EE with BS looking to transition into SW Development, is a MS in CS the most effective route?

[Kreeker]

I graduated in 2011 with a BS in EE from Manhattan College. I did very well (3.8 gpa), but really did not like electrical engineering at all so I did not obtain an internships. This put me in bad position when I graduated, and as I result I'm stuck as a Quality Engineer right now. The company is at the top of its industry, but the work I am doing is not rewarding at all and really beneath my skillset. 

 

As of right now my formal education in CS is lacking. I did not take any CS classes during my undergraduate degree. I do have programming experience, but it's mostly in regards to scripting not object-oriented design. So basically I haven't taken algorithms, data structures & computer architecture.

 

My question is if my goal is to transition into a SW engineer role as quickly and effectively as possible, is an MS in CS the right choice for me? Keep in mind I have absolutely ZERO interest in research.

 

The positives in obtaining a MS in CS:

- Give me access to internships

- Give me a structured plan for gaining CS skills vs. trying to teach myself via books + free online courses

- CS Education on my resume which may lead to more jobs + higher pay

 

The negatives in obtaining a MS in CS now:

- Costs money

- Will be almost impossible to do a PhD in the future due to not doing researching during MS (Obtaining a PhD is probably very unlikely for me)