Economics student wanting to do Computer Science Instead

mikemac
Thu, 05 Nov 2020 16:34:38 +0000

I’ve looked into a Masters in CS, but I lack the qualifications due to not having a BS or BA in Comp Sci.

This may be your key at the CSU system. At many of the campuses you can be admitted as a “conditionally classified graduate student” which means you’re in the program but need to make up any deficient classes (for you, this could be much of an undergrad CS program). The admission requirements for graduate study at CSU are pretty much a 2.5 gpa and a bachelor’s degree. Some depts may have additional requirements, but I know someone who got into a MSEE program a few years ago with an Econ undergrad, so it can be done. Check with the CS depts at several CSU to see what they say.

Here are some relevant links:

https://www.csun.edu/graduate-studies/admission-classification-status
https://catalog.csun.edu/policies/admission-to-the-university-for-graduate-programs/
https://catalog.csun.edu/academics/comp/programs/ms-computer-science/

That all said, why the sudden interest in CS? Have you actually been doing programming on your own time? I say this because on the forum interest in CS these days is like what law school or I-banking was a few years ago. An in-demand career and people see it as a path to a good-paying job, giving little heed to whether it’s really a fit for them. Even if you are able to get into CSU as a MS student you’re likely looking at 3+ more years of schooling. And I see that 2 years ago were interested in accounting, what happened with that? http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/2102299-which-uc-csu-is-the-best-for-accounting.html You really need to give some though to this to make sure it isn’t just a “grass is greener on the other side of the fence” notion or a way to punt being out of school & adulthood a few more years down the road.

Rather than just jumping at the first way into CS (if it is right for you) spend time to research every way you can get in. Did you look at data science? Look at CS programs at a CC; in 2 years or less you can earn a AA degree in CS which I believe is possible even if you have a BA already. There are programming schools that have short-term training that they claim leads to good job offers. In CS you get ahead not by waving a diploma, you get ahead with demonstrable skills.