Georgia Tech OMSCS Program — A Comprehensive Review

Back to the grassroots.

After a gruelling, 3-year grind, I’ve finally completed the latest of my challenges — the Online Master of Science in Computer Science at Georgia Institute of Technology, aka OMSCS.

I did all this while working a full-time engineering job, publishing research with a lab, dating, and pursuing all my hobbies, including this blog. If you’re curious as to how I was able to pull all this off while staying in one piece, read my blog on time management.

As I did in the past with my undergraduate program in Engineering Science at the University of Toronto for my first-ever blog post on Medium, it’s time for a comprehensive review.

What is OMSCS?

Founded in 2014, OMSCS is the first online program of its kind from an official university.

It allows students to specialize in 5 different areas — computing systems, machine learning, artificial intelligence, computational perception & robotics, and human-computer interaction.

Graduating requires taking at least 10 courses (with a combination of core courses, electives, and free electives for each specialization). Students can take up to three courses per semester (fall, spring, summer).

Although the admissions requirements are fairly lax, there is a qualifying process — you must finish two foundational courses within a year of starting OMSCS with a minimum grade of B before you can continue on the rest of the program. Although it is not strictly enforced, from what I heard, a substantial number (~20%) of students don’t make it past this stage.

In fact, the overall graduation rate of OMSCS is quite low — below 50% of the admission class size by most accounts. It is a difficult program, and not everyone can handle it. Nor is it suitable for everyone.

Legitimacy and Cost

Georgia Tech is a top 10 computer science school in the world. The program only costs ~$7000 USD (for the minimum 10 courses you have to take), which is extremely cheap, considering the quality of education you are getting and the reputation of the school. Although from 2025 onwards, expect that number to go up as tuition rates have been hiked.

It is especially affordable when compared to similarly reputable online master’s programs in computer science at the University of Texas at Austin (>$10,000), Stanford (>$40,000), or the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (>$20,000). It is substantially cheaper compared to full-time, on-campus, professional master’s degrees at similarly reputable universities, which can cost up to 6 figures in tuition and living expenses, and even more if you consider the lost income when you’re in school full-time.

You get the same MS degree as the full-time, on-campus students (unlike many other schools), and you get the benefits of being part-time and remote. You can work your full-time job as usual, and you won’t lose out on your employment income. It is also eligible for fulfilling requirements for a US visa or Green Card, like other advanced degrees done in the US.

As far as legitimacy, I get a lot of questions. Is it not as legit as a full-time program? Do employers value it as much as an on-campus program?

After talking to many people in the industry, my answer is, yes, employers do value having a master’s degree from Georgia Tech, even if it is online.

I’ve been getting a lot more recruiter interest on LinkedIn and interview requests just by having this degree listed. Georgia Tech has a good reputation, and the rigor of OMSCS has been recognized in the industry.

Workload

I didn’t necessarily take the hardest courses — I just wanted to focus on the software engineering and computer science fundamentals, bridging the gaps I missed in undergrad, so I took mostly the introductory and intermediate courses — software architecture and design, software development process, software analysis and testing, computer networking, human-computer interaction, network science, machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, graduate algorithms, etc.

The workload can get quite heavy at times, especially if you take the more difficult courses, or take more than one course each semester.

OMSCentral, a website where students rate each course, is quite helpful for planning your courses around the workload. The Reddit forum is also quite useful. You generally want to plan your courses according to the workload (note that you won’t be able to get into certain courses early in the program, as course selection priority is based on the number of courses you’ve taken).

My recommendation is, especially if you already have a full-time job and other commitments (family, side hustles, etc.), only take one course per semester (or at most, two easier courses together). The workload of taking two or more difficult courses is a lot, and you’ll be sacrificing other things in life (e.g., health and social life) and burn out easily.

Remember, OMSCS (or any higher education) is a marathon, not a sprint. Similar to how I talked about U of T EngSci in the past, you want quality over quantity. Trying to cram too much into a short timeframe will not only make you learn less effectively, but also prevent you from getting the most out of your program.

Also, you don’t have to push yourself to the limit and take the hardest courses just to “challenge yourself”. It really depends on what you want to get out of the program. Some people simply wanted a degree in computer science, while others want to deepen their knowledge in a specialized area.

Flexibility

Due to its remote nature and the fact that you can take anywhere between one and three courses per semester, the flexibility of the OMSCS program is unparalleled. This makes it possible to balance OMSCS and full-time work, or focus on it full-time (despite it being marketed as a part-time program).

You can either take it slow, take one course per semester (spring, summer, fall), and graduate in 3–5 years, or take the maximum course load and finish within a year and a half (similar to most full-time professional master’s programs).

Most people I know work a full-time job and take 1–2 courses per semester. Many already have families, children, or side hustles, and take OMSCS as a side priority. That’s their target audience — This program is designed for working professionals.

The flexibility also comes in the wide range of courses you can take — totalling over 50. For your 10 courses, you can also take a multitude of different courses from OMSCS. You simply need to fulfill your specialization requirements (5-6 courses) and fill out the rest with electives.

You can also take extended breaks of up to a year without needing to apply for re-admission. This is great for when something big comes up in your life (e.g., a job switch, getting married, or having a child).

Finally, you can choose when to start and when to graduate. Unlike a traditional on-campus program, which usually starts in the fall, and you are required to graduate within a certain time frame, there are no such requirements for OMSCS (9 years is the upper limit to graduate).

You can start in August or January, and you can graduate anytime as long as you complete your course requirements. Many people also take extra courses beyond the minimum of 10, just so they can keep learning. You can even enrol in courses as an alumnus.

Career Opportunities

Despite going to a decent school for undergrad, I didn’t do particularly well in terms of grades, so doing OMSCS has opened doors for me that I otherwise wouldn’t have access to (or have much greater difficulty getting there).

• I can now think about doing a Ph.D. at a prestigious school that I did not have a chance to do due to my mediocre undergraduate GPA (assuming you had a much higher GPA in OMSCS).
• I can work at more prestigious tech firms and quant shops / Wall Street firms that care about GPA, places I wouldn’t stand a chance at if I only had my undergraduate degree with a mediocre GPA. My potential pay will be more than double or triple my current salary.
• Hell, even for big tech jobs (FAANG, Big N, etc.), having a master’s of computer science on your resume has gotten me more interviews compared to the past (except for the crazy hiring spree during the COVID-19 pandemic). In the hypercompetitive entry-level tech job market today, having OMSCS on your resume will give you an edge over countless other candidates with only a bachelor’s degree or other non-related degrees.

For those who are not currently in tech and want to break in, it gives you an opportunity to switch careers or elevate yourself within the technology/computer science industry.

However, you still need to do interview prep (i.e. algorithms/data structures, systems design, AI/ML, and behavioural interview questions) to get the jobs you want. Having the degree might get you more looks from recruiters and interviews, but it is up to you to pass them.

Now, just like how I talked about my undergraduate program years ago, I do not recommend OMSCS for everyone. A master’s degree of any kind is a serious, multi-year commitment, and it’s not meant for everyone.

Here are some scenarios that make OMSCS suitable for you:

• You want to break into tech from a non-tech background — Going to school for a career change is generally the way to go. You open yourself to internships and new grad positions — opportunities you otherwise won’t have access to. However, if you already have a bachelor’s degree in CS, Software Engineering, or something similar, OMSCS might be a bit redundant, unless you’re seeking to break into a niche area (e.g., machine learning, embedded/high-performance computing, or security).
• You want to specialize in something specific, such as machine learning, distributed systems, embedded programming, high-performance computing, or cybersecurity. I understand most undergrad CS programs don’t let you go in-depth into these topics. OMSCS is a great way for you to specialize in one of these areas and take on more specialized roles in the industry. It can also open the door to further studies (e.g. a Ph.D.) in one of these areas down the line.
• You want to increase your knowledge in CS. A lot of things I learned in my classes have been applied to my work almost immediately. Everything from software architecture to human-computer interaction, it helped me get involved in more projects, higher-level work, as well as recognizing issues with existing designs/processes at my workplace. It definitely helped me get promoted at my job.
• You want to learn in a structured environment. CS knowledge is pretty accessible nowadays, and you can probably get away with studying on your own using purely online materials. However, not everyone is disciplined and motivated enough to learn on their own, so it may be beneficial to sign up for OMSCS and learn in a structured environment with lectures, assignments, tests, and projects.

Ideally, you should ask your employer to pay for the degree, and hopefully, you don’t have too many other commitments in your life aside from your job for the next few years.

If you simply want a better job already having substantial work experience, I believe OMSCS is not worth the return on effort, especially if you have already worked in big tech / FAANG or have an undergraduate degree in computer science.

Also, I want to note, if you’re currently jobless or are close to finishing undergrad and don’t have a job lined up, don’t try to think you can buy yourself more time with another master's degree.

There is no guarantee that the job market will improve by the time you finish. And without work experience, another degree isn’t going to move the needle much. Focus on getting A job first and gaining practical experience (internships, side projects, volunteering, etc.). Don’t stay in school just because you don’t have any other options.

There are many more meaningful ways to spend your time aside from grinding another degree — side hustles, interview preparation, spending time with your family, friends, travelling, or gaining other life experiences.

Prologue

Honestly, I could have gotten away with not doing OMSCS. Even though I wanted a computer science credential on top of my Bachelor’s in engineering and Master’s in psychology, I could have landed the jobs I landed anyway, simply by doing more interview prep and building my resume through side projects, research, and more impactful projects at my job.

If I merely wanted a better job, I didn’t need to do OMSCS at all. In fact, plenty of my classmates quit OMSCS midway and still ended up working in FAANG-like companies and significantly increased their pay. Many did so just by grinding technical job interviews and obtaining cloud computing or cybersecurity certifications, which is much less of a commitment than OMSCS.

However, I do believe OMSCS is a great way to network with people. You will meet lots of experienced professionals working across the various facets of tech, including Wall Street and big tech / FAANG-type companies. I even ran into work colleagues doing this degree, as well as people I know from undergrad.

It also helped me discipline myself and push myself to manage my time and achieve what I didn’t think I was capable of. Although towards the end of the degree, I was burning out and wanted out as soon as possible, the mental challenge was worth it, and I feel more confident taking on difficult tasks, just like after Engineering Science at U of T.

Finally, the knowledge I gained from OMSCS will be invaluable for the rest of my career in computer science. Even though the technologies are rapidly changing, the fundamentals are still the same, and having that fundamental computer science knowledge has changed the way I approach problems in my work and beyond.