CS Master's Degree Project vs. Thesis options

Question

I'm doing a master's degree in computer science, and I'm currently at the point where I have to decide between the thesis and non-thesis options offered by my university. The thesis option was my first choice, it entails taking less courses but tends to take more time doing your thesis. The non-thesis option involves taking more coursework, taking a comprehensive exam, and doing a project in one semester with a faculty member.

I'd like to pursue a PhD degree eventually (although not right away, I want to get some years of professional experience first), and I heard that having demonstrated the ability to work on a thesis helps a lot with admission (like: not doing thesis raises questions and suggests not being interested in research) and that the experience itself is very good. At the same time, almost everyone I know who did a thesis at my university took a long time (2-3 years), in theory it could be done in 1.5 years. I'm a part time student and I don't really want to spend so much time just getting a master's degree, I could still publish a few papers while working on the project option and I'd be done in a year or so, additionally, I heard having a master's degree with a project and more coursework is more desirable for the industry.

So, when applying for a PhD degree in CS at some of the better universities, would the time spent working on the master's thesis help in getting me accepted? Or should I opt for the non-thesis option and hope that the extra coursework and publishing some papers would make up for not working on a thesis?

Answer 1

If you are seriously thinking of applying for a Ph.D. program, even later, the thesis option is the much better option. You'll have written a substantial paper, which should help a lot when applying to the Ph.D. program. If you focus on writing it, I don't see why you couldn't finish the thesis in 1.5 years, though obviously it depends on the topic you choose and what your adviser(s) think.

(I'm in an MS program currently, non-thesis, and am not considering a Ph.D., but this is generally the advice I have received from my fellow students, my professors, and my coworkers)

Answer 2

I've completed a M.Sc. and found the thesis to actually be enjoyable (this of course in retrospect and with several years of nostalgia clouding my brain). It is a chance to take a topic in Comp. Sci. that you can totally nerd out on and that only you may care about. Having been in industry now for a few years I look back and miss it. The thesis gave me a chance to study things I cared about instead of what i was supposed to do, or what is profitable. I have many friends that did the thesis component and were more satisfied than those who did the coursework.

Also, applying for a PhD without having a thesis will be much harder. A thesis demonstrates that you have the discipline to write a large document.