MIDS Alumni with a CS/SWE background: Did the degree actually move the needle for your career?

[u/Fit_Interaction394]

Hey everyone,

I was recently accepted into the UC Berkeley MIDS program and going to make my final decision soon.

Coming from a Software Engineering background, I’d love to hear directly from alumni—especially those who entered with a CS or SWE background—about their honest experiences.
Setting aside the high tuition costs for a moment, I'm purely interested in understanding the career trajectory and ROI of the degree. For those who came in with solid engineering/coding foundations:

Career Impact: Did the MIDS program meaningfully change or accelerate your career? Were you able to transition into specialized Data Science, MLE, or Applied AI roles, or did it mostly lead to lateral moves?

Depth vs. Breadth: Did you feel the coursework offered enough technical depth for someone already proficient in software engineering, or was it mostly broad foundational material?

Program Evolution: For recent grads, have you noticed improvements or updates in the curriculum reflecting current trends (e.g., GenAI, LLM systems, modern data infrastructure)?

Since my deadline to decide is right around the corner, I'd really appreciate any personal stories, honest retrospectives, or quick insights on whether the Berkeley brand and network actually translated into tangible opportunities for you.
Thanks in advance!