An Experience Report on a Conversion Masters Degree Program in Computer Science for Non-CS Majors

Computing is a fast-growing profession with excellent job prospects.However, for individuals who have already earned a non-computing related baccalaureate degree, the time, effort, financial challenges, and education required to enter computing can be daunting and even intimidating for academically talented, low-income, postbaccalaureate career changers.In this work, we propose a model that provides a relatively quick turn-around for students with no computing background to obtain an MS in Computer and Information Science (CIS).The model offers a highly focused bridge course combined with a follow-up curriculum that allows people without undergraduate CS-related degrees to merge quickly and efficiently into a professional MS in CIS program.We present the structure of our conversion program, the context that motivates it, and our seven years of experience providing the program.To evaluate the effectiveness of our conversion program, we conducted surveys with thirty conversion students, thirteen recent graduates, and twenty-seven CIS instructors from 2017 to 2024.Our data shows that conversion students perform comparably to traditional students in terms of GPA.The survey results from both students and instructors indicate that the program was successful in transitioning students from non-CS majors to CIS and in preparing them for CIS-related jobs.The study findings emphasize the importance of fostering cohort camaraderie and the need for supplementary assistance to address conversion students' unique needs.We hope that our experience with the conversion program and promising results will encourage other institutions to introduce MS in CIS programs for post-baccalaureate individuals with a non-CS background.