Starting WGU - MS: IT Management degree

I spoke to the continuing education department and filled out all of the forms and FAFSA stuff. Looks like I'm all set to start on February 1, 2015. I completed the BS: IT ND&M degree in August, and then took a few months to work on Microsoft certs while I figured out what I wanted to do. Obtaining a masters degree was definitely a goal that I wanted to accomplish in the short to mid-term, so I decided to go ahead and pull the trigger on this. I'm hoping to be able to knock out the entire degree in two terms (12 months). I'm currently not working right now due to a medical condition (I'm at home on disability), so I have all day every day to work on this degree. I'm excited to get started on this.

Online IT Management Degree | MS in IT Management

As I understand it, there's not many people on these forums that have enrolled in or graduated from this particular program. It's certainly not nearly as popular as the MS:ISA. I will let you guys know what I think about the program after I get started.

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Comments

GAngel

So far it's ok material wise. task stream sucks and tech writing is aweful because of it only negatives i have to say.

srabiee

How many classes have you knocked out and how quickly were you able to get them done?

GAngel

5 this term with ease.
Expect to be done everything within a year.

IIIMaster

Yeah Im a IT mgt degree myself, bachelor level. I have already taken alot of those courses. Of course they wont transfer but technical writing is a very fun course. But it may differ at WGU. I had to use technical writting skills to implement and design a solution for a client. You will feel the stress of being a manager in that course and deliver.

srabiee

I'm used to Taskstream, had to use it many times during the BS degree so not too worried there. I think the biggest difference with this degree is that it's 100% performance assessments. No more objective exams using the proctored webcam. I'm not big on paper writing but I will get it done. As far as the capstone goes, I am going to try and repurpose my BSIT capstone paper. If I can do that, it would be a huge help and shave a month or so off of the program. I will have to speak to a course mentor about that.

srabiee

Ok, so yesterday was day 1 of the MS IT Management program. I started with LYT2 - Current and Emerging Technology. From what I can tell so far, the course is focused on business analysis. I had to read a few chapters in two different books and complete a Skillsoft learning course on stakeholders and determining business need. Then Task 1 in which I have to write a proposal based on an RFP submitted by a fictitious company. I completed the first two pages of the paper yesterday. Put in about 8 hours or so the first day. So far so good. My immediate goal is to write at least 2 ~ 3 pages per day, every day. I am really hoping to accelerate this degree plan and get this done in 2 terms max.

aspiringsoul

Good luck to you. I'm currently enrolled in the MS:ISA program. I started in September, knocked out 2 Courses in two months and the slowed down dramatically. I bought a house and moved, my parents moved to within twelve minutes of me, I started working a bit of over-time, I had friends and Family visit.....and I slacked off.

Now, I'm one assignment away from finishing Cyberlaw, and this is my last month of this term. I'm going to start the next term at the beginning of March with the goal of earning the CEH and CHFI in four months, and then finishing two more courses in the remaining two months.

I would like to finish this program within 18 months from start to finish.

Sounds like you're already off to a great start. I hope you don't get distracted like I did. Good luck to you.

Dakinggamer87

Awesome glad to hear more about this degree as I want to start this one next!! Keep us posted on your progress

srabiee

An update: I finished Task 1 the first week and Task 2 the second week. My Task 2 paper ended up being 17 pages long. The WGU course mentor states that he has seen students complete that task in as little as 5 or 6 pages, but I cannot fathom how they crammed that much research and information into such a small paper. I'm on my third week and have finished typing the first 5 pages of the Task 3 paper. I'm guessing this final paper will end up being about 12 pages total. I'm planning on having it finished by the weekend, so that will be three weeks total to complete the first course (LYT2).

The next course is Cyberlaw, Regulations, and Compliance (TFT2).

spaat

Hi srabiee -
Thank you for posting these updates. They are very helpful as a journal of sorts. I'm a month away from finishing my BS and will be applying for the MS: IT Management degree at WGU after I get my CCNP in the summer. I have been following your progress with much enthusiasm.

-spaat

cs8400

I am currently enrolled in the MS: IT Management degree at WGU as well. Just finished up my orientation on Friday. I'm looking forward digging into my classes on March 1st. Right now I'm trying to finish up my MCSA:Server 2012 (just have the 70-411 to go), don't think I would be able to juggle studying for certs and classes at the same time.

srabiee

I'm glad to hear that there are other forum members that are interested in this program.

A mini-update:

Finished Current and Emerging Technology (LYT2) in the first 3 weeks of beginning the program. My task 3 paper got returned to me on the first submission due to one of the sections requiring additional info. The 2nd submission passed. 14 pages total.

I'm on Cyberlaw, Regulations, and Compliance (TFT2) now. Finished task 1 in the first two days. 6 pages and accepted on the first submission. Task 2 is a research paper based on HIPAA, will probably end up being about 5 pages total. Should be done with that one in the next couple of days.

So far so good.

srabiee

Update:

Finished TFT2, and also finished JIT2 (Risk Management). JIT2 required me to complete three tasks that were semi-related and submit them to Taskstream at the same time. I wrote over 30 pages for that class. Sort of felt like I was writing another capstone, lol. Glad that one is over with.

Current course is MCT2 - Technical Writing. Finished the reading in 1 week and am now about 6 pages into the first task.

8 CU's completed in the first two months. If I can keep this pace I should have the entire degree completed in eight months total. We'll see if I can complete that goal.

srabiee

Another update:

Finished MCT2 - Technical Writing in 4 weeks. This was the most time consuming course I've taken so far and I'm glad it's over with. I feel drained after that one. Started LZT2 - Power, Influence, and Leadership today. Got the first two pages of task 1 written. Hopefully this course won't take any longer than 3 weeks to complete.

11 CU's down

srabiee

Haven't updated this in awhile. Got stuck for a long time on LZT2 - Power, Influence, and Leadership due to a month-long illness and burnout. Finally finished that course after struggling through it (hated that one) and been working on SJT2 - Advanced Networking Technology for a few weeks now. It's not a difficult course, lots of reading material which I feel is borderline optional, and then you must write two papers and create two network diagrams. My background isn't in networking so I've been taking my time on this one. I'm about halfway done with my submission, looks like it's going to end up being about 20 pages or so, including the diagrams.

I have less than 3 weeks left in my first term. I will end the term with 17 CUs completed, and 13 CUs left to complete. I'm really hoping to finish up this degree soon, as I'm starting to suffer from burnout and would really like to be working on something else other than writing 20 page paper after 20 page paper....

cshkuru

So I am getting ready to start Technical Writing and I am looking at the Course of Study. It looks completely abandoned. No pacing guide, no course mentor, no course tips sheet, no responses in course chatter. Whats up with that? I don't contact course mentors often but you do have to occassionally. Who are we supposed to contact?

The Power Influence and Leadership course looks the same.

Does anyone have pacing guides for these course?

srabiee

I think it's a combination of the curriculum being so new, and the degree being so unpopular. These courses have a high turnover rate for course mentors from what I have witnessed, and it appears that WGU wipes the course resources every time a course mentor is dropped from the program. It sucks and makes for a frustrating experience.

GSXR750K2

Graduated in May from WGU with BS IT-Sec. I had talked to the MBA ITM people earlier this week, but after talking with my uncle (Industrial Engineer who has spent many years in various administration and C-level roles) I'm going to switch to the MS ITM. I think my goals would be better served sticking to IT-specific related material and delving too deeply into the business aspect would detract somewhat. I'm waiting on the guy from the business college to call back to release whatever it is that is preventing the IT school from talking to me. Plus I wasn't fond of the MBA capstone being a group project.

hurricane1091

Why MS ITM instead of MBA ITM?

GSXR750K2

I would rather focus on the business aspects of IT itself rather than business itself. The emphasis courses of the MBA ITM, in my opinion, offer only a view into IT operations as opposed the MS ITM which immerses the student in IT operations. There's nothing wrong with the MBA ITM, it probably has more general applications since it does focus on business at its core (one could leave IT and go on to work in another industry), but from a subjective viewpoint it's just not for me.

hurricane1091

Okay, I ask because I just finished my BS from WGU in IT Security and am on the CCNP now, but plan on going back to WGU in the future and am unsure of the MBA or MS. If I said my ultimate goal was CIO or something, would MBA be preferred or do both really do the trick in your opinion?

GSXR750K2

Funny you mention that, I've been studying (more or less) for the CCNP SWITCH exam and decided I'd do the MS now since my Cisco stuff is good for another 14-ish months.

I personally believe that either one will work for a CIO role. The MS may not be as open-ended as the MBA for other C-level roles to me since it says that someone is more of a subject matter expert in that field. It all depends on the company though...we have a civil engineer that was promoted to VP of our drilling operations this past June. He didn't think his chosen degree would lead to an executive position, so you never know where it will take you.

demonfurbie

how is the degree going?

are the papers starting to run together?

daviddws

Congrats on setting the bar high. Perseverance will get you through.