BS in computer networking degree thats regionally accredited

I know i have asked this in the past, but have forgotten the response. I asked my linux instructor the other day this question and he flat out said he had no idea. The question was, why the university of southern MS/ the school im currently in has a BS degree in computer networking, but when i look back home in California, none of the schools have one, there all computer science. I know that all my instructors that teach either in cisco, server ex... have all completed there degrees in computer science and were self taught in these other areas of IT. I know that there are allot of options to get a networking degree online, almost every online school offers some type of IT degree. In the south of Mississippi they have the two year computer networking degree which is what i ended up getting and transferred to the university. But looking back home at the two year schools in California, they only offer two year degrees in computer science, as far as IT networking goes, they offer a certificate thats CompTia based, but no two year degrees. I would think that sense networking is such a large field of the IT world that every school would offer a degree in. My current thought process is that networking degrees are kinda new, so only certain schools have begun to teach them, and that when i graduate, that i would be facing experienced self taught computer science grads. Also, do you think employers place any stock in younger people with a BS degree in computer networking. At the current moment im still unsure about what direction to focus on. Whenever i get a chance to re study classes i have already taken, im hoping to pass my CCNA, then become more familiar with windows server. At the current time im trying to hang on with C++ and Adv Linux server. Funny note: my last intro to linux class was 2 years ago and never touched it until the Adv class began, the instructor was very fast and i didnt understand most of what he said, id say most of the class was in the same mind set as i, so for any of you out there that half to take two classes in linux, keep them close, or keep up with the material until the next class starts.

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PCTechLinc

Isn't this like your 10th time changing your mind with your career path?

Ungadunga911

I didnt mention anything about changing career paths. Just wondered why networking wasn't taught on campuses vs mainly being taught online.

ccie14023

You raise an interesting point. Computer networking is rarely taught as an independent academic discipline. Most people learn the trade either through hands-on experience or vendor certification. I myself have an M.S. in Telecommunications Management, which was the closest I could find. This was back in 2000, and the degree was originally focused on people who worked for phone companies. They had just revamped the program to include data networks, which were quite separate from voice networks back then. It says something that the university killed that program many years back. Cisco Networking Academy does fill the gap to some degree. And some computer science programs do cover networking. But overall it's underrepresented in academia. I don't have a great answer for why. Since most network engineers learned their craft outside of academia, most aren't really qualified to go back into the academic world and teach. Also, networking tends to be much more tied to vendors, unlike programming which is not.

stryder144

It could be a degree titling issue. For instance, the local community college has an AAS degree grouping called the Computer Network Technology degree. There are multiple tracks, such as Cisco, System Admin, Cybersecurity, etc. There are also degrees offered in Computer Information Systems that include programming and customer service, and degrees that are titled Broadband Technology and Communication. Very muddy degree naming, to say the least.

yoba222

From what I've seen, employers don't care all that much about what the name of the degree is. As long as the title has something to do with computer science or IT in general, it's close enough to check the checkbox. They also don't really care about what courses were taken to obtain it.

It's simply: bachelor's degree in related field? Check.

DatabaseHead

yoba222 wrote: »

From what I've seen, employers don't care all that much about what the name of the degree is. As long as the title has something to do with computer science or IT in general, it's close enough to check the checkbox. They also don't really care about what courses were taken to obtain it.

It's simply: bachelor's degree in related field? Check.

Unless you are coming from a top 25 program (or high up and regionally / nationally recognized) I would agree with this. Essentially in most case I would agree with this comment.

@ OP All of the CS program I looked at usually have 1 - 2 networking course (usually 1), but by far away not a primary focus......