Is MCIT program at UPenn worth applying to if we have to pursue research in CS?

[Ankit Kulshreshtha]

Hi,

I graduated from NSIT in 2015 with majors in MPAE.

Have worked with Anand Gupta Sir in a cross-branch BTP in vision. 

While I have a good hold over programming, UPenn requires people without CS background to apply to MCIT course rather than CIS/MSE.

I searched about this course and the response that I am getting everywhere is placement-focussed (The same people say about NSIT).

I want to know that is it worth applying to get into research stream during/after the course?

Thanks,

Ankit

[Jitesh Gupta]

Hi Ankit,

MCIT is a great course if you don't have a good programming background. Also, it is extremely difficult to get into CIS if you do not have an undergraduate degree in Computer Science. Now, coming to your question, it is definitely worth applying to get into a research stream but only if you know your research area already. CIS people take a variety of courses to decide their research interests and then they can focus on a particular area for the remaining 4-5 courses whereas MCIT students have to take some basic programming courses and If I am not wrong, I think there are 5 of them. Hence, if you know your field of interest already, you can take the rest of your 5 courses related to that. 

P.S. - You won't find more than 4 courses (MAX - 5) for a particular research area @ Penn.

Hope this helps!