I have a question that’s been on my mind for a while.
I want to break into the web-dev field, for now.
I’m currently in the process of getting my bachelor’s degree in economics.
I recently started learning to program, and I like it.
So my question is: is it a good idea to continue my studies with a CS Master or not?
My thinking goes like this: if I have a CS Master’s degree then I would have bigger chances of getting employed as a programmer. Also, I think that I would have a better grasp of the subject matter if I dove into it as an actual student.
I know that there are lots of stories about people getting hired without a degree, especially in the web development field. But, I want to get employed in Germany, where many things, including employment, are often based on certificates. And I want to give myself a chance if I ever want to go to the software development route or data analysis.
And since I’m not from Germany, I figured I would have a better chance of getting employed over a native if I had a Master’s degree.
For the record: a Master’s degree in my country takes 2 years to complete.
if you can get in, and if you have the economic support/stability and not need a job right or can balance with an other job etc - if you have the chance
you are right, a related degree make it easier to get the job
plus, if you are interested in data science a degree in economics should also have given you that pinch of statistics necessary for the field
yeah i think it’s a good idea as long as you minimize the cost. i remember going to school with a guy from greece who said he had the option to go get his masters in Germany for nearly free, but he went to the u.s. and paid full tuition…
Hey, im completely self taught, and I’ve been doing this professionally for 2 years now. You can follow this path, too. There is no inherent need for a degree. And yes, a large part of what I’ve learned was from FCC, or other free resources. In fact, I paid nothing in my education.
FWIW: I’m also interested in going to Germany for Dev, and from what I’ve seen and heard, you just need the resume/portfolio and you will get interviews. There is a huge skills shortage and they will fast track you in if you are skilled enough. I hear Berlin is bumpin.
Yes, they are strict about certificates. But dev is a different animal. If you specifically want the EU blue card, then Yes, the masters is necessary. If you simply want to go to Germany to do dev work, just apply. The Netherlands is easy for US citizens too(Dutch American friendship treaty)
Now, this is also contingent on what you want to do. I’m in web dev, and I know people at work with CS masters, and they are no better than me in react/node even though they can do algorithms with ease…because they don’t teach web dev skills in school. Alternatively, if you want to learn about embedded systems, or deeper theory, or AI or ML, yea get the degree. But if you want to just be a code monkey and have a job at a startup, it’s really not a necessity. You just need to nail interviews and stay current, speak proficiently etc.
Fair warning: self taught is definitely harder. People were, and still are, very skeptical of me. But all that means is that I need to be solid in the interviews, and so far I’ve gotten all the jobs I’ve interviewed for. you can live that life too. It’s just a bit of a grind at first. It’s a lot easier now, promise.
Feel free to reach out, I’ll gladly dialogue more with you. Hope this helps and good luck.
P.s. why not kill two birds with one stone and get the master in Germany…?
Thankfully, I’m already from the EU, so I don’t have to worry about a visa.
Regarding your question. Since I am finishing my bachelor in Economics, it would be extremely difficult for me to be accepted at a Master’s in CS in Germany.
I’m from eastern europe, where all you need for a Master’s is a decently high grade and a few projects so you show you have interest in the domain. That’s the usual case, but there are also Master’s that specifically target students with bachelor’s in totally different domains.
In western Europe, Germany specifically, it is not nearly as easy, from what I can gather from the internet.
I am curious, do they accept based on experience in the field? I could see you getting a position at a startup for a couple of years before getting the masters as well? Or are they really that strict that you simply cannot without the relevant bachelors?
Id be curious how you might be perceived if you finish this free ‘degree’. Its not a real degree, but its basically the same content: https://github.com/ossu/computer-science
Well, it largely depends on the university you’re applying to. Generally, all CS universities require at least a few classes in the field of informatics in you’re bachelor studies.
That being said, if you did an apprenticeship for a few years, its also possible to be accepted. Also, it might, or might not, be possible to be accepted based on experience, I didn’t do any research regarding that.
Regarding that free “degree”, this is just my opinion, but I don’t think it would count for anything, even though it might be as good as an official CS degree.
Also, some universities allow students from unrelated bachelor fields to take an exam. And as long as you pass it with a high enough grade, you’re set. Granted, that’s what I’m currently seeing in Romania, where I live, I don’t know whether that’s the case in other European countries.
for my masters here in Italy I had to present a CV, a motivational letter, and if I wouldn’t have had enough credits on the core materials there would have been an exam too
