[otoburb]

You should figure out why you want the next degree. If it's credentialing, then having a non-technical graduate degree would cover your "breadth". If you want to be exposed to a different audience and learn from different businesses and perspectives, MBA.

However, want to really double-down on the technical path (or simply want to learn more technically and credential up at the same time), then by all means go for the free GT OMSCS, although with a graduate EE degree I have to say that it feels a little redundant. Perhaps you have a burning or specific research topic you'd like to deep-dive through one or more independent study modules in the OMSCS program, in which case that answers the "purpose" question.

Would your company sponsor a graduate degree outside of GA? If so, you could also potentially consider a higher ranked program and fly in, although your partner will probably veto that idea due to your second incoming child. My point here is that this may open up other options you didn't consider, depending on your financial situation and your real purpose for going back to school.

I think that any part-time program is harder when you have a newborn. Depending on the timing of your second child, and job stability, you may also want to consider whether you should postpone the next graduate degree for a year when your second is most likely to be sleeping through the night(s) again.

[fma]

My employer (very large employer...) has partners with other universities for free grad degree. Including Purdue, Carnegie Mellon, and University of Illinois for MBA. It's more traditional, as in...recorded lectures, go to a testing center.

The draw of the G. Tech OMSCS is it's more self paced. I can take 1 class per semester while the other traditional I believe would be 2+ classes per semester.

My current position is more management/team lead, and being in a 'large company' my tech exposure hasn't been competitive (case in point...free grad degree, even though I have on already). I've solved a lot of business problems using older tech. The OMSCS would give me the exposure, plus the pressure to actually finish lectures and projects.

My Masters in EE was actually more hardware oriented. Circuits, networking, DSP, etc... I stumbled into web & software dev. I'd do the OMSCS courses in AI, Security & Data Science - I have an interest in those, anyways.

Good point on postponing. I won't start till Fall 2019 - but I think the G. Tech executive MBA I can start in the Spring if I get all my paperwork together, but that would be suicide haha.

[scarface74]

I’m not disagreeing with your reasoning for going OMSCS route, but if the company is going to pay for it either way and support you studying, why not take advantage of it to the fullest and have them reimburse you for the eMBA?

At some point in the future if my life allows for it, I would do the OMSCS degree just for the hell of it and it’s only $7K.

Edit: A degree in STEM serves basically two purposes - education and credentials. You already have good credentials and you could teach yourself anything you want in CS.

Even more of a reason to go the eMBA route.

[fma]

Yeah I agree. With 10 years as 'individual contributor', the last 2 as team lead, an eMBA might serve me better. Tech is coming to our office next week to present/recruit for eMBA, so this article and your response is perfect timing. Thanks!

[bitL]

You can do both GT's OMSCS and UIUC's iMBA...