Does one need CERTS if they have a Masters in CS?

[AntMan530]

Just curious...would someone with a masters degree in computer science need a certs to prove themselves?

 

[manly]

Only if their advanced degree is from the University of Phoenix.

 

[Dissipate]

Uh, if you have a master's in computer science you are going to be doing something way beyond that which requires certs (assuming it was from a reputable institution).

 

[Czar]

with a masters you should be doing something that doesnt require certs

but the way I see it, a bs or masters tell alot about the general knowledge

 

[Dissipate]

Interviewer:

"So I see you have spent 7 years getting a master's degree in computer science. But my question is: are you Microsoft Certified?"

Lmao.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: manly
Only if their advanced degree is from the University of Phoenix.

Oh well. Just an associates anyway. Plus, you paid for it. :laugh:

 

[ATLien247]

Well, with a graduate degree alone you'd usually be in the top percentage of candidates being considered for a senior-level job. But then it comes down to what sets you apart from the rest... and that goes for pretty much any type of job.

If two people have a graduate degree, and both have similar knowledge and experience, but only one has a certification that is related to the job for which they're applying, who do you think will get the job?

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: ATLien247
If two people have a graduate degree, and both have similar knowledge and experience, but only one has a certification that is related to the job for which they're applying, who do you think will get the job?

The one who seems more personable, a better team player, and/or will do more to contribute to the company as a whole outside of his strict job definition. When shooting for a job that legitimately requires a graduate degree, it certainly won't be decided on the merits of a certification.

 

[sao123]

This is my personal rant.... but here goes.

I cant stand when people confuse CS/CSE/CE with MS/IS/IT.

If you want a job doing networking & serverrs... (a job for which you want a certification, cisco/mcse) you should not be taking a degree in Computer Science bs, masters or otherwise. Computer Science is for people who want to become software engineers, --programmers in short.

If you want a job doing network & servers... you should take a 2 or 4 year degree in IS, IT, or MS. Then get a certification. Just because you know how to effectively program in java or c, does not make you knowledgeable at routers and servers and network administration.


So, yes you still need a certification.

 

[tami]

computer science != information you acquire when gaining certs.

the difference is that IT is not computer science. computer science is programming and theory, while certifications basically teach you hardware or the ins and outs of OS administration.

this is a very big distinction. sao123 basically summed up my opinion on the matter. unless you want to program or work in grad school doing research all your life, you'll need a certification, especially if you want to be a network engineer or sysadmin.

edit: i got my bachelor's in computer science AND i am certified.

 

[SagaLore]

Yes. Tell me what IS/IT specialty you would like to get into, and I will tell you what cert you should get.

 

[MrChad]

Yes, even people with Masters degrees can have bad breath.

 

[ATLien247]

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: ATLien247
If two people have a graduate degree, and both have similar knowledge and experience, but only one has a certification that is related to the job for which they're applying, who do you think will get the job?

The one who seems more personable, a better team player, and/or will do more to contribute to the company as a whole outside of his strict job definition. When shooting for a job that legitimately requires a graduate degree, it certainly won't be decided on the merits of a certification.

Good luck with finding that out before hiring someone...

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: ATLien247

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: ATLien247
If two people have a graduate degree, and both have similar knowledge and experience, but only one has a certification that is related to the job for which they're applying, who do you think will get the job?

The one who seems more personable, a better team player, and/or will do more to contribute to the company as a whole outside of his strict job definition. When shooting for a job that legitimately requires a graduate degree, it certainly won't be decided on the merits of a certification.

Good luck with finding that out before hiring someone...

It's called skilled, thorough interviewing.

 

[ATLien247]

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: ATLien247

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: ATLien247
If two people have a graduate degree, and both have similar knowledge and experience, but only one has a certification that is related to the job for which they're applying, who do you think will get the job?

The one who seems more personable, a better team player, and/or will do more to contribute to the company as a whole outside of his strict job definition. When shooting for a job that legitimately requires a graduate degree, it certainly won't be decided on the merits of a certification.

Good luck with finding that out before hiring someone...

It's called skilled, thorough interviewing.

And what's the turnover rate after such an ideal?

 

[Leper Messiah]

IMO certs> Degree. By the time you have your masters in CS, i've got 6 years of job exp and about eleventy billion certs. Real World Exp is more impressive than a degree.

 

[Rickten]

Originally posted by: Leper Messiah
IMO certs> Degree. By the time you have your masters in CS, i've got 6 years of job exp and about eleventy billion certs. Real World Exp is more impressive than a degree.

not to reputable firms such as intel or microsoft. They want to see degrees.

 

[Leper Messiah]

Originally posted by: Rickten

Originally posted by: Leper Messiah
IMO certs> Degree. By the time you have your masters in CS, i've got 6 years of job exp and about eleventy billion certs. Real World Exp is more impressive than a degree.

not to reputable firms such as intel or microsoft. They want to see degrees.

For IT work mind you. Its kinda hard to get a Chip design cert or a C++ cert. And I'm going by what my boss tells me. We're the best IT business in the area, so I guess hes doing something right...

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Leper Messiah
IMO certs> Degree. By the time you have your masters in CS, i've got 6 years of job exp and about eleventy billion certs. Real World Exp is more impressive than a degree.

It really depends on what kind of job you're trying to get.

Employers looking to hire Managers will value the degree more. Employers looking to hire technical staff will value the certs more.

 

[ATLien247]

Originally posted by: Leper Messiah
IMO certs> Degree. By the time you have your masters in CS, i've got 6 years of job exp and about eleventy billion certs. Real World Exp is more impressive than a degree.

That's a pretty blanket statement...

What about the guy who's taking night classes towards his graduate degree while working full time? He'll have his degree and work experience, and you'll have your certifications and work experience. Now what?

Certifications are nothing more than diversification.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: sao123
If you want a job doing networking & serverrs... (a job for which you want a certification, cisco/mcse) you should not be taking a degree in Computer Science bs, masters or otherwise. Computer Science is for people who want to become software engineers, --programmers in short.

If you want a job doing network & servers... you should take a 2 or 4 year degree in IS, IT, or MS. Then get a certification. Just because you know how to effectively program in java or c, does not make you knowledgeable at routers and servers and network administration.

Actually, the problem is that MIS/IT degrees usually fall in the school of business and by and large DO NOT provide much help in becoming an IT professional. Instead it teaches you the business/managerial side of things, but provides only a token technical education.

I have no attachment to Computer Science - I *thought* that MIS was the appropriate program choice for someone that wanted to go into IT...until I read the curricula and realised that it's all crap. I don't want to take business law and accounting...what does that have to do with anything? At least my CS degree gives me an intimate knowledge of how all this stuff works. IMO, it would be most appropriate for CS curriculum architects to accept IS/IT as a subsection of computer science parallel to programming, but if the MIS/IT programs picked up the slack, it would be fine with me.

That said, I usually say "I don't need certs, I have a real degree." I have not yet found any reason to get any certs.

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: sao123
If you want a job doing networking & serverrs... (a job for which you want a certification, cisco/mcse) you should not be taking a degree in Computer Science bs, masters or otherwise. Computer Science is for people who want to become software engineers, --programmers in short.

If you want a job doing network & servers... you should take a 2 or 4 year degree in IS, IT, or MS. Then get a certification. Just because you know how to effectively program in java or c, does not make you knowledgeable at routers and servers and network administration.

Actually, the problem is that MIS/IT degrees usually fall in the school of business and by and large DO NOT provide much help in becoming an IT professional. Instead it teaches you the business/managerial side of things, but provides only a token technical education.

I have no attachment to Computer Science - I *thought* that MIS was the appropriate program choice for someone that wanted to go into IT...until I read the curricula and realised that it's all crap. I don't want to take business law and accounting...what does that have to do with anything? At least my CS degree gives me an intimate knowledge of how all this stuff works. IMO, it would be most appropriate for CS curriculum architects to accept IS/IT as a subsection of computer science parallel to programming, but if the MIS/IT programs picked up the slack, it would be fine with me.

That said, I usually say "I don't need certs, I have a real degree." I have not yet found any reason to get any certs.

Your problem is that it sounds like you are taking a MIS degree from a major university. Universitys try to make well rounded students out of you, rathe than prepare you for the workforce. You need to attend a trade school/business school... which offers a 2 year hands on IT degree. You do nothing but hands on servers, switches, routers, cabling, etc.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: sao123
Your problem is that it sounds like you are taking a MIS degree from a major university. Universitys try to make well rounded students out of you, rathe than prepare you for the workforce. You need to attend a trade school/business school... which offers a 2 year hands on IT degree. You do nothing but hands on servers, switches, routers, cabling, etc.

As I mentioned, I have a CS degree. From a major university.

The problem with trade schools is that they tend to be focused on specific technologies, where universities prefer to stick to theoretical knowledge that has far greater applicability. Those specific technologies become outdated quickly. A lot of IT can be boiled down to theoretical knowledge. Principles of user management and access control, network topology, database design, etc - they cross technological bounds. These were all merely touched upon in 1-credit survey courses in my program.

In many programs, you are majoring in one field, but you can choose to specialize in some subcategory. Ideally, I'd like to see CS go that route. A common foundation that everyone takes, which would have little effect on the first 2 years of education, but then in years 3 and 4, those who want to go into software development can dive more deeply into programming and those who want to go into IT can take on material relevant to that subject.

I've pitched this to the department on a few occasions, but the problem is too many "old blood" ex-math professors who can't get beyond CS as being strictly programming - an extension of the logic of mathematics. They simply don't see things any other way. I think they are missing out on an untapped market.

 

[TreyRandom]

Do you need them? No. Can they help you set yourself apart from your competition? Most definitely.

 

[ATLien247]

Originally posted by: TreyRandom
Do you need them? No. Can they help you set yourself apart from your competition? Most definitely.

From the looks of your sig, you must be really set apart!