psycho_killer

CMU also has a new "neural computation" PhD: http://www.cnbc.cmu.edu/pnc

<p> I didn't think MIT had a terminal MS degree in CS. Can you provide a link? Also, @blankslate is right on.

Interesting. Can you give some examples of schools offering degrees like that?

$30k isn't that much money in the long run. Just go to the school you like better.

Anyone know how many people have gotten in off the waiting list for CMU's MS in CS? Have they started that yet?

It sounds like you'd rather to go to UCLA. The difference in ranking probably isn't big enough to really matter. Since you want to do research, the only thing that could affect your decision seems like what area you'e interested in and what the schools' respective strengths are.

It can be obnoxious too...

Perhaps, but I think an even better way to do that would be to develop something on your own time, as an example of your programming skills that you can show off, or contribute to an open source project. Again, if you're looking to *do research* after school and are for some reason getting an MS and not a PhD, then sure you'd best put some time into a research effort and a thesis would be great. If you don't really care so much about research, and you have the option of taking several extra classes instead of writing a thesis, I'd do the former and learn some extra things you're interested in rather than spending time writing a paper that no one will ever read for the sake of saying you did so. So in the end - just do what you want to do and don't worry about what other people will think about it. =)

@Pauli: I understand the theoretical reasoning; I just think it's much less prevalent than you are saying. I also think the hypothetical situation you describe of two identical candidates where one completed a thesis option and the other didn't is impossible, because the one who didn't do a thesis would have had to take more courses instead, and would therefore have additional (or at least different) knowledge. Is there some set of employers out there who make this distinction? I'm sure there is. Is it large enough to concern yourself with? I don't think so. However you are free to disagree, and I respect that.

I don't doubt that you were told that, but it seems hard to believe in general that recruiters will care much whether you wrote a thesis or not, given that the industry is still one in which people without college degrees at all can find meaningful work. A very research-oriented company that normally hires PhDs might look at an MS student who wrote a thesis before one who didn't (and certain areas of Google would qualify here), but otherwise, I doubt it.

Okay, then yeah it's a closer call. I'd say it comes down to how much curricular flexibility there is in CMU's robotics degree - i.e. can your electives come from general AI, neural computation, machine learning, and whatever else, or are they expected to strictly come from the robotics department. If the latter, then Stanford might be a better choice in order to keep more options open if you aren't sure. Just out of curiousity, did you apply to CMU's general CS masters program too?

If Robotics is what you want to do, it sounds like it's a no-brainer for CMU, honestly. RAship > TAship even if the TAship were guaranteed, which it isn't. "Silicon Valley is next door" is irrelevant - recruiters will come to you at CMU. The weather and overal geography is a legitimate factor in Stanford's favor, but it's up to you to decide if it's more important than the above. Edit: Also, I understand it is rare to get a TAship your first quarter at Stanford, so at least that one you'll have to pay out of pocket.

One thing to keep in mind re: option #1 is that you can enroll in some type of 2nd degree or post-baccalaureate probram without actually finishing the degree - it's possible to take the core courses and then apply for an MS from there.

How many people haven't heard anything yet? It's getting a little ridiculous to be honest. I have to inform other schools soon.

I originally saw it here, but I don't know if it's accurate of course: http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/innovation/2011/10/cmu-launches-new-computer-science.html