 (rather than being free or nearly free) goes further in lending it credibility. I do wonder though that still for those who would have trouble affording even that, would FAFSA provide aid/loans? And moreover, is an undergrad degree a pre-requisite? I wonder if college dropouts can enroll in this program.
- rsanders 13y ago
  Unfortunately, at least for the moment an undergrad degree is a prerequisite. More generally, you have to be admitted to Georgia Tech as would any other graduate student. I think there will be quite a few companies willing to pay $7000 in tuition assistance so their employees can get a MS.

kmfrk 13y ago

That Udacity is behind this initiative makes this much, much more exciting to me (I'm not big on the whole MOOC business, but Udacity is different; it's the Khan Academy of MOOCs). I've found them to hold themselves to a very high standard, and as someone who's been right in the middle of education-based experiments gone wrong, this makes me feel a lot more optimistic about this project. Still, I'd recommend people at least let it run for a full one or two years before giving it a shot. The second mouse gets the cheese and all that.

rsanders 13y ago

The cost of a similar master's degree at a university like Georgia Tech can run $40,000. It's not quite the same thing -- watch the video by Charles Isbell on the GT site to hear their differentiation between the "on campus" and online degrees. But it's an amazing value for people who can learn effectively in a MOOC environment and aren't focused on the path into research and academia. The video is also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zihmiLx3Xlk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zihmiLx3Xlk. [edit: added link to video]

pitt1980 13y ago
http://www.bursar.gatech.edu/student/tuition/Fall_2013/Fall13-all_fees.pdf http://www.bursar.gatech.edu/student/tuition/Fall_2013/Fall1... looks more like 60K depending on your in state/out of state status

waterlesscloud 13y ago

The signs are telling me I should cash out my bitcoins and get an online MSCS!

moistgorilla 13y ago

As an undergraduate georgia tech cs student. I wish this was for undergrad degrees also. At least I will be able to get a cheap masters degree.

rayiner 13y ago
As a former undergraduate Georgia Tech student, I really would've appreciated the opportunity to do my degree in this format. At the time I was faced with the choice of dropping out and diving into my job at a startup full-time, or staying in school and working only during the summers and losing the ability to take a really important role in the company. The ability to keep working on my degree online might have changed how I approached the choice.
- moistgorilla 13y ago
  Honestly, while it sucks that I can't take advantage of what will probably happen in the future (undergrad degrees in this format). I can't say i'm not proud to be going there after hearing about this. I'm happy that this will be an option for our future. Hopefully it's successful and affects all areas of study.
libria 13y ago
You also save $700/year by not needing a parking pass.

rayiner 13y ago

I think Georgia Tech is just the right kind of partner for something like this. Solid name recognition to give credibility to the degree, but not one that's so steeped in exclusivity that it might be compromised by association with the online format. And the pricing, $7,000, is spot-on for what this offers.

manglav 13y ago

I'm so happy to see this - it's a sign of progress of the education system, and it gives me so much relief to see that someone gets it at the top of the education totem pole. I discussed this with a master's degree student a few years ago, because the cost (especially for computer science, no labs) seemed too low to ignore. I will sign up for this as soon as possible. Also, having a master's in Comp Sci will really help me have a shot for all these software eng. positions I keep applying to as a chemical engineer. Can anyone tell me how Georgia Tech ranks/is thought of for Computer Science? I know the article says "among the best", but I would rather ask HN.

ics 13y ago
Georgia Tech has an excellent reputation for engineering (and consequently CS, but I roam in different circles so no specific details), but I'm sure there are much more qualified people here to tell you the same thing. They are not Stanford or MIT– they're the ramblin' wreck! ;) For arbitrary reference, they're ranked #10 by USN&WR: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/computer-science-rankings http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-gradu...
gt565k 13y ago
It usually ranks top 10 in CS for undergrad. It might be in top 5 for graduate school. The robotics lab at GT's College of Computing is insane.
- otoburb 13y ago
  >The robotics lab at GT's College of Computing is insane. Right there is one of several reasons where having physical access to College of Computing facilities (e.g. robotics labs) would help justify the cost of the full on-campus MS degree program, as differentiated from an OMS where you may only have remote access to a subset of CoC facilities (e.g. compute clusters). EDIT: As per rsander's link posted in this thread[1] GT plans to go from 300 on-campus students to 10,000. Without a corresponding bump in facilities, it would seem that MS student projects would (naturally/obviously!) take priority over OMS projects. More specifically, OMS students may have to be resourceful with the money they're saving and rent/buy their own resources for computationally intensive projects. [1] http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/05/14/georgia-tech-and-udacity-roll-out-massive-new-low-cost-degree-program http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/05/14/georgia-tech-a...

jholman 13y ago

What is AT&T allegedly bringing to the table? Are we assuming that there are people who want to work there, who will view this certification as advancing that goal, is that it? I read the http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ , and found only this hint: Why is AT&T the corporate collaborator for this initiative? As a premier global communications company and a champion for innovation in education, AT&T will provide technology access, connectivity and products at inception, as well as evolving service and platform support. The company will serve on an advisory board and, where appropriate, offer corporate projects for credit, be a source from which Georgia Tech draws curriculum content and guest instructors and offer internship opportunities to select students. AT&T will tap into the program to train its own employees and will recruit graduates. Technology access, connectivity, service and platform support? Aren't those basically solved problems for Udacity? Advisory board? Does GaTech have corporate sponsorship on the advisory board of their other Master's programs, setting curriculum? (Maybe they should, maybe they shouldn't, but I doubt they think they need to.)

rsanders 13y ago
I think the real reason you have AT&T involved is that without that sort of influence, this degree program wouldn't have happened until years later. Universities, and boards of regents, are deeply conservative, risk-averse institutions in some ways. There's also a lot of cost to startup a program like this, and public universities aren't exactly rolling in money right now. Beyond that, a lot of companies have some kind of tuition assistance for graduate degrees, and a lot of companies are having trouble finding skilled talent to begin with. So it's a way to save money and improve recruiting. The business models of companies like Udacity and Coursera are probably going to rely heavily on the hunger of companies the size of AT&T, Google, etc. for a steady supply of trained workers. Somebody's got to pay the bills and make the VCs rich. I like to think of this as shifting part of the cost of the education from the individual to the company that's ultimately benefitting from it. Of course, one might worry about some unspecified negative influence from the corporate sponsors, but in this incredibly transparent educational environment, such influences would be pretty obvious and self-defeating.
michaelrbock 13y ago

timtamboy63 13y ago

On one hand, I think it's ridiculously awesome that Tech's doing this. Our CoC department is incredibly innovative, and one of the only administrative departments that recognize the need for innovation. However, I wonder if this would devalue a degree from Georgia Tech. You'd obviously have a lot more people taking the course than you would if it wasn't an MOOC. Thoughts?

peterlongnguyen 13y ago
Seems like it's explicitly designated "Online Masters" OMS as opposed to simply a regular degree you could complete online, so they're still separating it from the B&M degree. While I feel like this is a step in the right direction for online education, the fact that this has the online designation plus its availability to a much, much wider audience seems like it would be a temporary setback in the eyes of employers.
- untog 13y ago
  I do wonder what the immigration repercussion of this is, too. I've often considered taking a Masters simply because it would make it easier for me to stay in the US.
  - rsanders 13y ago
    From the Inside Higher Ed article I linked elsewhere: > Galil and Bras both said they did not think the Udacity partnership would cannibalize its existing master’s degree program. They said the residential college experience would still appeal to students who are on a Ph.D. track, who want a full range of career services and who want visas to live in the United States while they study.
    - otoburb 13y ago
      Nice find. This adds more weight to the idea that the "online" designation was carefully thought out to avoid immigration quagmires.
13y ago

rietta 13y ago

Wow! As a Georgia Tech alumni with a MS from the College of Computing, I approve of this development!

Inebas 13y ago

I like this development. I went to GT for both bachelors and Masters but with BME and ECE, respectively. However, I am doing web development at a startup. I wonder how this OMS course would impact me and others in similar situations.

ghc 13y ago

This is a great development. I'm proud of my alma mater for doing this, and I think Georgia Tech is just the right institution to pull it off (in partnership with Udacity, of course).

Sindrome 13y ago

I take it this degree will be accredited by the same body that administers Georgia Tech. Has anyone heard otherwise?

waterlesscloud 13y ago
It doesn't directly say that, though they do say it's a degree from an accredited institution, which is likely intended to mean the same thing.
caw 13y ago
From the FAQ: This program has been approved at every relevant level of the University System of Georgia, up to and including the Board of Regents.
rsanders 13y ago
I can ask about that (my wife works at GT PE), but this video implies a pretty strong equivalence. The relevant part is right at the beginning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zihmiLx3Xlk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zihmiLx3Xlk

johngalt 13y ago

I'm surprised they started with a masters, but I guess it makes sense. They are only targeting people who've already gone through an accredited degree program. Makes the program more likely to be taken seriously. Udacity already issues credit for a fewer lower level classes via SJSU. I wonder how soon the gap will be closed and a whole online degree available.

cloverich 13y ago
> They are only targeting people who've already gone through an accredited degree program. Makes the program more likely to be taken seriously. I think not only that, but also allows the curriculum to be more focused. Likely they weren't prepared to throw in all the non-major related classes that typically go with an undergraduate degree. Its a great start.
sonoffett 13y ago
I think you'll be surprised about what degrees are actually "accredited" and what ones are not. For example, UCSD, Princeton and Cal Tech do not have ABET accredited C{S,E} degrees.
- mbreese 13y ago
  Why would I care about ABET accreditation for a CS program? It's not like CS is a regulated field that requires a national standard. That would be like complaining that a schools History department isn't accredited. For things like medicine, professional engineering, legal, etc... I care that those degrees are from accredited programs, but not CS. What I do care about is that the school itself is accredited and legally allowed to confer degrees. For what it's worth: CalTech does have ABET accredited programs in Chemical, Mechanical, and Electrical engineering. So, they must not feel that ABET accreditation offers much for a CS program.
  - sonoffett 13y ago
    I misread the FAQ, it's the institution and not the degree that they care is accredited. > Why would I care about ABET accreditation for a CS program? I'm not sure why someone would care (some people do though). ABET does not offer accreditation to history departments (now there's a controversial idea). I found the fact that these institutions do not have them as an interesting curiosity.

fiatmoney 13y ago

The fact that they qualify it as an "online master of science" makes it significantly less attractive. It implies they're not willing to put their name & reputation behind its equivalency (in terms of rigor & qualifications of outgoing students) to an offline degree.

rsanders 13y ago
Yeah, I find that a little wishy-washy, too. I guess that's part of the buying decision you have to make -- are you willing to risk the lesser cachet for the convenience and affordability? I'd do it in a second, but then I'm probably the target audience (other than not having completed my BS). I'm almost 40 years old, with a wife and child, and the flexibility is crucial to me. This isn't an alternative to a traditional MS program; the traditional MS just isn't even an option for me. I see it as a way to get credit for the MOOC work I'm already doing for fun and fulfillment.
- otoburb 13y ago
  +1 to your points except the one about the "Online" in OMS being wishy-washy. I propose that this was not just a way to appease administrators, but is a pilot program that other institutions will be closely observing. If institutions can persuade students to accept an Oxx designation (online prefix), then administrations are modelling that they can not only increase revenues based on free MOOC numbers, but simultaneously protect on-campus degree branding. I am guessing that many online/distance-learning degrees are conferred without making it clear that the degree was earned in this way. Although this is great for students, I'm sure this causes angst in administrations for fear of brand dilution and obvious revenue threats. The O-prefix would be a great experiment to see if it sticks. As rsanders said, this really appeals to a certain demographic (older, family/multiple jobs, flexibility, striking distance of employee tuition assistance programs, etc). I am part of that demographic and am sorely tempted to sign up. One unintended benefit of reducing the cost of such degrees is that it will become (much?) more common for people to hold multiple graduate degrees, which may help offset the perceived 'weakness' of the O- designation.
  - 13y ago

jurassic 13y ago

This is a huge step in the right direction, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm disappointed about the BS in CS requirement. Plenty of people with BS degrees in other technical fields probably could pass a fair placement/entry examination given the chance.

aweb 13y ago
Apparently you can try to apply with another kind of BS : "Formal admission into the OMS CS program will require a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from an accredited institution, or a related Bachelor of Science degree with a possible need to take and pass remedial courses"
- gee_totes 13y ago
  I wonder if you can get in with just a BA.
  - laughfactory 13y ago
    I imagine that it comes down to demonstrated (or expressed) ability, acumen, motivation, and interest. But it depends on how heavily they lean on their heuristics. If you're interested I wouldn't let your fear that they won't accept BA's stop you from applying. I have a BS in Economics and am currently enrolled in a Master's in Computer Science. I mention that because I know there are plenty of BA in Economics programs around...and I can't imagine they differ that much from the program I graduated in.
    - icelancer 13y ago
      BS Econ to BS CS is exceedingly common, though. Not so much for, say, East Asian Arts.
  - wilfra 13y ago
    I am starting an MS in CS program in the fall (not at GT) and I just have a BA. They let me in, however I have to take a full academic year of remedial courses first[1]. I would imagine they will do something like that. [1]Calculus 1 and 2, Intro to Programming, Data Structures, Foundations of CS, Intro to Computer Systems, Intro to Computer Organization, Algorithms and Data Structures, Structures of Programming Languages, Introduction to Finite Automata, Introduction to Operating Systems. P.S. Anybody know where I can learn any of the above online cheap or free? If I learn it elsewhere I can test out of the classes.

petercooper 13y ago

I'm taking an "online" (distance learning, really) MSc in software engineering here in the UK and it'll cost about $11000 or so all in, so this is especially great value given it's the US.

icewater 13y ago
What school are you going through if you don't mind me asking. Thanks.

pradeep89 13y ago

This would be more useful to US students than outside students. Although we can get high quality education, in the end people need jobs, may be high paying jobs and H1B is still big hurdle !

fpp 13y ago

This all sounds really great and is definitely a step into the direction to make higher education more accessible - a few side notes (for those getting too excited) (1) There have been quite a few online learning (aka distance learning) degree courses from reputable universities for some time. For MSc / Master degrees until recently they all required at least some in-person workshops (normally 1 week long - for a MSc in the UK afak 6-8 sometimes 12 weeks over 2 years). These workshops were there for the benefit of the students (networking, group work / access to profs in person, socializing, campus feeling etc.) and various other requirements (e.g. degree requirements). The outcome of these degree programs was normally the same degree that you would have received for taking all courses on campus. (2) All universities that have offered online degrees without in-person workshops in the past differentiate / protect their higher priced and more strongly access-limited on-campus degrees by providing different degrees - GaTech does the same here - after successfully completing this course you will receive an OMS in CS from GaTech not a MS in CS from GaTech. It is to be seen if this will be received differently in the industry (as this was with such degrees in the past) or we finally are getting to a change here. (3) The course will start Fall 2014. I would be surprised if EdX and/or Coursera will not soon announce something similar. (4) From the FaQ it looks like ATT is sponsoring the course creation etc. with US$2M.

vasyainv 13y ago
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign had an online Master's in CS as far back as 2001, I believe you had to drive down to campus for tests, though
- rsanders 13y ago
  Georgia Tech already has a distance learning MS in CSE, but not a general MS CS. And I believe the cost is rather higher than this. http://www.cseprograms.gatech.edu/distancelearning http://www.cseprograms.gatech.edu/distancelearning
- rjbez17 13y ago
  Now you can go to local places that proctor the test. A few co-workers are doing this now from Minneapolis, going to a community college to take the tests. Also, it costs about $7k a year assuming you are taking one class a semester for 4.5 years.

jskonhovd 13y ago

The following is the current admissions requirements from GT for there MSCS. I wonder how well this is going to translate for the OMS. http://www.cc.gatech.edu/future/masters/mscs/admissions http://www.cc.gatech.edu/future/masters/mscs/admissions

thorum 13y ago

As an undergraduate student, this makes me wonder if I should just hold off on getting a B.S. entirely until I can do it through Udacity.

sidcool 13y ago

How would this be valued by the Employers?

Omnipresent 13y ago

This is truly revolutionary. I can't wait for this show to get on the road. The FAQs don't mention a requirement of a GRE or other standardized exam for formal admission. Does anyone know if that is likely to change in future (I hope not)?

rsanders 13y ago
Apparently the GRE will not be a requirement. From http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/05/14/georgia-tech-and-udacity-roll-out-massive-new-low-cost-degree-program http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/05/14/georgia-tech-a...: > The second type of student will be “prospective degree-seeking” students who will be admitted to the program tentatively because they will not have to take the GRE as other applicants do. If they do well in two core classes, Georgia Tech will put them on the degree track. The university expects to enroll 2,000 such students in the next three years.

rsanders 13y ago

I wish I'd had this article to post instead. It has some detailed information about the cost of a traditional MS in CS (the online version is "one sixth the cost"), revenue share with Udacity, admission requirements, and a lot more. http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/05/14/georgia-tech-and-udacity-roll-out-massive-new-low-cost-degree-program

pyvek 13y ago

I'm so very happy about this. But I'm still wondering why they decided to launch a masters course as opposed to bachelor? And I hope they provide an option for people without bachelor degree take this course (perhaps with entrance test of some kind?).

laughfactory 13y ago

I'm going to apply as soon as they open the gates. I've been "attending" a different, more average, online MS in Computer Science but find the thought of imminently affordable tuition and Georgia Tech quality very appealing.

Hortinstein 13y ago
what program are you currently in?

codeonfire 13y ago

"At present, around 160,000 master’s degrees are bestowed in the United States every year in computer science and related subject disciplines" Computer science is 7,426, so what are the other 152,574 degrees in?

laughfactory 13y ago
Humanities? Now THOSE degrees are a waste of money.

deepGem 13y ago

"Do applicants need to take the GRE? No." This is just great.

nsxwolf 13y ago

I would only be interested in this if I knew how an MS would improve my income, and I don't see how it would.

k2xl 13y ago

Gt alum here. Gt is a great school, but who says that is a forecast of how well an online class will be? Online classes have been around for about a decade now. But i cant see how taking a class online from Georgia Tech aint gonna be different than taking an online class from another university. The benefits of getting a CS degree at a university is gaining that physical connection with the professors. There isn't going to be a single thing these online classes will have that you wouldn't be able to find online yourself or at another online course at another institution. But what you miss is the personal interaction with the professors and students - something you can't get from an online chat room. Especially at Masters level - where your interaction with professors is much closer. This is a step in the wrong direction. If this was for a BS, I could understand. Especially because it gives access to those who don't have access to that education. But the real benefit of higher education is the personal connections IMO. There isn't really any additional "knowledge" CS pieces that is taught at MIT and not at a normal university. what separates universities is those personal connections with the faculty and the community. At GT (I received a BS in Computational Media), the real value came from the people - individual connections that help pave your way through career choices and research topics. I mean come on, what's next? PhD in CS with 3000 other students? Defending your thesis to a random professor thousands of miles away who you only have email contact?

vasyainv 13y ago
You have a point, but you are also missing the point. Quite a few people who could benefit from a formal Master's program in CS which is also from a competitive University, may not have the time due to career and family to attend classes full time. But this way they can still get their education
- k2xl 13y ago
  But that isn't what a masters degree is about. If you have a career and family to take care of and don't have time to go to classes, you probably don't have time to commit to a masters degree. And again there is no evidence that an online class from Georgia Tech would be any better than an online classes from anywhere else. Georgia Tech is reputable because of the faculty and research. How does that correlate to online classes?

fuzzythinker 13y ago

I want to know if they allow transfer of graduate courses/units taken at another university (hopefully yes).

callmeed 13y ago

Does anyone know of decent online BS CS programs?

karpodiem 13y ago
I've been long for a long time, and have yet to find anything. I really hope Udacity/another MOOC offers a BS in CS at some point.

Hortinstein 13y ago

> We anticipate opening enrollment for matriculation during Fall 2014 My heart sank a little, I have been looking for something like this forever and was planning on applying today after I read the press release. I joined the mailing list and may even contact the admissions office for the B&M College of Computing to see if there are any pilot programs I could apply to. I am currently in Tokyo for work and finding a decent place online to continue my education in computer science has been difficult. Just set aside $7,000 in a new checking account for the associated fees. This is the most exciting thing I have seen on HN in a while, awesome time to be a Computer Scientist!

auctiontheory 13y ago

This is a great start, but it seems to me that in the current environment (at least in the US) an MS CS is pretty redundant for students who already have a BS CS. Traditionally the MS CS has been more popular with prospective software engineers who lack a formal CS credential. Let's see how flexible Georgia Tech is on its admissions requirement of a "related Bachelor of Science degree." I expect this program will be a big hit with non-US students who want a US credential.

joezhou 13y ago

Do i get a discount for being alum?

sivanmz 13y ago

This is interesting, a lot to ponder. Will $7000 seem reasonable once hordes of graduates hit the market and commoditize the profession? Or is CS a good fit for only a limited number of people, regardless of price? It's fascinating that this field, which is difficult because it requires precision, lends itself so practically to automatic grading online. As exciting as MOOCs are, will we be bound to use them in what's left of our free time just to keep up?

axomhacker 13y ago

From http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/faq/ > How will you guarantee academic honesty? > All exams are proctored using national proctoring standards. We have access to 4,500 physical proctoring facilities and are working with online proctoring institutions. Does this mean it won't be available outside the US ("national proctoring standards")? Or does this mean appearing at prometric-style centers for the tests? I for one do not love taking tests in the alien environment of such centers (especially computer-science related tests), from my experience with various certifications.

throwaway1979 13y ago

It's actually a dark day: 1) Until now, the majority of University-affiliated MOOCs have been free. This just changed. 2) I find it immensely frustrating that as CS people, we are lowering the bar for what it means to have a Masters degree in our field. I'd be happy with this sort of activity if it was being done in all other fields uniformly and/or we had unions representing CS workers. Unions, in principal aren't bad ... they are possibly the only way to protect older workers for example. I used to love the CS field because it always felt like a truly meritocracy. As I get older, I realize it is not. Let me make a third, controversial, and somewhat ungrounded statement: 3) MOOCs will kill CS research. Already CS research is in deep trouble. Exceedingly few private companies fund basic CS research. Academia was the last haven (if you can call it a haven - it was sad seeing the line of professors quitting their jobs to work for Google, and getting a pay raise and increase in respect for it). Govts exceedingly don't want to pay for basic research these days. Undergrad teaching used to be the way academics supported themselves. This is going the way of the dodo. But we are improving the lot of the CS undergrad you say! True .. but tell me what the poor grad student (who actually wants to get a PhD with the romantic notion of advancing the state of the art) going to do to support him/herself financially?

rsanders 13y ago
First off, the MOOCs associated with this degree will still be free. The degree is not. The change here is that a) an entire MS worth of course material (and the systems to support it) from a respected institution are being created, b) the actual (O)MS degree just became a great deal less expensive. It remains to be seen whether this lowers the bar or merely opens up more opportunities. I don't think education is a zero sum game. And while there may be a glut of PhDs, there is a shortage of employees with the advanced knowledge and skills in demand now. That's why e.g. AT&T is pushing this program. While the union issue and age discrimination are interesting and important topics, CS graduates don't have a lot to complain about economically. The field has maintained high employment and excellent compensation during recent times when many other professions suffered greatly. Now, at 40 I don't expect to get funded by Y Combinator because I've almost certainly suffered crippling age-related innovation dementia, but there are plenty of employers that don't think that way. There have been several articles posted here about the glut of PhDs versus available faculty positions. And actual instruction is a pretty small part of what full professors are expected to do. If you aren't pulling in research grants, your career is on a weak trajectory. So the problem was already there, and I don't think this seriously affects it one way or the other. One might hope that making education available and practical to many more people at much lower costs might actually help advance the field, both within and without the ivory tower.

mikevm 13y ago

Does anyone know Georgia Tech's CS MS curriculum?

rsanders 13y ago
It's described here: http://www.cc.gatech.edu/future/masters/mscs/program http://www.cc.gatech.edu/future/masters/mscs/program The OMS won't initially have all the same courses (or specializations?), but the plan according to one of the GT videos is to reach approximate parity over time.
- mikevm 13y ago
  Thanks. I can't wait to hear more on the admission process. Will they require a certain GPA? Will they need recommendation letters (as they do now)?

izztmzzt 13y ago

I have a BBA, and would have hoped the requirements for the Masters course would have at least offered some way to let other majors apply. Limiting it to only BS majors will limit the participation of a large group of their current users. I guess the next thing they need to add is a undergrad in CS or something else to help bridge the gap.

karpodiem 13y ago
We're in similar situations - I have a BA but would love to do a CS undergrad degree online. Most of the community college/online programs out there consist of IT courses with a few CS courses mixed in. Which is no where near the curriculum of a traditional CS program. I really hope that someone offers an undergraduate CS degree online at some point.

danielharan 13y ago

Awesome. Did anyone else wonder how much it would cost to live on beaches of South-East Asia or some other cheap and sunny locale while doing this?

nobrains 13y ago

From the PR announcement: "Initial enrollment will be limited to a few hundred students recruited from AT&T and Georgia Tech corporate affiliates."