UW program to teach tech professionals

Courtney Humphries
Daily Staff

Computer hot shots at Microsoft and other local companies now have a chance to continue their education while keeping their jobs.

The UW Computer Science and Engineering Department is offering a Professional Masters Degree Program for active professionals in the technology industry, many of whom were lured to jobs right after completing their graduate degrees.

The first class began last September, with 35 students completing the class and enrolling for the next quarter. The part-time program offers classes that meet once or twice a week in the evenings and utilizes Internet technology and personal computing resources to accommodate the busy schedules of its students.

The program was started in response to local companies that wanted to allow employees to attend graduate school while staying at their jobs.

"We've got the most active computer industry in the country right now," said Ed Lazowska, chair of Computer Science and Engineering. Companies can now attract students with the accessibility of the UW's highly rated facilities for graduate work.

Students in the program represent companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, USWest and Adobe Systems. Backgrounds and work experience vary greatly among the students.

Program Coordinator Jennifer Sellers said, "For some of them, this is the first class they've taken in a long time."

Douglas C. Genard, an engineer at Boeing, enrolled in the program to update his knowledge of computing technology.

"Technology has changed so dramatically over the last 15 years since I completed my undergraduate education at Michigan State University," Genard said.

Genard said the quality of the students and instructors has allowed them to cover a lot of material in classes. "Both the course and the instructor were exceptional," he said.

Lazowska emphasized that the professional program is as rigorous as the full-time program, though its structure is different. He said the professional students appreciate that they are not getting a watered-down version of the regular courses, which many distance-learning programs offer.

The part-time program takes about two and a half years to complete, only slightly longer than the full-time program.

Sellers said the program is still in a period of experimentation. It has tried to stay flexible enough to incorporate the working knowledge of its students, as well as trying to fit their various schedules and locations, she said. For instance, winter quarter's class is being taught at Microsoft and broadcast to the UW.

In a meeting last week, Sellers explained the program to prospective students for the spring. The program plans to admit groups of about 20 students in the spring and fall quarters as new courses are added.

Robert Sutton, a contractor who will be working for Microsoft, is applying to the program for personal growth and a means of keeping current with computer technology.

"You don't see too many programs like this that cater to working professionals," Sutton said. It has been about five years since he completed his undergraduate degree, and Sutton said he misses the learning process.

Gautam Reddy, a prospective applicant, received his masters degree in electrical engineering, but moved into the computer software field at Microsoft. Reddy is interested in the program for professional reasons. "Not having a degree in computer science and working in the field is not too good," he said.

Admissions to the program is competitive, and applicants are expected to have a bachelor's degree in a related field as well as significant experience in advanced computing technology.

The deadlines for applications to the Professional Masters Program are Feb. 1 for spring quarter and July 1 for autumn quarter. Information about the program is available on its web site at http://www.cs.washington.edu/masters.