how did you pick your major at WGU?

Mike-Mike · January 2011

did you pick what would get you in and out the quickest? did you pick something relating to what you are already doing career-wise? or did you pick something that you want to go into? or did you go into something based on the certs it gets you?

erpadmin · January 2011

Mike-Mike wrote: »

did you pick what would get you in and out the quickest? did you pick something relating to what you are already doing career-wise? or did you pick something that you want to go into? or did you go into something based on the certs it gets you?

I wrote down all the IT emphasi (including the Business IT major), put it in a bucket, shook it a little, picked one and picked Networking Design and Management...

No, seriously, I looked at all of them, starting with the Business in IT. While a BS in Business with an IT emphasis wouldn't be a bad deal, I figure if I was going to shoot for business, an MBA would look much better. I then looked a Databases, since that's what my day job is and requires. It not only focused on database development, but at the time focused on getting the OCP (I believe now they want you to get the Microsoft Developer cert looking at it's new objectives). While database development is important for a DBA, it wasn't something I want to do for a degree. IT:Security would have required me getting my CCNA...while Cisco certs are certs I respect, it is at this time outside of my scope. I want to study for it one day, but not to have on resume...just because I want to properly learn it. (I don't need Cisco to do what I need to do and should that ever change, I know it's not impossible for me to get it at a later date.)

So then there was Networking Design and Management, Networking Administration and straight up IT. When I started my career, I was entertaining both finishing college and getting my MCSE in NT 4.0. I wanted both. Since the MCSE will (very soon) be an extinct certification, it's replacement was the MCITP:EA cert. The Networking Admin cert was just the MCITP:SA and for me, if I want that, all I'd have to do is pass the 646 to get that too (and I will...) Regular IT wouldn't have been a bad deal, but ultimately, getting a major cert and a degree appealed to me much more. Plus, I like the name of my emphasis because it has the word "management" in it, and IT management is what I want to do hopefully before I finish my Masters (which will be done at a B&M...just not sure which one yet.)

Hope that helps...hopefully you weren't stuck at the first paragraph.

Alif_Sadida_Ekin · January 2011

To be quite honest, I just wanted to be done as quickly and cheaply as possible so I chose the standard non-emphasis IT degree. Others may disagree, but to me an accredited degree is just one big formality in my career. If I wanted to learn an emphasis, I'll do it on my own. I just wanted that education box ticked in the HR list and something that I could use to get my Masters (another formality.... ugh) later on.

There are those that enjoy school. I am not one of those people.

eansdad · January 2011

I went Security since that is the direction I wanted to go and it was the only one with Cisco certs attached. Now looking at switching to Network Administration since they added CCNET and I could fly faster through the MCITP:SA (plays perfectly with current job roles and was going to go for anyway) then the programming courses for Security.

Mike-Mike · January 2011

eansdad wrote: »

Now looking at switching to Network Administration since they added CCNET .

I'm leaning this way

azjag · January 2011

I was looking for the fastest track to a degree. I already had my MCSA in 2k and was one test away from the MCSA 2k3. When they did the credit evaulation I only had 11 classes left for the degree and it didn't inlcude the 70-291. I didn't have to take the test and had already started on the 2k8 course.

uhtrinity · January 2011

I originally picked NDM because of the list of certs, but back then (2007) NDM included almost everything. Ended up switching to NA due to prometric test center issues. Now they have trimmed down and specialized the cert lists.

snokerpoker · January 2011

Alif_Sadida_Ekin wrote: »

To be quite honest, I just wanted to be done as quickly and cheaply as possible so I chose the standard non-emphasis IT degree. Others may disagree, but to me an accredited degree is just one big formality in my career. If I wanted to learn an emphasis, I'll do it on my own. I just wanted that education box ticked in the HR list and something that I could use to get my Masters (another formality.... ugh) later on.

There are those that enjoy school. I am not one of those people.

This is exactly how I feel.

Thxlbx · January 2011

I based it partially on what area interested me, how long it would take, and also the certifications offered with the degree. Cisco and Security peeked my interested, so the Security program got the nod.

demonfurbie · January 2011

i looked at the certs they offer in the end and picked from there

in the job searches i do its most often a degree and certs so why not get both at the same time.

how ever if you do go the microsoft route i would suggest the degree that offers mcpit:ea over the other it seams to be an over all better cert how ever its 2 more classes

jmritenour · January 2011

I went with Network Design and Management since I had a lot of certs that transferred in, and I'll be able to finish quicker. Maybe I'll look at the MS in Info Systems and Security after I'm done with that, however.

petedude · January 2011

erpadmin wrote: »

I wrote down all the IT emphasi (including the Business IT major), put it in a bucket, shook it a little, picked one and picked Networking Design and Management...

Really? I just used a 10-sided die. :lol

Actually, I picked the basic (or as I sometimes say, "generic") IT track as I already had a fair number of the certs offered in the other tracks or could pick them up outside WGU. I also liked the fact that the basic IT track would get me some exposure to areas of IT I had wanted to dabble in (e.g. JavaScript) but might not have had opportunity to otherwise. Additionally, I felt I had a better chance of wrapping up the basic IT track more quickly.

erpadmin · January 2011

petedude wrote: »

Really? I just used a 10-sided die. :lol

Actually, I picked the basic (or as I sometimes say, "generic") IT track as I already had a fair number of the certs offered in the other tracks or could pick them up outside WGU. I also liked the fact that the basic IT track would get me some exposure to areas of IT I had wanted to dabble in (e.g. JavaScript) but might not have had opportunity to otherwise. Additionally, I felt I had a better chance of wrapping up the basic IT track more quickly.

I'm not going to lie to you, I get tempted switching out of the emphasis and switching to regular IT whenever I see these 50-60 CUs completed in a month. The truth is I should have been a MCSE in NT 4.0 and then trade up....that should have been me, but because I felt my money was better spent partying my life away, in addition to the fact that I didn't need any certs...including the ones I earned thus far, I never bothered.

I made a half-arse effort at getting my MCSA 5 years ago while at my last job. That was the only reason I got A+ and Network+...figured I would start out small and use them as electives to that. Then I got another job doing ERP administration full time, which essentially made me a DBA. Didn't need to stick with the MCSA/MCSE....but I always wanted a degree AND a MCSE (or whatever the latest equivalent of it was). The fact that I have a gun to my head through WGU makes me get it and to make sure I don't fail out like I did with college. I need that gun to my head because I never had it while I was in school or earning a cert. There was no way (for me) that I could have earned the MCITP:EA (or any other cert) without being "forced" to get it. I'm hoping that after I get the cert, I can then be motivated to get higher certs like the PMP and the CISSP (or at a minimum, the SSCP). We'll see how that works out though.

Lemonade727 · January 2011

I was planning on enrolling in the Security path until the realization hit me that it would be much more cost-efficient for me to pass on that path and the CCNA and enroll in the generic IT course. I'm self-studying for the 70-680 now so I'll have that finished and transferred in as well before I start to go along with my A+, Net+, and Sec+. That just leaves Project+ and the CIW courses along with the gen-ed's and WGU required coursework which isn't intimidating at all and I'm sure can be done in an incredibly quick time-frame even considering I don't have any previous college coursework to transfer.

I'll work on the CCNA and upper-level certs in my own time without potentially spending a $3000 term dedicated to that 1 course.

Mike-Mike · January 2011

Lemonade727 wrote: »

I'll work on the CCNA and upper-level certs in my own time without potentially spending a $3000 term dedicated to that 1 course.

I thought about this too, if I was going to get a CCNA, I would like to have some hands on experience, maybe even take a course at a local school... that would eat a huge chunk of time for that Security degree...

but I figure the CCENT would obviously be easier, which is why I'm still leaning towads the NA degree..

but again, if they tell me it will be significantly quicker to graduate with something else, I would be tempted to do the quickest

petedude · January 2011

Lemonade727 wrote: »

I'll work on the CCNA and upper-level certs in my own time without potentially spending a $3000 term dedicated to that 1 course.

That's one of those situations where it's obviously better to take the certs outside of WGU and before they enroll. Some people take a long time to wrap their CCNA-- I'd say the support and resources at WGU would have to be pretty compelling to make $3000 for a term or more worthwhile with the CCNA. (You actually get the support part for free here.)

demonfurbie · January 2011

why i picked the microsoft route cause the labsims for that are much more than the ccna

Mike-Mike · January 2011

petedude wrote: »

That's one of those situations where it's obviously better to take the certs outside of WGU and before they enroll. Some people take a long time to wrap their CCNA-- I'd say the support and resources at WGU would have to be pretty compelling to make $3000 for a term or more worthwhile with the CCNA. (You actually get the support part for free here.)

I'm too dumb to understand what you are saying here... you are saying you should choose WGU for the CCNA? or you should not?

erpadmin · January 2011

Mike-Mike wrote: »

I'm too dumb to understand what you are saying here... you are saying you should choose WGU for the CCNA? or you should not?

He's saying that the CCNA can take a very long time to complete for some people...this isn't a CompTIA cert...for the most part, you need to get your hands dirty in order to prepare for the CCNA and pass.

For the amount of time that it would take to complete, you would want to have a CCNA first if you want to transfer into WGU with a Cisco cert. That was also why I didn't want any part of the Security emphasis: too much time and money. (It ain't no Network+....lmao)

Lemonade727 · January 2011

petedude wrote: »

That's one of those situations where it's obviously better to take the certs outside of WGU and before they enroll. Some people take a long time to wrap their CCNA-- I'd say the support and resources at WGU would have to be pretty compelling to make $3000 for a term or more worthwhile with the CCNA. (You actually get the support part for free here.)

Yeah I agree completely with you on this one. I know I'll start crafting a home lab when I do decide to study for this one (and other Cisco certs) so it's just not a situation I think can happen at this point in time. Getting that degree notch on my belt is just a higher priority to me at this time so getting through WGU with a Bachelor's in a potential 1.5-2 years with no college history seems almost too good to be true.

erpadmin · January 2011

Lemonade727 wrote: »

...getting through WGU with a Bachelor's in a potential 1.5-2 years with no college history seems almost too good to be true.

It is very doable...however...you will have to put in work. That thing you might have had called a "life" might have to be put to the wayside if your intention is to finish in 1.5-2 years with the whole 120+ (depending on your major) CUs. You also have to make sure you don't suffer burnout either, so it's a balance only you can work out..some things you might knock out of the park....others might takes weeks if not a whole month.

While it is doable, it is not "easy..." you will work, I can assure you.

demonfurbie · January 2011

yea my suggestion is to take all the classes with lower cut scores first

cisco_certs · January 2011

Does anybody here know whats the time limit of the certs for example CCNA (got it nov 2010) to be valid as a transferable certs to the degree? Would it be transferable if I start around 2012?

I still want to get my ccnp, ccna-voice and ccnp-voice. After that, my plan is to take all the IT Security Degree certs and then enroll in WGU.

erpadmin · January 2011

cisco_certs wrote: »

Does anybody here know whats the time limit of the certs for example CCNA (got it nov 2010) to be valid as a transferable certs to the degree? Would it be transferable if I start around 2012?

I still want to get my ccnp, ccna-voice and ccnp-voice. After that, my plan is to take all the IT Security Degree certs and then enroll in WGU.

The cert is valid from within five years of when you obtained it. So if you obtained it in 11/2010 and apply in 2012, then yes, it would be a valid cert to transfer in. However, your program has to have either CCNA and/or CCENT for it to be a transferrable cert, I believe.

petedude · January 2011

erpadmin wrote: »

. . .
For the amount of time that it would take to complete, you would want to have a CCNA first if you want to transfer into WGU with a Cisco cert. That was also why I didn't want any part of the Security emphasis: too much time and money. (It ain't no Network+....lmao)

And for $3K, I'd probably want (being wishful, admittedly):
the Bryant materials
Trainsignal materials
CBT nuggets
the Sybex CCNA book
and. . .
Cisco Academy status, such that I could use. . . what's it called, Packet Tracer?

Not too much to ask, right?

erpadmin · January 2011

petedude wrote: »

And for $3K, I'd probably want (being wishful, admittedly):
the Bryant materials
Trainsignal materials
CBT nuggets
the Sybex CCNA book
and. . .
Cisco Academy status, such that I could use. . . what's it called, Packet Tracer?

Not too much to ask, right?

Heck, why not ask for a couple of routers and switches too.

Since we've already exceeded the $3k....you might as well....

[I would personally want real hardware over simulators, but that's just me and probably a lot of other people.]

petedude · January 2011

erpadmin wrote: »

Heck, why not ask for a couple of routers and switches too. Since we've already exceeded the $3k....you might as well.... [I would personally want real hardware over simulators, but that's just me and probably a lot of other people.]

But. . .you see. . . I doubt WGU could E-mail the routers.

Everything I asked for, I think they could actually provide, but it would be pricey-- except that they could order all of the training materials in quantity and cut their costs down (much like they do with everything else).

phonetic.man · January 2011

Mike-Mike wrote: »

did you pick what would get you in and out the quickest? did you pick something relating to what you are already doing career-wise? or did you pick something that you want to go into? or did you go into something based on the certs it gets you?

I am going to start the Security track in a few months. I went for this because the program was structured to include more things that I am interested in.

how did you pick your major at WGU?

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