Best criteria for selecting a 'back-to-graduate-school' course?

Question

Community Wiki: tagged subjective

I know that course selection is highly personal based on interests. I have time to take one graduate course next semester. Out of the available courses the following look the most interesting to me:

• Computer Security
• Introduction to Bioinformatics
• Real-time Systems
• Advanced Operating Systems
• Parallel Programming

In addition the following other courses are available:

• Advanced Programming Languages
• Design and Analysis of Algorithms
• Artificial Intelligence
• Database Management Systems
• Advanced Database Systems
• Principles of Compiler Construction
• Formal Languages
• Graph and Combinatorial Algorithms
• Computer Forensics
• Intelligent Robot Control
• Multiagent Systems
• Multimedia Systems Design
• Client-Server Computing

I may be narrowing my selection based on poor criteria. The standard seems to be to take the Advanced Programming Languages course first. I will be attending as a non-degree seeking student. Is it best to follow the normal progression or going for something that facinates you?

Update: Per the comment my primary purpose is to gain exposure to new technologies as well as determine what graduate school can offer me.

Answer 1

I find that it is always best to start with something that fascinates you. I started doing stuff that was required, hated the first course, and it took me about a year and a half to even go back. Plus in grad school, you usually have a job and family to juggle, so if you're not into it, you're not going to do the work.

Once you find your niche, then sign up for a degree program. You can take all the crap you don't like at the end and just tough it out to get the piece of paper. Good luck!

By the way, go to ratemyprofessor.com and check out the prof's for the course. A professor makes or breaks a course, doesn't matter what it's on.

Answer 2

If it is the Industry trend you are looking at, then I would suggest,

• Intelligent Robot Control
• Artifical Intelligence

Both the above areas are concepts and not related to programming. But, I think the next generation Factory Automation will use both of the above ...

And on the other hand if it is programming you are interested in ... you can select from

• Parallel Programming and
• Real time systems

I am a system software engineer, and all the above are just my personal opinion....

Answer 3

I'm in my third year of taking one graduate class a semester as a part-time Master's in CS student.

The following courses would be considered foundational courses, in that you will be exposed to a variety of topics that other courses pick up in more excruciating detail.

• Advanced Operating Systems
• Advanced Programming Languages
• Design and Analysis of Algorithms
• Formal Languages
• Principles of Compiler Construction

If you get off on digging into the fundamentals (I sure do), pick one of those.

If you're looking for an area of research to fall in to, the following would be considered to be introductions to a special field:

• Introduction to Bioinformatics
• Computer Security
• Real-time Systems
• Parallel Programming
• Advanced Database Systems
• Graph and Combinatorial Algorithms

The remaining courses are special topic courses that you should consider only if you find the subject area of great interest, especially at the beginning of your graduate career. They may (or may not!) assume a good amount of background knowledge that you will lack.

IMHO, a CS department offerings are basically in 4 categories: pure Computer Science, Software Engineering, Hardware Engineering, and Applied Software. Figure out which of those categories you enjoy goes a long way to determining what you take. For example, I am intimidated by electrical engineering, so I stay away from Hardware-related courses like Multimedia Systems Design.

If you still can't settle on just one, go ahead and visit each candidate at least once, if not 2 times. You can quickly tell which professors have their act together, who are the good lecturers, what the class size and composition is, whether the grading style suits your strengths, etc.

Godspeed your studies. It's a lot of work, but very rewarding.