Here at Qwasar, we just launched a Master’s of Science in Computer Science program in partnership with Woolf. Our programs have always trained top-level, quality talent, as evidenced by our consistently better outcomes compared to other non-degree programs, so in many ways this was a natural progression for us.
We see our certificate programs, Master’s program, and apprenticeship programs as keys to unlocking new opportunities for learners and significant opportunities for companies to recruit quality talent trained for the modern software industry.
A Complement to Our Current Programs
The Master’s program is something that can serve new learners to Qwasar, those in our certificate programs interested in an accredited qualification, and even those in apprenticeship programs.
Being able to offer a dual Apprenticeship + Master’s opportunity we believe is key to rendering apprenticeships as more highly regarded programs in America. Our apprenticeship programs are designed for the 21st-century working world, where skills are more important than knowledge. Regardless, society has ingrained the value of a degree in many decision-makers in industry, such that a degree still holds value and not holding a degree still results in a paper ceiling. In our opinion, being able to offer both opens doors for learners to both get into a job and benefit from longer-term career opportunities as Principal or Distinguished Engineers or as Senior Manager, Directors, or VPs - all roles that often require a Master’s.
Offering the opportunity to transition from our Certificate programs into the Master’s program provides flexibility and greater financial stability to some learners, including ones who may not have any college. Any work completed for a given specialization will transfer directly from the Certificate program to the Master’s program.
North America's First Modern Master's in Computer Science
Believe it or not but no modern MSCS program existed before the launch of ours - nothing else exists at the Master’s level that is skills-based, competency-based, project-based, and designed for modern learning and to produce a modern-skilled engineer. All other Master’s programs are focused on lectures, exams, and knowledge transfer with few projects, no peer code reviews, little debugging, and no engineering labs.
To truly offer access to quality jobs, long careers, and a fair chance at jobs in a challenging job market, it is imperative that an alternative learning environment and model be an option for learners who are highly capable but just not suited to the traditional lecture-exam model. Not everyone is good at lectures and exams, but that doesn’t make them a bad engineer; on the contrary, they may be excellent!
We’ve seen so many highly capable, intelligent, and talented students-turned-engineers come through our programs who don’t have degrees and never wanted to do a traditional learning program, so we’re excited to finally offer an accredited program with Woolf that provides an alternative.
"No Degree Required" But Companies Really Do Prefer the Degree
Regardless of what companies say, the data doesn’t lie: they still prefer hiring people with a degree. Whether it’s manager bias or bias within how the hiring system is designed - in tech roles, everything is geared toward hiring someone with a degree.
Internships remain largely - if not solely - for those in a degree program, and of course internships are these days the point of entry to most companies. How many times have we heard “we don’t post junior roles because we just convert our interns”?
Further down the line, when it comes to advanced individual contributor roles or management roles, degrees are required. So industry may say as much as they want that they don’t want degrees, but the reality is, and will likely remain, that they do.
The De-risk Ladder: Master's > Bachelor's > Intern > Apprentice
Whether we like it or not, most companies see candidates on a ladder of risk, and those with a Master’s degree are apparently of least risk compared to those with a Bachelor's, who are apparently less of a risk than interns, who are apparently less of a risk than apprentices. So how do you give the best chance in industry in the long term to an apprentice? Offer them a way to get a Master’s degree, in a manner of learning that maintains the learning by doing approach. We think it’s a great way to turn the industry-ingrained way of thinking on its head.
Of course, the risk ladder isn’t a true reflection of skill or competency: well we know that someone with a Master’s degree might look good on paper, but in terms of their actual capacity for coding efficiently and effectively, they could actually be worse than a well-trained apprentice. Software engineering is such an applied skill that lectures and exams are poor markers of an engineer’s ability on the job or to a company.
In an Economic Downturn, the De-risking Ladder Favors Those With a Master’s
While we don’t believe in the de-risking ladder, companies still do. When there’s an economic downturn, and thus fewer jobs and more candidates per job, companies can pick who they want. Given that they’re always looking to de-risk, they will opt to consider more candidates with a Master’s degree than those without.
The implications are far reaching. Since most MSCS holders are white males, this group is preferred in an economic downturn - and that’s something we intend on changing by changing who gets a Master’s degree in Computer Science.
We Firmly Believe a "Non-traditional" or "Workplace-aligned" MSCS Should Exist
While there are many reasons why we’ve pursued accreditation for our programs and added to our curricula, one of them remains that we firmly believe there should be other options for learners to obtain a Master’s degree that don’t solely involve lectures, exams, and very traditional learning methods that don’t suit everybody.
Hands-on learning is very different from passive learning: it’s engaging, and anyone who’s a 'doer' loves it. So why isn’t there a learning-by-doing MSCS program in the US? Some MSCS programs offer a “project-based option,” meaning that after completing 75% of courses in a lecture-exam format, they can then opt to do a final project over a 20-page thesis. That’s not project-based learning though, that’s lecture-based learning with a final project added on the end.
So, we jumped at the chance to create the first modern, project-based, skills-based Master’s in Computer Science degree program in North America, one that’s focused on coding, projects, and debugging, not lectures and exams. Yes, the technical skills, technical knowledge, and programming languages are important, but the program also helps to produce engineers who have a host of hard-to-measure skills:
- Debugging efficiently and effectively
- Able to estimate project lengths
- Taking initiative
- Knowing when to ask for help from a more senior engineer
- Being rigorous and disciplined
- Being proactive as an engineer on a team
We also think that, for working software professionals, there should be an engaging, coding-focused program over a two-year period that enables them to earn a Master’s degree without quitting their job or being bored by video or online lectures.
TLDR: It Just Made Sense
In summary, it just made a lot of sense for us to pursue accreditation. It fits with our believes and mission as a company, and aligns with trends in industry that are (or aren’t) moving at various speeds.
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.
If you know someone who’s interested, send them our way! Applications are open!
