WGU MS CyberSecurity & IA: Start Date 12/1/2016

usman4673

Guys,
So, after pondering and going through many possible options, here I am again almost set to sail with WGU. Its hard to beat their tuition rates when everything has to come out of pocket. I do not want to take loans and I dont qualify for Pell grant, so WGU wins again.

Anyway, as of now, nothing is scaring me more than CEHv9 exam. I have no idea what to expect there and no idea on how much time will it take to pass. I have seen many ppl recommended using Matt Walker All-in-one guide but can someone please provide the ISBN# for v9? I' appreciate if someone, who has recently taken the exam and passed the very first time, can recommend the specific book/material that I need to purchase. I want to start studying for CEHv9 now so I can hit it running an knock it off quickly.

Secondly, people who are either currently enrolled, can you please answer the following?
If you dont mind recommending a study path for prospective CSIA candidates like me, i am sure, many can benefit.

1) Besides the difficulty level, can you recommend the sequence to take them so one can go smoothly and make the most of one term?
2) I know, time required to spend on a course depends on ones experience, prior knowledge, and on how many quality hours one can dedicate per day or a week. Some ppl like working everyday utilizing whatever small sessions they can utilize, some like to wait and dedicate 1-2 long days of 6-8 hours and finish it once. But if we ignore experience/prior knowledge, how much time in hours do you say you invested or would recommend others per course? Here is the course list:
1) Cyberwarfare
2) Risk Management
3) Cyberlaw, Regulations, and Compliance
4) Secure Network Design
5) Security Policies and Standards - Best Practices
6) Secure Software Design
7) Ethical Hacking
8 ) Forensics and Network Intrusion
9) Disaster Recovery Planning, Prevention and Response
10)Information Security and Assurance Capstone Project

3) Since Cyberware has replaced crypto, it means students now have FOUR OA, everything else is performance/writing?

4) Which course material do you suggest is the must-do for one to pass CEHv9? MAatt Walker ALL-in-one? Just a cd or a book or something else? Was CEH all MCQs or are there any drag and drops and lab simulations like Cisco exams? Can you please PM with the ISBN/material you used? I will be forever grateful.

5) and which material do you recommend for Forensic exam?

6) On the 6 writing courses, does one have to read all the study material recommended to complete the writing tasks of Capstream or can one copy the rubric to word and just target the specific sections and then fill the paras under rubric and submit for pass?

7) I am thinking to start the term with two OA courses like Secure network design and secure software design and maybe add one more writing course to make them 8CUs. Which writing course has the least tasks and you recommend it to be the first? I want to knock these 3 out in December.

What should be the subsequent 3 writing courses that I should try completing in my remaining 4-5 months in the 1^st term?

9) I am thinking to start my second term with CEHv9, and forensics. I am a bit worried on CEHv9, I don’t know how hard or time consuming this will be.

I think first term is the defining term. It is this term which will make or break ones dream of achieving MS. Thats why i want to plan it well.

veronica321

Hello Usman4673,

Even i am thinking to enroll in WGU MS. Are you planning to take CEHv9 exam prior to enrollment in the MS program.? As long as the CEH cert was earned prior to enrollment which was done within the last 5 years, it should be transferable as part of credits. This might save time to complete MS program quickly.

usman4673

veronica321 wrote: »

Hello Usman4673,

Even i am thinking to enroll in WGU MS. Are you planning to take CEHv9 exam prior to enrollment in the MS program.? As long as the CEH cert was earned prior to enrollment which was done within the last 5 years, it should be transferable as part of credits. This might save time to complete MS program quickly.

Hi Vernica321:

I think, it is an expensive certificate $500-$600 dollar. To me, this is huge. I could have tried if it was <= $200 but cant afford $600 out of pocket. I think, its not worth it.
What I have learnt so far from the ones currently enrolled: Try to work on multiple courses in parallel. Like if you are tired of writing Cybrewarfare, try reading/writing Risk management some. If you are sick of all sorts of writing, try studying for an OA course like Secure Network or Secure s/w design, or maybe study some CEH material. "Do ONE thing at a time but work on multiple tasks/courses in a week. Dont sit and wait for Scorers to evaluate. Keep working on something else.

Again, I dont want to rush things. 1-year seems to be very realistic without rushing and missing all the fun.But one size doesnt fit all.

usman4673

One of my worries is - This track doesnt seem to have matured in WGU yet. The way students are complaining about vague tasks, graders asking for revisions and then you resubmit with adding one line here and there and then they approve it. It all seems like this track is still going through beta/pilot phase. I am hoping in a year or two, it will mature and lives of CSIA students will get better.

jamesleecoleman

The way I see it is that vague means that I can use a broad range of sources to be accepted. I wrote on another thread about Cyber Warfare.. task 1, one of the requirements for the academic scholarly stuff seemed kinda vague to me. My paper got sent back only for not having that citation and once I found something that I thought I could use, I used it and wrote some information from the article to help back up what I wrote in the paper... it got accepted.

TranceSoulBrother

Usman,
I already posted my own review about the degree: http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/121712-wgu-msisa-my-review-aug-2016-a.html

For the CEH, I already mentioned in another thread in response to your question that you can use either the Oriyano or Walker books in addition to whatever resources is in the WGU course material, in addition to their provided Boson test bank. They are sufficient if you use them diligently. If you are so concerned about it, you can start studying the books way in advance to taking the class. I'm sure there are CBT courses or youtube videos for version 9 now. Additionally, WGU gives you two test vouchers for each exam. If you fail the first time, dust yourself off and study some more. But frankly, for someone with a couple of CCNPs and MCSE, I wonder why you're so concerned about the exam. Yes, it's new material but so was all the Cisco stuff prior to your working with it. So stop overthinking this stuff and get'er done.

Additionally, there's no reason that you should worry about the course sequence. Just work with your student mentor to get the classes lined up and knocked out as you do them. For all the writing courses, work on the papers and upload to Taskstream. Once it's in the cue, don't obsess about it. Work on something else. You do not need to check the queue as you will eventually get a notification email anyway. Concern yourself with the reading and write your paper. Use the template that I reference in my other thread. Follow the rubrik in the course and you should be good to go. If the task is returned for correction, cuss the grader out then get down to correcting that crap. Try to benefit from the course and move on.

Remember: WGU uses the Pass/Fail system which equates to a 3.0/4.0 GPA. So you can over stress, obsess, manipulate all you want, write all the pretty papers that you want, you will walk away with a 3.0 GPA but you will be able to list a graduate degree on your resume. You can choose your apples or your oranges.

Good luck.

usman4673

[/QUOTE]

TranceSoulBrother wrote: »

Usman,
I already posted my own review about the degree: http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/121712-wgu-msisa-my-review-aug-2016-a.html


For the CEH, I already mentioned in another thread in response to your question that you can use either the Oriyano or Walker books in addition to whatever resources is in the WGU course material, in addition to their provided Boson test bank. They are sufficient if you use them diligently. If you are so concerned about it, you can start studying the books way in advance to taking the class. I'm sure there are CBT courses or youtube videos for version 9 now. Additionally, WGU gives you two test vouchers for each exam. If you fail the first time, dust yourself off and study some more. But frankly, for someone with a couple of CCNPs and MCSE, I wonder why you're so concerned about the exam. Yes, it's new material but so was all the Cisco stuff prior to your working with it. So stop overthinking this stuff and get'er done.


Additionally, there's no reason that you should worry about the course sequence. Just work with your student mentor to get the classes lined up and knocked out as you do them. For all the writing courses, work on the papers and upload to Taskstream. Once it's in the cue, don't obsess about it. Work on something else. You do not need to check the queue as you will eventually get a notification email anyway. Concern yourself with the reading and write your paper. Use the template that I reference in my other thread. Follow the rubrik in the course and you should be good to go. If the task is returned for correction, cuss the grader out then get down to correcting that crap. Try to benefit from the course and move on.


Remember: WGU uses the Pass/Fail system which equates to a 3.0/4.0 GPA. So you can over stress, obsess, manipulate all you want, write all the pretty papers that you want, you will walk away with a 3.0 GPA but you will be able to list a graduate degree on your resume. You can choose your apples or your oranges.


Good luck.

Your post was very encouraging. You are right, I might be overthinking. You have provided some really good tips about attacking CEH. I will surely follow your thread for guidance. a I encounter those courses. Thanks alot for the tips and helping me get the focus right.

mzx380

Glad to see you made a decision
I'm starting the MBA:ITM on the same day
Good luck to you and hope to be kept up to date on your progress

trueshrewkmc

I'm starting my MS in Cybersecurity and IA at WGU in November. Used my C|EH v 8 to qualify for admission. A Training Camp C|EH bootcamp got me through C|EH, but I read Matt Walker's all in one for v 8 before camp too.

Didn't know there were objective assessments other than C|EH and C|HFI. Guess I gotta read the Degree Plan again.

trueshrewkmc

I like usman's thinking about letting WGU pay for the EC Council vouchers. If there's any chance that you majored in English (like me) or some other field that doesn't scream "I qualify to study cybersecurity at the graduate level," C|EH might help you get admitted.

trueshrewkmc

Matt Walker's
[h=1]CEH Certified Ethical Hacker All-in-One Exam Guide, Third Edition (September 2016)[/h]

• ISBN-10: 125983655X
• ISBN-13: 978-1259836558

Dakinggamer87

Welcome to the Master's program!! I will be tracking your progress and best of luck.

usman4673

trueshrewkmc wrote: »

Matt Walker's
CEH Certified Ethical Hacker All-in-One Exam Guide, Third Edition (September 2016)

• ISBN-10: 125983655X
• ISBN-13: 978-1259836558

WoW! Exactly what I was looking for. Just one question: I normally prefer hardcovers, easy to read, and absorb. Is there any additional material in the CD version than the traditional book? Any idea/thoughts?

usman4673

Dakinggamer87 wrote: »

Welcome to the Master's program!! I will be tracking your progress and best of luck.

Thanks! People like you ensure that people like me succeed.

NotHackingYou

So how is it going?

usman4673

Guys:
My apologies for not updating the thread. My employer had some right-sizing done in the 4Q of 2016. Fortunately, I didnt get the pink slip but restructuring impacted my work load and everything. Therefore, I decided to postpone WGU unless the dust settles.

I am hoping to target March the 1st, 2017 now.

usman4673

Hello World!
Sorry to have been away for long. I bumped into PMP in Feb 2017 and boy, it is one hell of an exam. I must have spent 300 - 400 hours studying, 56 hours taking 14 full-length mock exams, 60-80 hours correcting mistakes of all the mocks, and lost 18 lbs during these 3 months. I still found the actual exam very, very tough but glad to ace it in first attempt. Got Proficient in Planning, Exec, and M&C, while MP in Initiating and Closing.

At this time, I want to get back to my daughters, be around them more, help my wife, in short - focus on basics of life. I wish you all happy and safe summer vacation!