I’ve been working, part-time, towards a degree in computer science for a bit over a year now, so I thought I’d take a break from not-blogging to write a bit about why, mid-life and mid-career, I decided to go back to school.

First, about the degree: it’s actually a second bachelor’s, not a graduate degree. The program I'm in is intended for people with a degree in something other than computer science, and my previous degrees are in history and library and archival studies. I considered going straight for a masters, but without enough relevant background that seemed like a longshot, both to accepted and to succeed. And I'm not going for a PhD unless I have clear idea of what my research interests might be. Either way, what I really wanted first was some grounding in fundamentals.

The program I chose also has the advantage of being somewhat low key, if not exactly low cost. The application was simple and straightforward,¹ I was able to defer to give myself another term to think about it, there's no requirement to be a full-time student, and the coursework is entirely online and partially asynchronous. There are deadlines just like in any other academic program, but no set times during the week for lectures, classes, or exams, which makes it possible to do all the work on nights and weekends.²

Like any program, it's had its pluses and minuses, but for my particular situation I still think it was the best choice available to me. I couldn't afford to become a full-time student again, or to move somewhere else to take in-person classes. And since you're expected to already have a degree in another subject, they waive all the general education requirements that are part of a standard four-year degree. It's a bit thin in that there's no specialization within the major and the elective requirements are lighter than they would be for a four-year degree, but it should still be enough to cover all the core knowledge I need to get started in graduate school. And as long as I stay in my current job (or something comparable), I can afford the courses without taking out loans.

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All of that explains why I chose the specific program I chose, but why am I studying CS at all? At the risk of sounding unserious, at some level it just seemed like a worthwhile way to pass the time. Some people watch instructional videos or study a language via an app, I decided to study CS.

I've spent the past decade working in "digital" (but not programming) jobs, including one where I was working directly in the field of computer history. In that time, I've developed a genuine interest in understanding computers and computer science at a deeper level. So curiosity is one factor. But that isn't the whole of it.

I'm also looking to make a change in my career. I've considered and am still open to various jobs similar to my current one - product management, technical writing - that wouldn't require more education. I'm also open to becoming a software developer, which is probably the most common goal of students in my program.³ But what I'd really like to do is research. That could be academic research or it could be research in some kind of lab, though I'd prefer to do something that isn't directly aimed at commercialization.

What kind of research? That's a subject for another post.⁴