[Min] Our program I think is kind of like a link
the theoretical part of computer science with the practical problem that can be solved in
the software engineering.
[Kelvin] In typical Master's only program they approach
this education by coursework.
We are unique because we are a Master's only program and yet if you look our elective classes
in different disciplines they are driven by faculty research.
We have a collection of faculty who are constantly thinking about their field, constantly thinking
about the problems in their field.
[Gautam] The professors are amazing.
There's, they really care about what do you want to work for, what you are working towards.
They really care about getting you to learn new things.
There are very few programs out there which offer this kind of interest and professors
who are fascinated by studying this subject.
[Aaron] You're taking a class on learning about, you
know, sort of starting into, you know, a topic that maybe you've never even heard of before
and then you find out like oh, the guy teaching this class, you know, is one of the foremost
researchers on this and so he really knows what he's talking about, and in some cases
literally wrote the book on it, which is pretty cool.
[Kelvin] In our curriculum we have three main components.
We have the foundation.
That is what all of, among all of the faculty would believe that every graduate student
should have this background, and then there are the electives basically saying that, "Hey,
students once you have the background take whatever you like, these are all the classes
you can take."
And then there is the capstone where we can take all student’s education and have them
put together in a one system.
[Min] We have the elective courses, which you know
deal with a lot of different aspects.
For example, machine learning, we have data science, internet of things, cloud computing,
so different fields that the student if they're interested in certain field, they can pick
like a 20 credits of those elective courses to boost their understanding.
[Gautam] Having the ability to take different classes
across disciplines was really useful because I without, if, there was a wall that said
I couldn't take cybersecurity classes, I probably wouldn't have written my thesis, I probably
may not have gotten this job offer at Amazon.
[Aaron] The whole program sort of became a way to
move up right away to increase my upward mobility in the job market and having that degree was
a big factor in sort of making me stand out from the crowd.
[Min] We can learn a lot of things from students.
They might bring some topic, some idea that I never thought about, and when we in the
classroom discussion, maybe we are talking about some of the problems, some of the questions,
then we feel like, oh this is the right answer.
But they might raise a question and then make you aware, yeah, there's some other possibility,
some other perspective.
[Kelvin] They bring this really different view, how
solutions should look like, and in this way, you know in my own research program, I benefit
from that tremendously just, students have provided the solutions that will never occur
to you, in a hundred years.
[Gautam] I met a really, a bunch of really cool friends
and who I still stay in touch with.
One of my classmates I believe, he now lives in Norway and he is a cyber security researcher
there.
I know a couple of people who work at Amazon who I still stay in touch with.
I think there's a sense of community and comfort that may not be available in other places.
It's probably why I'd love to recommend UW Bothell.