Accredited Masters Program

Hello, does anyone know of an accredited college that is online that I can obtain a master's degree in InfoSec? If so what are your experiences with it? is it good etc?

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JDMurray

I'm getting a Masters in InfoSec at online Capella University (www.capella.edu), and I've written about it in other postings. Search all forum postings on the keyword Capella and let me know if you have any questions.

routingbyrumor

Thanks Jdmurray, How long is this program? A year? I might do this since I just finished my BA and am looking to further my education.

JDMurray

Figure on a Master program taking three years to complete when taking one class a quarter. If you were to take three classes a quarter you might finish in close to a year, but you'll hardly have time to learn much in each class.

You also want the GPA of your Master degree to be very good (>= 3.5) for it to be worth something. The more classes you take per quarter the worse your GPA could possibly be.

Are you interested in gaining the InfoSec knowledge or just getting a degree to put on your resume? Gaining quality knowledge (and experience) takes time.

drakhan2002

I too am a Capella learner. I've been at it since 2004, starting with the very first class. I have a 3.66 GPA while taking one class at a time. Classes are 12 weeks in duration and you can cram in 4 per year. I will graduate in 2007 and couldn't be happier. The Masters of Information Security mirrors the 10 domains of the CISSP, so you'll get a very in-depth understanding of each domain. In fact, I'm sitting for the exam in January 2007 - if you decide to go with Capella, it is definitely an investment that will pay dividends.

bighornsheep

drakhan2002 wrote:

The Masters of Information Security mirrors the 10 domains of the CISSP, so you'll get a very in-depth understanding of each domain. In fact, I'm sitting for the exam in January 2007 - if you decide to go with Capella, it is definitely an investment that will pay dividends.

I've seen similar programs in my area, particular there's this one that also coverings CEH materials. However, they require laptop rental of about 1200-1500 a term...something like 8000-10000 spent on laptop rental by the time the program is complete. They claim that the laptop is "part of learning" and will assit with the materials...

How reasonable does this sound?

JDMurray

drakhan2002 wrote:

I too am a Capella learner. I've been at it since 2004, starting with the very first class. I have a 3.66 GPA while taking one class at a time. Classes are 12 weeks in duration and you can cram in 4 per year. I will graduate in 2007 and couldn't be happier.

Hey, glad to have a fellow Capella InfoSec learner here at TechExams.net! I started in 2005 and will also graduate next year. I hope to have the SSCP under my belt by then too. I'm managing to pull a 4.0 GPA by taking only one class a quarter, and I haven't had any problems with Capella changing to a 10-week quarter.

drakhan2002 wrote:

The Masters of Information Security mirrors the 10 domains of the CISSP, so you'll get a very in-depth understanding of each domain. In fact, I'm sitting for the exam in January 2007 - if you decide to go with Capella, it is definitely an investment that will pay dividends.

Yes, the 10 CBK domains of the (ISC)2 are covered, but you can't take all the classes if you want the NSA certifications (4011 and 4013). To meet the NSA's requirements, I had to modify my DCP (Degree Completion Plan) and add "hacking" and networking classes and drop the ethics class (ironic, eh?).

Capella University Becomes First (ISC)² Web-Based Higher Education Partner: https://www.isc2.org/cgi-bin/content.cgi?page=598

drakhan2002

"I haven't had any problems with Capella changing to a 10-week quarter."

Technically, they are still 12 week quarters - they are scheduled that way. But 10 weeks are actual class time. Some of the classes I've been in use the entire 12 weeks (the last 2 weeks are used to complete your term papers).

"Capella University Becomes First (ISC)² Web-Based Higher Education Partner:"

Thanks for posting that link...I was looking for it.

JDMurray

drakhan2002 wrote:

Technically, they are still 12 week quarters - they are scheduled that way. But 10 weeks are actual class time. Some of the classes I've been in use the entire 12 weeks (the last 2 weeks are used to complete your term papers).

Nope, that ended in the Spring 2006 quarter. Starting last quarter it's a firm 10 weeks. That two-week grace period is gone, and the inter-quarter break is longer because of it. If an instructor were to still give the extra two weeks to complete the final assignment they'd not be able to submit their grades on time. Capella made quite a big deal of the change by restructuring all of their class syllabi.

silentc1015

I'm getting a BS in Comp Sci at Phoenix University, their online program. It's outrageously expensive and not very demanding. I'm basically only doing it to have the degree. I have 6 years of IT experience, and I'm not having too much trouble finding a job. I get offers all the time, but nothing desirable enough to make me leave my current one. But I really want to step my career up a notch.

I should have the BS degree here in 6 or 8 months. After that I may go on to their Master's program or look at SANS.

th_grom

I am a fan of SANS, I have been trying to find more information regarding their Masters Program. http://www.sans.edu/

I am concerned about the Accrediation: http://www.sans.edu/accreditation.php

I recently took a couse from SANS and am even further enamored by their credentials.
I have taken many computer classes and this was by far the best I have taken.

I am in the same boat you are in. It's tough out there...

oldbarney

University of Dallas has a nice, accredited Information Assurance online grad program. I strongly considered it.

http://www.thedallasmba.com/ia/

Norwich University offers an acclaimed IA online grad program with a short residency.

http://www.msia.norwich.edu/overview.htm

Both are comparatively expensive.

mengo17

I will go to Nova Southeastern University for my InfoSec Masters. I will probably start in the midle of 07. I am doing a lot of research on InfoSec Masters and believe Nova has a NICE program. Take a look at the link below. You can do online if you want. I will chose to go there in class and also use their state of the art infosec lab. Good luck and do not just pick any shool that offers infosec.

http://infosec.nova.edu/

Visit the NSA website also. You can find the list of "Center of Academic Excellence In Information Assurance Education" under NSA's Information Assurance Program.
There is lots of Info in this site about InfoSec schools.

"Center of Academic Excellence In Information Assurance Education" under NSA's Information Assurance Program.

http://www.nsa.gov/ia/academia/caeiae.cfm

Use the link below to see acredited infosec schools by state.

http://www.nsa.gov/ia/academia/caemap.cfm?MenuID=10.1.1.2

Hope this helps anyone !

Dev13

I checked the BS in Information Technology program at Capella University. You need to complete 180 units in order to complete BS. Other universities need only ~120 units. That's a big difference. Wastage of time and money. Because they have 6 units for all their courses which add upto 180. So, you end up paying about $1700 for each course(6 credits) as compared to about $700(3 units) at most other colleges like www.wgu.edu.
Just my thoughts..

JDMurray

Yes, WGU only offers Bachelors and a few Masters degrees, so I would expect it to be cheaper in tuition than a university that also offers a wider variety of Masters and post-graduate degrees.

elover_jm

From what i read from capella's website....

is it $1,995 per course (4 credits)?

and i assume u'll have to do a total of 14 courses = $25,935

thts a lot of cash...

is the any other accredited online university which is more reasonable in cost while offering quality courses?

JDMurray

elover_jm wrote:

From what i read from capella's website....

is it $1,995 per course (4 credits)?

That's the current cost of undergrad units? I think you are looking at the Masters degree price list.

elover_jm

Yeah thts the Price for the Master degree..... which i'm interested in pursueing but this might be too expensive for me.

I think i'll go with NSU or WGU.......any thoughts or suggestions anyone?

JDMurray

Many small colleges, like WGU, only offer Masters degrees in business (MBA), nursing (MSRN), health, and education. Make sure they offer a graduate degree in the specialty you are interested in pursuing.

dcooper24

I recently got accepted into Capitol College. It has a nice online masters program in Information Assurance. Only 17K and it is NSA accredited.

mengo17

elover_jm wrote:

Yeah thts the Price for the Master degree..... which i'm interested in pursueing but this might be too expensive for me.

I think i'll go with NSU or WGU.......any thoughts or suggestions anyone?

I think NSU is a great chioce. I will start my MS Info Sec in NSU this year.

drakhan2002

dcooper24 wrote:

I recently got accepted into Capitol College. It has a nice online masters program in Information Assurance. Only 17K and it is NSA accredited.

One of the guys in our Forenstics group goes to school there. He is happy, but I'm still pro-Capella...since I graduate with a MS in InfoSec at the end of the year. Good luck on your schooling. Some of the time you will want to pull your hair out!

drakhan2002

elover_jm wrote:

From what i read from capella's website....

is it $1,995 per course (4 credits)?

That is correct - $1,995 is how much I pay for a 4 credit Masters class at Capella. But my work reimburses me...so my Masters is free. Along with my certs and dues.

sla07

I'm a new user here and been following the forum for the past few days and came across this specific post...someone mentioned the program at NOVA...i just finished my MS in MIS w/ InfoSec concentration...overall the classes were nothing out of this world....i had a few research papers to right and with the infosec concentration i ended up with the graduate certificate in infosec (administration of infosec) which is recognized by the NSA....so it was pretty neat to do it...a masters in MIS was my original goal but i have always enjoyed infosec so i decided to do the concentration since it was only an extra 2 or so classes...

just for a little background i have been in the telecom industry for 5 years....first 6 months as an intern...next couple of years as a noc engineer and senior noc engineer...and now an operations manager for the data center...i havent been too involved with any infosec portions aside from some simple syslog monitoring and maintaining physical security policies and procedures at our facility...

my educational background involves a bba in mis, ms in mis w/ infosec concentration, and an expired ccna :0) ....sooo i am looking at my options whether it is security +, sscp, or cissp...i dont feel i am ready at all for a cissp...as for an sscp i think i can be ready if i read the material etc...

would i consider nova again?....sure...are there other options out there?...im sure there are some that are better or worst...for me it was a matter of getting my ms....

JDMurray

Did you attend classes at the Nova Southeastern campus or were your classes only online?

I graduated from Nova High School and would have attended Broward Community College and Nova Southeastern had I stayed in South Florida. Nova is an interesting institution because you can go from pre-school to Ph.D. all on the same campus (and watch the Miami Dolphins at their on-campus practice facility). I was only at Nova from grades four through twelve back in the 1970's.

sla07

nah i did it online...i got my bba at FIU...i was born and raised in miami...moved out to cali about 2.5 years ago for my company....if anything i would have done my ms at fiu had i still lived there...and at some point my mba at um if i am living there...