WGU: MSISA Compared to BS Program

Raisin

I'm finishing up my capstone at WGU and now I'm wondering what I should aspire to next. The masters degree at WGU is tempting, but I'm curious how the graduate courses compare to the undergrad program. From other threads I've seen it sounds like there's more writing assignments. Is this true and if so, how do they compare with the BS capstone paper? Longer, shorter, or about the same? Writing is probably where I'm the weakest, which is what attracted me to WGU to begin with, so this would factor heavily into my decision to pursue a masters degree at all. Right now my career really doesn't demand that I go out and get one. I might just focus on certs instead if the degree is going to be non stop writing.

I know the MS capstone is unavoidable writing, and if there's a few other papers which are shorter than the BS capstone paper, then I could probably bite the bullet and push through it. I just want to know what I'm getting myself into before I apply.

Raisin

I'm starting to remember why I'm a lurker here.

the_Grinch

Pretty sure this topic has been covered on a number of occasions. A quick search pulled up the following:

http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/108553-wgu-msisa-review.html
http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/67825-wgu-msisa-questions-answered.html

You're going for a Masters degree that would entail that one assume that there will be a lot of writing involved.

http://www.wgu.edu/wgu/prog_guide/MS_ISA.pdf

The program guide provides insight into the type of coursework that would be completed and that in turn would tell you what would require a lot of writing. Specifically, the following course would (to me) appear to be writing intensive:

Current and Emerging Technology
Security Policies and Standards – Best Practices
Risk Management
Cyberlaw, Regulations and Compliance
Vulnerability Assessment
Ethical Hacking
Disaster Recovery Planning, Prevention and Response
Capstone Project (your thesis, which will typically involve a large written document)

I am a security professional and about 97% of my day revolves around writing along with meetings. The other 3% is in actually performing some sort of work, but still involves writing because I have to report on those results. If I am working an investigations then it is almost all writing. Interviewing witnesses...writing. Working with outside agencies...writing. Providing results to management...writing. You will be hard pressed to find any security career that isn't just about all writing with a sprinkling of excitement. It's a lot like police work, on tv you see them kicking in doors and going on high speed chases. In actuality, you rarely kick in a door and when you arrive at the point of perhaps kicking in a door it was after months (if not years) of investigative work.

As an aside, I know I will get flack for this, but the members of this community do have jobs and other things going on. They aren't paid to answer and not getting an answer to a question that has either been answered or one could assume the answer doesn't warrant comments such as "I'm starting to remember why I'm a lurker here." Gaining knowledge is a two way street and a lack of effort doesn't equate to others needing to pick up the slack.

"Success is dependent on effort." - Sophocles