Where to apply for university to study IT? + survey

Although management, economics, and law have long remained at the top of the university program rankings, the prestige of IT specialties has noticeably increased recently. Prospective students and their parents are faced with the question of which university to enter and and what specialty to choose?

Is a higher education degree necessary in IT?

I don't even want to raise this topic — so many debates have been fought within the professional community over this issue. However, I will note that there are areas where having a degree is either mandatory or offers additional advantages: working as an engineer (designing for telecommunications, data centers, etc.), working at government enterprises, studying Machine Learning, relocating abroad, applying for an MBA program, etc.

On the other hand, if you visit SuperJob.ru 62% you will find that many programming jobs do not require a higher education degree, while on stackoverflow.com — 61%. And many IT professionals have non-profile education — this is a fact.

But since we are here, let's assume the decision is made to apply.

Russia or abroad?

Fact: domestic education is going through tough times, while many foreign universities (for example, in Germany, France, and Scandinavia) offer free or nearly free higher education at both bachelor’s and master’s levels, as well as PhD programs. There are options for learning in English. This is a real opportunity to relocate and stay working in the 'first world.'

Specific conditions vary from country to country. The main obstacles for prospective students can be weak foreign language skills and the inability to afford (not cheap) living expenses.

Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to study abroad. Many success stories have already been gathered in local hubs The educational process in IT and IT emigration.

From now on, we will only discuss Russian realities.

Choosing a university

In 2018, according to the Yandex Atlas, in Russia 344 universities admitted students in the field of 'Computer Science and Computer Engineering'. But not all universities are equally useful.

First of all, you need to decide some key questions for yourself: are you ready to relocate to another city/region? Does the university have dormitory facilities? Is a 'military training department' necessary (since 2019, known as the 'military training center')? This will already significantly narrow down your options.

Let's explore university rankings

Rankings are far from an absolute truth, as there is simply no definitive method for determining the quality of education. Moreover, within a university, there are always stronger and weaker faculties and departments. Nevertheless, it is useful to look at the rankings.

International

Among Russian universities in international rankings in the field of Computer Science (QS, ARWU, THE) only Lomonosov Moscow State University. However, inclusion in the rankings itself is also a good sign. Often included are: Saint Petersburg State University, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), ITMO University, Higher School of Economics (HSE), National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Tomsk State University, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Novosibirsk State University — leading universities in the country.

Russian

It is very useful to review the rankings based on the Unified State Exam scores for the fields of interest, such as in Yandex University's atlas. The top of the rankings largely aligns with the international ones; among the leading ones, it is also worth mentioning Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University "LETI", National University of Science and Technology MISIS. These universities can also be found in the top of the Interfax ranking.

Gaining the status of National Research University and entering the program 5-100 also indicates a high status for the university.

Universities listed as 'higher league' are generally well known to employers and their HR professionals in a positive light. However, it is challenging to gain admission and study there.

IBS Study

An interesting study conducted in 2016 by the Russian IT giant IBS: Analyzing how successful employment and salary depend on the university, specialty, and region.Here’s an excerpt from the data on the website vo.graduate.edu.ru about graduates of 2015 from some Moscow technical universities:

► Table: salaries of graduates from Moscow technical universitiesThe table shows the employment rate and average salary right after graduation.

* — for full-time education (daytime), first higher education; ** — graduates of 2015 in 2016

Of course, the salary mentioned is a "weighted average", but the difference between universities is obvious.

Option: a "strong" university

Arguments for enrolling in universities with high competition:

• high standards of education: it's better to be an average student at MSU than an excellent student at a "lesser" university;
• motivating environment: in a good university, you'll have to strive for a high common level, while in a poor one, it's considered an achievement to do nothing and just pass with a satisfactory grade;
• establishing useful connections with capable peers;
• the attractiveness of the diploma for employers (at least when searching for your first or second job).

Arguments against:

• if we're not talking about serious supercomputing, subjects in IT can be learned independently with the right interest;
• it can be harder to enroll, you need to prepare in advance;
• you'll have to study a lot hard, otherwise, you can easily fail.

I would recommend students with strengths in physics and mathematics to try to enroll in a stronger university. However, it's worth noting that some kids prepare for admission to MSU from the 9th grade.

Option: a "regular" university

Still, most specialists are trained at simpler universities. If the reader, like the post's author, isn't aiming for the stars, then our goal is admission to a decent industry university.

Why do universities mislead applicants?

Fact: over the last 10 years, the number of applicants has decreased by a staggering 40%. The number of budget places in universities has also decreased, but not as drastically.

As a result, universities have to compete for applicants: it's necessary to fill budgeted spots, otherwise these spots may be reduced next year, and it would also be good to enroll paid students. In such competitive conditions, universities have to learn marketing, whether they like it or not. Therefore, it’s natural that both on the official website and during open days, universities will sing their praises — you shouldn’t take everything you hear at face value.

Questionable options

Which education is less valued?

• part-time/distance learning — there are different situations in life, but if there's a chance to study full-time, it’s better to go for that (or at least for evening classes);
• non-accredited specialty — no deferment from the army + the chance of receiving a useless diploma instead of a state one (upon entry, you’ll be assured that it’s just an innovative program, and accreditation will be obtained very soon);
• targeted enrollment — not terrible, but let's say, it's an acquired taste: lower passing scores, but after graduation — forced allocation to some research institute or law enforcement agencies (= for a low salary);
• branch — as a rule, much weaker than the main university (unless it's a merged university, see below);
• non-technical university — just as technical universities have sharpened their focus on training lawyers and economists, the reverse is true — humanities universities are trying to train IT specialists; there are good exceptions, for example, the prestigious HSE created a computer science faculty in partnership with Yandex, and in 2012 acquired a decent IT university, MIEM;
• commercial (non-state) university — private universities generally prefer to teach lawyers and financiers; there have been no strong private IT universities reported so far. Some are rumored to operate in a mode of "come once every six months with your record book and money." See the notorious Moscow Technological Institute.

These are not dogmas: of course, you should always consider the specific situation.

Mergers of universities

It should be mentioned that in Moscow and St. Petersburg in recent years there have been Several consolidations of universities. Some were quite strange—just due to territorial proximity: for example, the Mining University MGUG was merged with the Steel and Alloys Institute MISiS, and the Chemical Institute MITHT was combined with the Institute of Radioelectronics and Automation (MIREA). The Instrumentation University MGUPI also became part of MIREA. HSE, having absorbed the Institute of Electronics and Mathematics MIEM, acquired its buildings in the center, while MIEM moved to the outskirts of the city—to Strogino.

At the same time, the 'label' remains from the more 'prestigious' university. That is, when enrolling in the Mytishchi branch of Bauman MSTU, it is worth remembering that just three years ago it was the Forest University.

Specialties

Although there is fundamentally a possibility to transfer to another specialty, it is better to choose the right one right away; otherwise, you will have to deal with a lot of 'backlogs'.

The choice of specialty is linked to the choice of faculty and the graduating department. Every university has stronger and weaker faculties, so a conscious choice here is also important.

On the other hand, choosing a specialty does not mean a final choice of profession—everything in IT is quite flexible and changes quickly. A professional is valued, not a profession.

In Russia, there is a system of Federal State Educational Standards (FSES) for each specialty, on the basis of which universities prepare educational programs. On the other hand, there are related professional standards. I tried to correlate specialties with professions; however, these are basically my assumptions.

Specialties partially overlap each other, and the differences between them can be hard to grasp, even when reading the FSES. Meanwhile, the university is free to adjust the variable part of the program toward a certain focus. Some places emphasize more mathematics, others algorithms, and some focus more on practice. Therefore, it's better to clarify the local program specifics with the admissions committee.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a decent career guidance guide in IT. If anyone has come across one — please share.

→ Career path diagram (eng.)

Specialist or Bachelor's degree?

Along with the new Bologna system: 4 years of bachelor's + 2 years of master's — the Soviet specialist program of 5-5.5 years still exists. Honestly, I can't say it's better. When the bachelor's degree first appeared about 10 years ago, universities hurriedly prepared bachelor's programs by cutting down old specialist programs, often drastically. Now, I hope the situation has normalized and it's safe to pursue a bachelor's degree, especially since the specialist program is fading away. The bachelor's corresponds with the European education system and allows you to adjust your specialty, enrolling in a Russian or foreign master's program. The bachelor's program is divided into 'academic' and 'applied' — the latter has fewer hours allocated to the 'foundation' and more to practice. Practice is good, but it's not a given that the university can provide it at the required level, and the foundation might be useful for master's studies.

Will I become a sought-after specialist after graduation??

That's a good question to ask yourself, especially starting from the third year. The answer: it depends more on the student than on the university.

It is highly desirable to have some practical skills by the time you graduate, which can be obtained through additional courses and internships. Universities often collaborate with companies, allowing employers to 'grow' specialists according to their needs. In the current conditions of the demographic decline, even companies like Yandex and Mail.Ru cannot afford to hire only seniors, which is why they are looking for interns. Don't hesitate to apply for jobs, and don't be afraid to change your first job if you don't like it.

I would like to emphasize the importance of learning English. Enroll in English courses, as this will, in turn, open up access to MOOC courses from foreign universities.

Regarding academic performance: it's unfortunate, but employers don't pay attention to whether you have a 'red' diploma, although a good average GPA may still be necessary for applying to foreign master's programs.

Go for it!

Further on the topic:

• About university rankings: separating the wheat from the chaff.
• Higher and additional education in IT: results from 'My Circle' research.
• Higher education and IT — current realities and prospects, opinions, and experiences of experts.
• For first-year students: Uni.Instruction 1.0.
• Yandex published an overview of the IT job market.
• Monitoring

Only registered users can participate in the survey. Please log in, please.

Graduates, did your university education help you in your further career?

• Yes

• Only at the beginning.

• No

147 users voted. 33 users abstained.

Employers, does having a higher education influence hiring in your organization?

• Yes, we only hire with relevant higher education.

• Yes, we hire only with higher education, but non-relevant is acceptable.

• Having a higher education is desirable.

• No, we don’t consider this at all.

79 users voted. 80 users abstained.

Which universities in Russia do you consider leading in the country for computer science (and would like to hire graduates from)?

• Other

• Lomonosov Moscow State University.

• Saint Petersburg State University.

• Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT).

• Saint Petersburg ITMO University.

• Higher School of Economics.

• Tomsk Polytechnic University.

• Tomsk State University.

• Novosibirsk State University.

• Moscow Bauman State Technical University.

• Moscow Engineering Physics Institute.

• Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys.

• Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University "LETI"

• Moscow Aviation Institute

• Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University

• Ural Federal University

• Nizhny Novgorod State University named after N. I. Lobachevsky

• Southern Federal University

• Siberian Federal University

• Far Eastern Federal University

• Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University

• Samara University

• Baltic Federal University

• South Ural State University

• Tyumen State University

87 users voted. 95 users abstained.

Source: habr.com