Capella PhD in Information Assurance and Security

In another thread the topic of Doctorate degrees in IT/IA came up. There were some members who stated if a school is not regionally accredited then to stay away. With that said, I've begun looking into schools that fit the bill of offering these programs while also being regionally accredited.

Does anyone have experience with Capella? They seem to have a solid reputation and are recognized by the DHS/NSA

"Capella University has been designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance/Cyber Defense (CAE IA/CD) for academic years 2014–2021."

This program seems interesting to me and is designed to take roughly 3 years, which is also enticing.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated

DIT in Information Assurance & Security Online Degree - Capella University

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Comments

TranceSoulBrother

One thing to keep in mind is the resodency requirement for these programs. They will add to the cost as well as the eventual snuggle between family vacation or having to do school residency.

Look at NorthCentral University in AZ. Good PhD with no residency requirement. Im looking at that one eventually simce with my work, it's hard to coordinate a getaway to school

Danielm7

Nitpick but it's not a Phd, it's a DIT, it says that right on the link you posted. I think with anything that high level you have to ask why you're actually doing it. Is there some end goal of teaching or something? Otherwise I can't imagine it would help with job advancement all that much, especially if you already have an MS/MBA.

Unless it's just for personal fulfillment, consider the ROI. 3 years, is that part time? If so that seems quick, if it's full time are you going to leave your job to do it? If not, how about tuition costs? Is it 100% covered, if not, will you get the money back in increased salary over time?

ITSpectre

Honestly a Doctorate in IT is not really worth the ROI unless your goal is to teach at a college or university. What are you planning to do with the Doctorate once you get it?

TechGuru80

The purpose of getting a PhD is research and to work in academia...not to get you for example a management position. Also the worth of your PhD is generally based on peer reviewed publishings and the actual universities reputation. If you have a PhD but cannot get published in a journal, your degree isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

ITSpectre

TechGuru80 wrote: »

The purpose of getting a PhD is research and to work in academia...not to get you for example a management position. Also the worth of your PhD is generally based on peer reviewed publishings and the actual universities reputation. If you have a PhD but cannot get published in a journal, your degree isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

Exactly. People that have a Ph.D usually write books, articles, do lectures and seminars.... and mainly focus on a subject they are passionate about, while doing research and continuing research in that field.

Most people that have a Ph.D go on to become Deans and academic professors at universities and colleges. They spend the rest of their career writing books and studying to remain relevant in the field they got the Ph.D in. Very few people in IT have Ph.D's and the ones that have them are NOT managers... they are professors and college instructors..

zxbane

A couple of things to add to this thread, I initially stated PhD but as Daniel acouple posts in pointed out, it is actually a DIT, although the school also offers a PhD. The DIT is more geared for the working professional than those looking to go into academia, where the PhD would be the better route. Everyone seemed to harp on the concept of PhD, but to be fair I did misname it in my initial post.

"While a PhD prepares you to perform research or teach, a professional doctorate is geared more toward a professional career in a leadership position. A doctoral degree in IT can enhance your position as a leader in your industry. Common jobs with an online DIT in Information Assurance and Security include information security consultant, practitioner, education leader (professor, department head, dean, etc.), IS director, or executive positions within the C-Suite: CIO, CTO, or CISO"

I would appreciate any feedback from others with similar aspirations or goals, rather than pointing out what those with a PhD do, as I pointed out, this is for a Doctorate in IT, DIT, not a PhD. The goal is to set myself apart from my peers and further my knowledge on the career field as well. I work with countless others who all have M.S. degrees and numerous certifications as well.

There is also a personal aspect involved for me, neither of my parents graduated high school, so obtaining a Doctorate would be something I would like to achieve. There would be very little out of pocket expenses due to TA from my employer and it would very likely increase my potential for upward mobility down the line. It would certainly be a time commitment but I do enjoy learning as well and being productive. I hate feeling stagnant.

cyberguypr

I expect to start a doctorate degree in 2018. Why am I doing it? Same reason why got my masters: because I can. I don't plan to teach, write books, or impart knowledge in any way. I just want it. My ROI will be the satisfaction of achieving something I've always wanted. To me that is worth more than any money in the world.

OctalDump

It's a DIT program, which is a professional doctorate. It is designed for people at the very pointy end professional practice, the kind of people you hire in to transform your organisation. It's not specifically for an academic career, a PhD would be a more likely choice for that.

The people at this level are the kind of people writing books, giving seminars, driving large departments and projects for large organisations, genuine industry leaders. Yes, you don't need a DIT to play at this level, but it is something that can give you extra kudos and strengthen links between professional practice and academia.

It can also be for people that really enjoy their Master's, and want to add something a little more substantial. Typically a Master's will focus on current practice with a little bit of developing research. A DIT allows you to take the cutting edge of research and apply it, and to bring real academic rigour to professional practice. For people who don't want to follow the crowd, but lead it.

In IT, like most fields, there's quite a lag between cutting edge research and standard practice. If you have the skills to close that gap (or just make it a lot smaller), you can bring a lot of value to an organisation.

It's not a degree for everyone because, quite frankly, most of us will never be at this level. It's not intended as a degree for middle managers, or probably even your average CIO/CTO/CISO.

Back to the actual question, and one thing to look at is who is actually teaching and if their interests coincide with what you are interested in. At the Doctoral level, more than others, faculty matters a whole lot and the interactions are more personal. Even if the program is good, and has a good reputation, you need your supervisors/teachers to be best able to help you get you where you want to go.

So do some research on the faculty, then talk to them. If you can, talk to current and former students.

zxbane

Thanks for the feedback cyber and octal. Cyber, that aligns with why I am doing it as well, not to mention I think it will help me advance in my organization.

Octal - great post, I'll be sure to consider the faculty before committing to a school.