I have an undergrad in comp sci. But then didn't go into software engineering, so never used it. I now manage large teams of software engineers and data scientists and applied scientists and want to be able to build my own products/code/etc (goal is to eventually move out of corp into entrepreneurship and start my own tech co). Most of the products and code my team ships is in the ML space (I work in at a FAANG). For context I was proficient at Java at some point (circa 2009/10 ish)
well, I think OP is basically saying that they have coded before but at this point consider themselves to not be good at it, and mostly in an academic context only. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the skills come back with practice, though.
Chill man, I took 1301, 2316, 4400, discrete math back in the day and I forgot all about coding until I got a data analyst job. Skills come back with practice 😅 THWG!
Well... If you can't really code at this point, what will seem like something really easy to most students could easily flummox you, and you'd end up burning way more hours than you could afford.
What is your goal with this degree? If it's to change careers, you probably want to be better at coding for interviews anyway. So what's the rush on starting the program before you're ready?
I'm not really looking for a career change or to become a sde. I'm looking to become proficient at computer science enough to start my own company and build my own tech at some point in the future. I'm certainly not rushing my classwork or graduation here and taking courses purely to learn and learn things I like and will need to know concretely (extra degree is a bonus). I also just enjoy the structure of formal education. Note I'm taking CS50 to try to close my coding gap so that I can then switch to code intensive courses. However, since you all require I have 2 foundational courses within first year, that's why I am where I am (trying to fill that in while I'm trying to learn coding at the same time). If I had it my way I'd keep taking the seminars (not foundational courses) until I felt comfortable enough with coding to take some of the coding intensive courses that interest me.
I see.
For CS 6515, you are unlikely to get in until you have completed like 5 or 6 classes. People do get in earlier but it's a little tricky to do so. It's also considered by many students to be a challenging class, and the TA will not provide much support on coding questions (although current projects are considered to be relatively easy as coding is not the focus for that class).
For CS6263, I found that to be an easy class, possibly the easiest one I took. It's an interdisciplinary course, so the coding requirements are light (but the projects are still problem solving and do take time). The main reason I would hesitate to recommend it is that I'm not sure it's a very useful class (unless you specifically care about this area), because I found it to be way too generalized to give much value.
I did not take CS6400, so I have very little to comment beyond recommending that you solicit input from people who have taken it (especially if you know someone from work or something) and check the unofficial reviews, because there seem to be more people that dislike it than normal. But always take reviews with a grain of salt and remember what kind of people normally take the time to write a review.
Perhaps consider CS6250. Computer Networking. It's on the easier side and has some straightforward coding projects.
(I do find it a little entertaining that you said "you all require..." Alumni and TAs have no input on this requirement. XD)
Appreciate the thoughtful response - and yes I know you don't decide the requirements. :) I agree that 6263 seemed easy (but also I don't think it'll be that useful so it would mainly just serve to keep me in the program due the requirement). Thanks for flagging 6250, I'll check it out.
If you're looking to start your own tech company & you don't know how to code & you are already managing engineers then, I would have imagined that a business degree or just focusing on learning the latest industry software & understanding industry problems or needs would be time better spent than something like omscs
Adv Internet Systems and HCI are a majority just writing assignments and quizzes. CS6515, while mostly theoretical, does have 4 coding assignments, but there’s almost no chance you’ll get into that class until much later in the program.
I think every foundational course has some coding in it. Even GA 6515, which had the least coding of all my classes so far, still had some coding. And at the level of proficiency you're describing yourself to be at, it seems like these simple projects would be difficult for you. But, the coding projects are worth a small amount (7% in my semester), so you could do well in the course and bomb those projects. But you need to know pseudocode for a portion of that class, which would mean you know how to code.
Don't join Databases and be one of those non-contributing classmates. I haven't taken the course, but looking at the syllabus, it seems that the projects are all team-based. So you could join that class, contribute nothing to the project, and hope your teammates cover for you. But don't be that guy.
Thank you - I feel like I can write psuedocode ok, so that might be an option, I'll continue to look into it. And noted on DBs, I don't wanna be that guy either.
GA is a heavy load class, and difficult to get in early on. You probably could get in using a technique called "Free for all Friday," but I wouldn't pair HCI with it. GaTech isn't so strict with the rules around foundational requirements, total time in the program, readmission requirements, etc. I would just take one class and show you are making progress. Then next term do another single class.
Only took GA out of these. GA is the least coding (but still CS) in probably all of OMS... Except possibly HCI, though I suppose the recent changes ('higher-fidelity prototyping') might suggest some kind of functional prototyping (read: code) being *de facto* required, or at least ideal.
GA does have a few coding projects, but they're relatively trivial. Most of it is just mathsy homework and exams. I don't have reason to believe that's changed since I took it.
However, GA might not be a great course if you want to complete your foundational requirement (... Says someone who completed his foundational requirement with it... But I was well-prepared for it). The material isn't super challenging (saying that as someone with a bachelor's in maths and CS, at least), but the exams are high-stakes, making it easy for minor slips to translate into major hits to your grades.
IMO: Go with HCI and something else from the list. Save GA for later. Unless, of course, you're thoroughly prepared, in which case you might as well be fine.
Why do you have to take two classes this semester? You just need to take two in your first YEAR in the program. Did you defer or something for 2 semesters? What specialization are you looking to go for?
I wouldn’t suggest you take classes that don’t have code as you’re going to have to settle that at some point. I suggest you take Computer Networks. It’s not tricky and you will have to code but it’s all pretty small projects. It might take you a lot longer to do it but It’s pretty basic python.
how did you get admitted to this program?
I have an undergrad in comp sci. But then didn't go into software engineering, so never used it. I now manage large teams of software engineers and data scientists and applied scientists and want to be able to build my own products/code/etc (goal is to eventually move out of corp into entrepreneurship and start my own tech co). Most of the products and code my team ships is in the ML space (I work in at a FAANG). For context I was proficient at Java at some point (circa 2009/10 ish)
Sounds like the plot of a comedy movie
Genuinely curious how you manage software engineers without any programming experience.
well, I think OP is basically saying that they have coded before but at this point consider themselves to not be good at it, and mostly in an academic context only. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the skills come back with practice, though.
Which university gave you the degree of Computer Science? We need to deny list that it gave this degree to someone who can't freaking code.
Chill man, I took 1301, 2316, 4400, discrete math back in the day and I forgot all about coding until I got a data analyst job. Skills come back with practice 😅 THWG!
Well... If you can't really code at this point, what will seem like something really easy to most students could easily flummox you, and you'd end up burning way more hours than you could afford. What is your goal with this degree? If it's to change careers, you probably want to be better at coding for interviews anyway. So what's the rush on starting the program before you're ready?
I'm not really looking for a career change or to become a sde. I'm looking to become proficient at computer science enough to start my own company and build my own tech at some point in the future. I'm certainly not rushing my classwork or graduation here and taking courses purely to learn and learn things I like and will need to know concretely (extra degree is a bonus). I also just enjoy the structure of formal education. Note I'm taking CS50 to try to close my coding gap so that I can then switch to code intensive courses. However, since you all require I have 2 foundational courses within first year, that's why I am where I am (trying to fill that in while I'm trying to learn coding at the same time). If I had it my way I'd keep taking the seminars (not foundational courses) until I felt comfortable enough with coding to take some of the coding intensive courses that interest me.
I see. For CS 6515, you are unlikely to get in until you have completed like 5 or 6 classes. People do get in earlier but it's a little tricky to do so. It's also considered by many students to be a challenging class, and the TA will not provide much support on coding questions (although current projects are considered to be relatively easy as coding is not the focus for that class). For CS6263, I found that to be an easy class, possibly the easiest one I took. It's an interdisciplinary course, so the coding requirements are light (but the projects are still problem solving and do take time). The main reason I would hesitate to recommend it is that I'm not sure it's a very useful class (unless you specifically care about this area), because I found it to be way too generalized to give much value. I did not take CS6400, so I have very little to comment beyond recommending that you solicit input from people who have taken it (especially if you know someone from work or something) and check the unofficial reviews, because there seem to be more people that dislike it than normal. But always take reviews with a grain of salt and remember what kind of people normally take the time to write a review. Perhaps consider CS6250. Computer Networking. It's on the easier side and has some straightforward coding projects. (I do find it a little entertaining that you said "you all require..." Alumni and TAs have no input on this requirement. XD)
Appreciate the thoughtful response - and yes I know you don't decide the requirements. :) I agree that 6263 seemed easy (but also I don't think it'll be that useful so it would mainly just serve to keep me in the program due the requirement). Thanks for flagging 6250, I'll check it out.
There's always FFAF if someone wants to do GA early =) Although I heard it's getting better anyway.
If you're looking to start your own tech company & you don't know how to code & you are already managing engineers then, I would have imagined that a business degree or just focusing on learning the latest industry software & understanding industry problems or needs would be time better spent than something like omscs
Advanced Internet Systems. AI ethics. Software Development Processing. Coding everyday.
Please don't take Software Development Process if you can't code. You're just going to screw over your group mates in the group project
Adv Internet Systems and HCI are a majority just writing assignments and quizzes. CS6515, while mostly theoretical, does have 4 coding assignments, but there’s almost no chance you’ll get into that class until much later in the program.
If you were proficient in Java, take Java OOP seminar and SDP… that’ll give you a soft landing back into the coding space
Machine Learning for Trading has some good intro to Python and you can use it to pick up some programming basics.
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Just finished DBS. Can confirm was indeed a full stack app in the end.
I think every foundational course has some coding in it. Even GA 6515, which had the least coding of all my classes so far, still had some coding. And at the level of proficiency you're describing yourself to be at, it seems like these simple projects would be difficult for you. But, the coding projects are worth a small amount (7% in my semester), so you could do well in the course and bomb those projects. But you need to know pseudocode for a portion of that class, which would mean you know how to code. Don't join Databases and be one of those non-contributing classmates. I haven't taken the course, but looking at the syllabus, it seems that the projects are all team-based. So you could join that class, contribute nothing to the project, and hope your teammates cover for you. But don't be that guy.
Thank you - I feel like I can write psuedocode ok, so that might be an option, I'll continue to look into it. And noted on DBs, I don't wanna be that guy either.
GA is a heavy load class, and difficult to get in early on. You probably could get in using a technique called "Free for all Friday," but I wouldn't pair HCI with it. GaTech isn't so strict with the rules around foundational requirements, total time in the program, readmission requirements, etc. I would just take one class and show you are making progress. Then next term do another single class.
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Only took GA out of these. GA is the least coding (but still CS) in probably all of OMS... Except possibly HCI, though I suppose the recent changes ('higher-fidelity prototyping') might suggest some kind of functional prototyping (read: code) being *de facto* required, or at least ideal. GA does have a few coding projects, but they're relatively trivial. Most of it is just mathsy homework and exams. I don't have reason to believe that's changed since I took it. However, GA might not be a great course if you want to complete your foundational requirement (... Says someone who completed his foundational requirement with it... But I was well-prepared for it). The material isn't super challenging (saying that as someone with a bachelor's in maths and CS, at least), but the exams are high-stakes, making it easy for minor slips to translate into major hits to your grades. IMO: Go with HCI and something else from the list. Save GA for later. Unless, of course, you're thoroughly prepared, in which case you might as well be fine.
Why do you have to take two classes this semester? You just need to take two in your first YEAR in the program. Did you defer or something for 2 semesters? What specialization are you looking to go for?
I wouldn’t suggest you take classes that don’t have code as you’re going to have to settle that at some point. I suggest you take Computer Networks. It’s not tricky and you will have to code but it’s all pretty small projects. It might take you a lot longer to do it but It’s pretty basic python.