Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!apple!amdahl!johnm
From: johnm@uts.amdahl.com (John Murray)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Advice ...
Keywords: part-time
Message-ID: <00JuC36BGP1010IEdew@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com>
Date: 27 Jan 89 03:11:37 GMT
References: <2008@lcuxlm.ATT.COM>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA
Lines: 39

In article <2008@lcuxlm.ATT.COM>, ram@lcuxlm.ATT.COM (Miani Rich) writes:
> I would like some advice, opinions, past experiences, etc regarding the
> subject of part-time graduate work. My dilemma: I would like to go
> back to school to earn a Ph. D. in Comp. Sci. ( I have an M.S. in C.S. now)
> but I would like to do it part-time. I realize that this will take a *very long*
> time and that there are a number of major headaches involved. I just
> started poking around for info and many schools seem to be opposed to this idea.

I think it depends on what you define as "part-time". If you expect to
work as an office clerk and also do a Ph.D. in Comp. Sci, then it may be
difficult in the U.S. Many universities in Europe offer part-time Ph.D.
study, but the emphasis there is much more on individual research and a
bit less on classes, seminars, sponsored projects, etc.

A suggestion might be to try New York University. They seem to run many of
their CS classes in the evenings, so that they're tailored for people who
work during the day and study for an M.S. part-time. I don't know about
the Ph.D. level work, though.

On the other hand, you may be able to get a job in some research lab (such
as Bell Labs!), where your area of Ph.D. research is also the work you do
in the "day job". Naturally, the employer and your thesis advisor must be
in agreement on the topic. I think some universities allow you to conduct
some research off-campus.

One system I know of is Stanford's Honors Co-Op Program, which allows
people employed by local industry to pursue graduate study. Classes are
televised, so you don't HAVE to travel to the campus, except for exams,
etc. Many people in the program are M.S. students, though I have heard of
people doing Ph.D. work too. Typically, the employers have to pay higher
than ordinary tuition in this system. (This is a mechanism for the faculty
to get research funding.) When there is a fairly close relationship
between some faculty members and influential people in industry, it seems
possible for someone to do joint research of this type.

If you get any useful information, remember to post it here. I'd certainly
be interested in how you progress. Good luck!

- John Murray (My own opinions, etc. No Amdahl endorsements implied.)