Master's Degree Question

Hello,

I'm considering pursuing a Master's Degree from Capella, or another school if anyone has suggestions, for either Networking or Information Security. I know Capella's has the Network Architecture degree and I've been considering pursuing a CCNA cert but not sure if I should have it first. I've also always been interested in IT Security and I think this might be more of an interest to me right now. I do have some help desk experience as well as years of experience repairing and fixing and patching and such on the side, so I'm not a novice in Computing. I have a Bachelor in Secondary Education currently hated that field. The Master's degree appeals to me because I will need to get financial aid. Is anyone here doing a Master's degree from an online school and would it be detrimental for someone to enter without a previous IT degree?

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kkearney75

I am currently earning my MBA in IT mgmt from WGU. My bachelor's degree is in psychology. I don't think having an IT degree matters as much as having experience in the field and it sounds as though that is what you have.

IT Man

I just completed my M.S. in Information Assurance from Capitol College. My B.S. wasn't in an IT related field although I've been working in IT for the past 6 yrs. They just recommend you have knowledge comparable to the Security+ exam.

eansdad

I'm still on my BS from WGU but plan on going through with the Masters in Information Security and Assurance. The only problem I see is that at WGU you'll be taking industry certifications namely EC-Councils CEH, HEFI and the GIAC. These are not easy certifications but doable. Starting with certifications would probably be your better bet for now and finish up a masters after you have more (current) experience.

tpatt100

I say do what ever you can now because later things might come up that interfere with your progress.

kurosaki00

as others have said, in today's job scene Experience and certifications are worth more than degrees.
Especially Experience****
Degrees give you a better professional look, Its hard to explain.
I myself I'm in process of my MS in Network & security.
It will allow me to teach in college which Ive always wanted.
My main thing is the technician/engineer area but I've always wanted to teach in college too so a master will let me do it.

Also in my experience Federal jobs sometimes look @ degrees.

But to nail a technician/field/engineer job in the area I recommend experience and certs above a degree.
But degrees kind of make you look better and its knowledge anyways, we all should love it and get the most we can.

ssampier

What I have seen when looking for a job if most things are roughly equal (experience and certifications) education is what tips the scales. In my experience they prefer technical degrees over anything else. If you can afford the graduate degree definitely go for it.

As for the CCNA cert I would look closely at their curriculum. Do they have a Cisco Networking Academy or Network+ element to their classes? If so, could you skip that requirement with a CCNA?

Edit:

The only place I'd stay away from is AIU. When I contacted them years ago they were very sales-y, like a used car salesman. I don't know the quality of their education, but their sales pitch didn't give me confidence.

erpadmin

ssampier wrote: »

The only place I'd stay away from is AIU. When I contacted them years ago they were very sales-y, like a used car salesman. I don't know the quality of their education, but their sales pitch didn't give me confidence.

While I can find other faults about AIU, I can say that in terms of WGU, if not for the fact the TE'ers encouraged new students to disregard the salesman-like tactics of the WGU enrollment counselor, I would not have enrolled. Maybe/maybe not AIU is the same, or perhaps worse than WGU, but the experience I had with WGU post enrollment counselor has been very positive.

But I plan on going the B&M route after WGU so that I can get "street cred" with my education. If employers or others, people will crap on my BS, then the Masters will at least show I was capable of going to the next level and at a "real" place.

ssampier

I don't know erpadmin. I requested some information from WGU a couple of months ago. They sent a few pages and called me once and left a message. They occasionally send emails but they don't hound me like AIU did.

I was actually reminded of this old TV ad:

"YOU CAN make alot of money by placing tiny ads in newspapers!"

I can't find the clip, but the guy was very wired and nearly shouted. Or, of course, the used car salesman, "This car was only used by grandma to play bingo once a week. The door came off? No problem. We can glue that back on."

I really doubt employers can crap on the WGU degree (unless they are comparing it to Columbia or some other excellent school). Like you said it's a equivalent to the no-name-but-good-colleges in Utah (like my ala mater Weber State University).

Edit:

Here's the clip:

YouTube - Don Lapre Sells Tiny Classified Ads

erpadmin

ssampier wrote: »

I don't know erpadmin. I requested some information from WGU a couple of months ago. They sent a few pages and called me once and left a message. They occasionally send emails but they don't hound me like AIU did.

I was actually reminded of this old TV ad:

"YOU CAN make alot of money by placing tiny ads in newspapers!"

I can't find the clip, but the guy was very wired and nearly shouted. Or, of course, the used car salesman, "This car was only used by grandma to play bingo once a week. The door came off? No problem. We can glue that back on."

I really doubt employers can crap on the WGU degree (unless they are comparing it to Columbia or some other excellent school). Like you said it's a equivalent to the no-name-but-good-colleges in Utah (like my ala mater Weber State University).

Edit:

Here's the clip:

YouTube - Don Lapre Sells Tiny Classified Ads

Seriously, WGU enrollment process AS A WHOLE truly is bad! Seriously, were it not for TE, I would have never bothered. When I advised folks on how to deal with it, I had to compare it to pledging a greek org....yeah those few weeks suck like no other, but once you're "in" it makes it allllll worth it. LMAO.

But no, I meant what I said earlier about WGU and the degree...that much is true and when I earn it, I can definitely defend it (especially after I'm done with LAT1 and my other writing classes....lmao). After I earn it, I plan on test driving that bad boy (the degree on resume) to see if I get any bites for a management position. (Without an MS/MBA first...) but not before I have a proper celebration in Vegas after graduation.

At that point....I would have earned it.

demonfurbie

i had no issue enrolling at wgu it was like 3 phone calls and i was started in class

how ever to the question a bs in computer sci and current certs is what i see that matters most

its how current you stay on the major ... no jobs out there for a mcse on nt 4.0 but if i had a bs degree from the early 90's and current certs that would really matter

Syntax

erpadmin wrote: »

But I plan on going the B&M route after WGU so that I can get "street cred" with my education. If employers or others, people will crap on my BS, then the Masters will at least show I was capable of going to the next level and at a "real" place.

I am doing the opposite. I already have a Bachelor's in Information Systems Technology from a B&M school (University of Central Florida), was pretty dissatisfied with the quality of the degree program as far as relevancy to the career field. Now I'm looking to enroll in WGU (M.S. Information Security and Assurance), to hopefully gain some more relevant career skills and pick up some certifications along the way.

So I've done the "real" college/university thing and it's not all it's cracked up to be. Anyone who craps on a degree from an accredited online school and looks higher up on a degree from a B&M is a complete idiot. I've found that a lot of times the B&M universities are more concerned with building a new football stadium or athletic program than the actual academia. But, that's just been my experience so far.

N2IT

Syntax wrote: »

I am doing the opposite. I already have a Bachelor's in Information Systems Technology from a B&M school (University of Central Florida), was pretty dissatisfied with the quality of the degree program as far as relevancy to the career field. Now I'm looking to enroll in WGU (M.S. Information Security and Assurance), to hopefully gain some more relevant career skills and pick up some certifications along the way.

So I've done the "real" college/university thing and it's not all it's cracked up to be. Anyone who craps on a degree from an accredited online school and looks higher up on a degree from a B&M is a complete idiot. I've found that a lot of times the B&M universities are more concerned with building a new football stadium or athletic program than the actual academia. But, that's just been my experience so far.

As far as business goes B&M is the way to go, that is also for accounting, finance, economics, and statistics.

For CIS and other similiar type programs I tend to agree. I think doing WGU sounds like a good way to go. You get a regionally accredited degree and you get some really nice certifications. The more I hear about it and the more I get off the on line aspect the more I really respect it.

I was two classes into my master degree in MIS and during the 3rd one I got up and left. I was done, finished. For the amount of money I was spending, (3,000) a class I couldn't justify sitting in that class and learning nothing. I'll save you the details, but the course didn't satisify my needs.

If I do a masters degree I will stick with the MBA, Supply Chain, or something other than MIS.

rogue2shadow

Syntax wrote: »

So I've done the "real" college/university thing and it's not all it's cracked up to be. Anyone who craps on a degree from an accredited online school and looks higher up on a degree from a B&M is a complete idiot. I've found that a lot of times the B&M universities are more concerned with building a new football stadium or athletic program than the actual academia.

I agree with some of this (football stadium) but some of this doesn't sit right with me lol. Aren't most major B&Ms accredited to begin with?

Then again why would someone "crap" on a degree that is accepted nationally?

I could be completely misreading your intent with that statement.

EDIT: I'm not trying to say I crap on any degree "accredited or not".

erpadmin

Syntax wrote: »

So I've done the "real" college/university thing and it's not all it's cracked up to be. Anyone who craps on a degree from an accredited online school and looks higher up on a degree from a B&M is a complete idiot. I've found that a lot of times the B&M universities are more concerned with building a new football stadium or athletic program than the actual academia. But, that's just been my experience so far.

+1

That is actually encouraging, and because of that I will be repping this as well as giving the +1! (Unlike a majority of boards on the Internet, I judge posters on content, not on number of posts....

)

The fact that I don't even have an associates, I really can't crap on ANY degree (unless of course it's from a degree mill, and then of course that's different). Many of my colleagues have cute opinions about online degrees, but based on my own experiences, the opposite of their arguments are true.

1) You don't learn anything from an online program. (That's false...I've personally learned how to deal with APA formatting AND a better way of outlining a paper...research or otherwise.) I am sure I'll be taking away some other nuggets of learning from my other classes.

2) Employers don't value an online degree. (Based on my profile viewing on LinkedIn, this is also a falsehood....many alumni tend to have ok-to-sweet paying jobs in various parts of the US).

3) WGU isn't a "real" school. (The regional accreditation bestowed on WGU pretty much turns that statement into a falsehood. That was really the "sell" for me...if a school is regionally accredited, I should be able to go to any school either for a second Bachelors or a Masters and be ok.)

I am a good bit away from considering anything at this point post WGU graduation. It's going to depend on a number of factors (scheduling/time, money, online (whether it's a B&M program OR online-only like WGU) or whether or not I can go after work, the type of program (MBA vs. MS IT Management) and a whole bunch of other things.

But in any event, well said and thank you.

Devilsbane

demonfurbie wrote: »

i had no issue enrolling at wgu it was like 3 phone calls and i was started in class

They have been relentless. I get daily calls (that I can't answer at work) and I have received several emails, which I reply to, and then never get an answer.

erpadmin

N2IT wrote: »

As far as business goes B&M is the way to go, that is also for accounting, finance, economics, and statistics.

Some B&M schools' MBA programs are not AACSB-accredited. (To be fair, neither is WGU's MBA program so they too won't be considered unless/until that changes). Some folks will say it doesn't matter. I personally think it might.

I did not know that stats was it's own field of study (unlike the other subjects you mentioned...). Stats is usually part of a mathematics major.

Also, if folks have the money, schools like Drexel and Penn State have 100% online programs (but we're talking top tier B&M schools to begin with....

superman859

Syntax wrote: »

So I've done the "real" college/university thing and it's not all it's cracked up to be. Anyone who craps on a degree from an accredited online school and looks higher up on a degree from a B&M is a complete idiot. I've found that a lot of times the B&M universities are more concerned with building a new football stadium or athletic program than the actual academia. But, that's just been my experience so far.

While I've never been enrolled in any online programs, I also agree with the statement that "real" universities are not always the best. I have two bachelor degrees (Math, Computer Science) and will have my Masters in December - from two separate schools and both are standard state schools.

I personally was also a little dissatisfied with what I learned in the classroom. Many people are ok with it, but I also don't see many of them to be people that strive for the best education either - they just want the degree and jobs. I really push myself to learn what I can, and probably 75% of my learning has taken place at home.

Overall, I've really only had a couple of good professors, while the rest were not very good. Many of them grab a textbook (usually not even the best one available), and just teach out of the book. They summarize the chapters and give homework on it, but you miss key details and end up reading the book yourself. IMO, everything I learn really comes from reading the textbook, which I could do with or without the classroom experience. Furthermore, many of them aren't very good communicators either for various reasons. Either English is not their native language so they have more difficulty expressing themselves and explaining things well (happens more often in CS than other classes I took), or they are research professors that care about research and publishing papers but not so much about teaching, or they simply suck at communicating and teaching. After all, to teach in college you just need your graduate degree - you don't have to have a teaching degree like primary/secondary education.

So, personally I think the current educational system has some major flaws, and many people graduate without much knowledge of anything while people who don't have degrees may know a lot more.

However, the main reason I've stuck it out is simply to satisfy the majority of the world that still thinks that the standard system is the "only" way. Unfortunately, I do think it's easier for people with traditional degrees even though they may not be the best option.

From what I've seen about WGU, I would bet that the majority of the people who get a degree from WGU by passing all those certs generally know more than people that graduated with me in my state university (most likely myself included - I'm just now starting to study for the certs). Whether this comes from WGU being a good school, or simply the fact that everyone that graduates has self-studied through a ton of material for the certs, I don't know, but in the end the result is the same - knowledge.

So I think the only real battle is convincing everyone else that it's ok and that you indeed do know more than most people, because a lot of people are stuck with the dumb, traditional method being the only way. I hope that's changing.

erpadmin

rogue2shadow wrote: »

Then again why would someone "crap" on a degree that is accepted nationally? I could be completely misreading your intent with that statement.

EDIT: I'm not trying to say I crap on any degree "accredited or not".

Think about ANY school that's Division 1 (even in your state). Now think about that no-name school in your state....that school where your buddy/acquaintance who got into D-1 school wouldn't even touch beer at a frat party there.

It's the same mentality when folks think of online schools like WGU.

Not everyone can afford a D-1 school/Ivy League education. (In terms of money AND time).

Syntax

rogue2shadow wrote: »

I agree with some of this (football stadium) but some of this doesn't sit right with me lol. Aren't most major B&Ms accredited to begin with?

Then again why would someone "crap" on a degree that is accepted nationally? I could be completely misreading your intent with that statement.

EDIT: I'm not trying to say I crap on any degree "accredited or not".

That was more in response to erpadmin's concern with people putting down his Bachelor's degree because it's online and his intent on getting a Master's degree from a B&M so he can have "street cred".

I wasn't trying to say B&Ms aren't accredited, I was just explaining that while I'm sure many people will see a degree from a B&M school being of higher quality than an online school, that isn't necessarily the case.

tpatt100

Syntax wrote: »

That was more in response to erpadmin's concern with people putting down his Bachelor's degree because it's online and his intent on getting a Master's degree from a B&M so he can have "street cred".

I wasn't trying to say B&Ms aren't accredited, I was just explaining that while I'm sure many people will see a degree from a B&M school being of higher quality than an online school, that isn't necessarily the case.

I think there are pros and cons. I like WGU but I kind of wish I had started earlier or later because right now was a poor time for me to start. I caught up but its getting stressful. I think the traditional B&M schools are more valid for somebody with no to little experience who has the time to go to one. I know for schools in my area almost none of them offer adult night education tracks. I think the state schools who are losing students to the bigger schools in my area would benefit greatly if they offered adult non traditional student tracks.

If I knew I was going to have my current job I could have gone to a traditional university in my area, in fact Eastern Michigan University is a few blocks from my house. The problem is, if I change jobs I could end up having to quit and end up losing a lot of progress.

I am looking ahead several years and think I might have to buckle down and get an MBA from a local state university. Not that I want to but because it does get past the HR "firewall" better in my opinion. In IT though where many if not most people do not have degrees the online only ones work out fine for me.

erpadmin

superman859 wrote: »

From what I've seen about WGU, I would bet that the majority of the people who get a degree from WGU by passing all those certs generally know more than people that graduated with me in my state university (most likely myself included - I'm just now starting to study for the certs). Whether this comes from WGU being a good school, or simply the fact that everyone that graduates has self-studied through a ton of material for the certs, I don't know, but in the end the result is the same - knowledge.

So I think the only real battle is convincing everyone else that it's ok and that you indeed do know more than most people, because a lot of people are stuck with the dumb, traditional method being the only way. I hope that's changing.

I believe it is changing. There is a reason why WGU is good for people like us (folks in IT): competency. WGU is a natural fit for IT folks (especially those who study for certifications) because you really are doing a lot of self-study. You aren't doing many things in groups, like you would do in a traditional B&M. That's a pro and con in and of itself.

The competency model of WGU speaks for itself:

WGU’s academic approach is fundamentally “competency-based” and dedicated to producing highly competent graduates. This means that instead of basing progress on credit hours and seat-time in the classroom, you earn your degree by demonstrating your skills and knowledge (competence) in specific subject areas.
WGU’s academic approach is fundamentally “competency-based” and dedicated to producing highly competent graduates. This means that instead of basing progress on credit hours and seat-time in the classroom, you earn your degree by demonstrating your skills and knowledge (competence) in specific subject areas.

Online Education | Academic Experience Completing Assessments | Western Governors University

This, combined with it being regionally accredited (in addition to having access to such a great support system that is TechExams) is why I am going to WGU. I've wanted a BS for the longest time....for the first time in a long time, it actually seems doable (for me). Really doable....that makes me smile.