Why I'm Getting A Master's In Computer Science

One question I unsurprisingly get when others learn I'm working towards a master's degree in Computer Science is, "what do you plan on doing with it?" There are many variations of this question such as, "will that open any doors for you?" I think at the heart of all these questions is "why?" Why would a reasonably successful software engineer get a master's degree? They obviously don't need it since they're successful already. Why get another degree.

Honestly, that's a tough question. I'm not sure I have a "good" answer for it. I'm not sure I fully understand why I'm getting a master's degree either. I know that growing up I always wanted to earn one. My dad got an MBA and there's something about the "master" thing that just seemed cool to my young mind. But why me? Why now?

Why now is a pretty easy question to answer. It's easier to do school earlier in life than later. It's more difficult to return to school the longer you stay out of it. So, instead of waiting to gain more experience, I decided to return to school just over a year after graduating with an undergraduate degree.

But why do I want a degree? I'm not sure. I know I'll end up earning more, but money isn't a huge motivator for me. I think there are two main reasons I'm seeking a master's degree. First is because I want to learn. The second is that I hope it opens some doors either sooner or more easily than it would have otherwise.

My first reason is one reason why I'm in this industry. I love to learn. Knowledge is the only possession that is truly ours and that we can take with us no matter where we go. The more knowledge we have, the better. I also want to learn more because I don't think I know a lot. I work with some truly exceptional people and feel like a low-man on the totem pole in regards to my knowledge. I want to learn more so I feel like I have more to contribute. I also want to learn more to improve the value I can add to whatever job I have or so that I can better help those around me.

The second reason is more of a speculative one. I don't know exactly where my career will take me or what positions I'll fill down the road, but I know I won't be in my current position forever. I'm hoping that having a great set of work experience as well as a valuable degree will be a differentiator for me in the jobs I seek in the future.

So, while I may not have any specific plans for my career upon getting a master's degree, I do have a few reasons for getting one. Those reasons are my love for learning and my hope to move into bigger and better things in the future. As for what those bigger and better things will be, only time will tell.


For those interested in the degree program, it's the OMS CS Program from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

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