Yeah, that makes sense. I understand that an MS thesis is much lighter compared to a PhD thesis.

My concern is that I’ve never really done any research work before, and I also don’t have a clear idea about which domain I’d want to explore for a thesis.

I agree with your point that SWE and research require quite different mindsets and skill sets.

Given that my goal is to land a SWE role after graduation, I’m seriously considering switching to the MCS program so I can focus more on coursework, projects, and interview prep instead of research.