College degree question

thehourman

Hello guys,

I am still taking my prerequisites and my major is Computer Science. I would like to work in a networking environment, so that I can take advantage of my certifications.
What should I take as a major in college instead?
Also, can I use my certs to add more college units?


Thanks
thm

veritas_libertas

thehourman wrote: »

Hello guys,

I am still taking my prerequisites and my major is Computer Science. I would like to work in a networking environment, so that I can take advantage of my certifications.
What should I take as a major in college instead?
Also, can I use my certs to add more college units?


Thanks
thm

A Computer Science major is probably the most respected "IT degree." Typically a job posting will say that the job requires you to have a bachelor degree in CS or other IT related degree. I would keep going for a BS in CS while working on the CCNA.

Slowhand

The first question I have is where are you going to school now? If it's a four-year university, do they offer any degree-tracks that are more network-focused? If it's a two-year school, what do they offer and are you looking to transfer later?

Start by checking with your own school first, maybe go talk to a counselor and see what you can find out. If you're in a two-year school, (community/city college,) and you don't already have a four-year university in mind to transfer to, I'd recommend you go for an Associate's degree in computer science and then maybe have a look at Western Governor's University (WGU) to then get your Bachelor's in something decidedly network/systems related. (WGU waves a lot of their prerequisite courses if you already have an A.S. degree.)

This way, you'll have "the best of both worlds" so to speak: a background in compsci in case you change your mind down the road and want to continue in something in that field or something related to it, and you'll also be on your way to earning a Bachelor's degree from a four-year school that pays for your certs as you study for their classes. Not a bad deal, in my opinion.

thehourman

The college is Montgomery College, and it is a two year school. I will have to transfer to either University of MD or somewhere to get a 4 year degree.

Now, that you mentioned that WGU, online classes, is it that the same thing as self study, but you still have to submit some stuff to your prof. Am I right?

Edit:
This is the list of the associate degree: http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/plain.aspx?id=2058

Slowhand

thehourman wrote: »

Now, that you mentioned that WGU, online classes, is it that the same thing as self study, but you still have to submit some stuff to your prof. Am I right?

Some people approach WGU that way, but the school offers training material, online classes, as well as mentoring to help you through it. The nice thing is that your tuition covers the costs of not only the training, but also sitting for the cert-exams, so you end up walking out with a Bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited school as well as several certs. (If you already have some of the certs, you can waive those classes.)

thehourman

That sounds good. I did some reading that their tuition is a little bit cheaper compare to the other colleges, is that true? At Montgomery colleges, either online or on campus the tuition fee is the same.

Slowhand

thehourman wrote: »

That sounds good. I did some reading that their tuition is a little bit cheaper compare to the other colleges, is that true? At Montgomery colleges, either online or on campus the tuition fee is the same.

I know that they have a flat-fee per semester and you can go as fast or as slow as you're able - we had one TechExams member posting recently about how he'd finished up his Bachelor's degree in a single semester, (after transferring with an Associate's from a community college,) - but I'm not quite sure what the actual costs involved are. You can get federal financial aid while there, so make sure you fill out that FAFSA.

powerfool

I had a coworker do the same thing. He had an associates degree and was already an MCITP EA and he completed the program in one semester. He has moved on to the MSISA at WGU and will take at least two semesters to complete it.