A 'Bridge' to Master's Engineering Programs
Numerous jobs in computer science, data informatics and cybersecurity have six-figure earning potential, and demand is growing.
The demand for those with computer science backgrounds, for instance, will rise 12 percent over the next decade—double the average growth rate for jobs in general. That’s according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And for those with cybersecurity skills, well, you can just about write your own ticket: Employers are currently struggling to fill 200,000 such jobs, and the shortfall is expected to reach 1.8 million globally by 2022.
What’s the catch? Well, if you already have your bachelor’s degree in a non-STEM discipline, you’re going to need to spend upwards of $20,000 on undergraduate courses before you can begin graduate study in these areas.
Or perhaps not. A Bridge to NYU Tandon, a novel distance-learning program run by the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, is designed to provide those with college degrees—but little background in science or engineering—with the tools they need to apply for master’s programs. And the price tag is equivalent to the cost of three courses: $1,500.
The fully-online course is offered as a 17-week full-time program (30-40 hours per week), or 24-week part-time program (20-30 hours per week). It begins every winter, spring and summer semester, in January, April and July respectively. Current program pathways are designed to lead to master’s degree study in one of four areas: bioinformatics, computer engineering, computer science and cybersecurity.
“The people knocking on our door are coming from all backgrounds: humanities, management, arts and physics,” said Nasir Memon, who conceived the program. Memom serves as vice dean for academics and student affairs, and as a professor of computer science and engineering. “Many are enrolling because they have discovered that demand is high for talent in engineering, particularly in computer science, computer engineering, and information security…others recognized they needed deep technical skills to advance their work in non-technical fields.”
Individuals wishing to apply to the Bridge program must complete an application; current deadlines can be found here.
