Information Security Master's Degree

reppgoa · May 2012

Hey all,

So I graduate with my BS in Computer Networking and Security in spring 2013 and I am looking at Masters programs. I basically am in love with the CM program as they are the number 1 ranked IT school in the states. link below:

Information Security & Assurance

Have you guys heard anything good/bad about it? The appeal to me is that my BS is from UMUC (joke school imo, military kind of dictated I get it from here though) and I want my masters to be from a real school. This comment is not meant to illicit flames of destruction, but rather reflect the opinion of most of the real working world. When you hear "Carnegie Mellon" you are impressed, when you hear "UMUC", you either have no idea what school that is, or if you are from DC metro area you go "Oh, you mean the "UMD night school?" in which case you are wrong as well as they are not affiliated in anyway.

Anyway, let me know what you know, thanks!

ptilsen · May 2012

"Designated as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education by the National Security Agency, Carnegie Mellon is uniquely qualified to provide such training."

Seems legit to me. NSA CAE and Carnegie Mellon? Sounds like a winner. It's a full B&M, not online, right?

Out of curiosity, what's wrong with UMUC, exactly? I'm not from the area, so I'm legitimately wondering. My stance has generally been that any regionally accredited school is worth getting a degree from, be it public, private, community, night, online, etc. Is it just that it's so unknown?

the_Grinch · May 2012

Carnegie is a great school. I believe CERT has an infusion center in the area and the Army Reserve Information Operations Command has an unit located there as well.

the_hutch · May 2012

I'm in the same boat you are. I graduate in September. But I have to find a public university since I'm using the GI Bill. And I'm probably going to do online. I'm leaning towards the Penn State World Campus Info Security option.

dmoore44 · May 2012

the_hutch wrote: »

I'm in the same boat you are. I graduate in September. But I have to find a public university since I'm using the GI Bill. And I'm probably going to do online. I'm leaning towards the Penn State World Campus Info Security option.

You don't need to find a public university... Carnegie Mellon is a private school. The difference between them (as far as the GI Bill is concerned) is about tuition payment/reimbursement rates. The Post 9/11 GI Bill will pay a rate that is equal to the the highest public school in the state that your prospective school is located... If you want to go to a private school, just make sure that they participate in the Yellow Ribbon program (like Carnegie Mellon) - the Yellow Ribbon program will take care of the remainder of tuition owed if the VA doesn't pay the full amount.

reppgoa · May 2012

They offer a fully online version which is what I will be taking. I used my GI Bill for my BS. I will get work to pay for my MS.

UMUC has no entrance standards. They let anyone with a pulse and a GED in. I am consistently in high level class's with people who can barely speak english, have no business being in a class of that level (a hacking class that REQUIRES Linux+ or the Linux sys admin class the school offers, and people cant even spell Linux), and the quality of professors is low. There have been multiple classes where I just stop attending class (they don't take attendance) because 1 of 2 things happens. 1:The teacher has to teach down to the lowest common denominator. Example: I was in a 400 level IA class and some dude raises his hand on the first day of class, and in super broken English, asks the teacher to explain the difference between a threat and a risk. Mind you, to even TAKE this class you had to have taken at least 3 other IA courses. This just shows me that teachers just pass people who have no business being passed. 2nd scenario, I realize that the teacher clearly does not know the material they are teaching. Example: taking a Linux course, and the teacher had NO idea how Linux worked or even how to efficiently install Linux. I asked him a question on run levels and he blankly looked at me and responded with "its in the book".

powerfool · May 2012

UMUC doesn't have much in the way on entrance standards, but you won't make it through the program if you aren't up to the task. They take their program very seriously and the workload is insane. You must maintain a 3.0 throughout the program, they give out nearly ZERO A's, and they don't do pluses or minuses... so, you essentially will get a B, which is a straight 3.0, and if you ever fall below that, you are done. This is for the graduate level courses, specifically. I have no knowledge of the undergrad programs.

CM is a fine choice by any standards... so, if you can get in and afford it, I say good on you.

reppgoa · May 2012

powerfool wrote: »

UMUC doesn't have much in the way on entrance standards, but you won't make it through the program if you aren't up to the task. They take their program very seriously and the workload is insane. You must maintain a 3.0 throughout the program, they give out nearly ZERO A's, and they don't do pluses or minuses... so, you essentially will get a B, which is a straight 3.0, and if you ever fall below that, you are done. This is for the graduate level courses, specifically. I have no knowledge of the undergrad programs.

CM is a fine choice by any standards... so, if you can get in and afford it, I say good on you.

Maybe they take their graduate program more seriously, I am skeptical. And if they do indeed basically blow off their undergrads and pour their resources into the graduate program, even more reason to steer clear imo.

n3tw0rk3r · May 2012

I posted a response asking if you have heard about the Cybersecurity program at UMBC since you are in the DC Metro area, but I guess it was considered spam or something? It's a pretty good school and it is, "Certified as a Center for Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAE) as well as a Center of Academic Excellence in Research (CAE-R) sponsored by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security (DHS)."

powerfool · May 2012

reppgoa wrote: »

Maybe they take their graduate program more seriously, I am skeptical. And if they do indeed basically blow off their undergrads and pour their resources into the graduate program, even more reason to steer clear imo.

The more you get exposure to the world, the more you will realize that most undergrad programs are pretty tame, these days... they offer a lot of remedial courses because of substandard high school coverage and the more trying classes are even watered down.

I have to say that each time that I have been involved in something with a reputation of being rigorous, it hasn't lived up to my expectations. I thought high school would be tough and it wasn't... I thought undergrad would be tough and it wasn't... I thought the CISSP would be tough, it wasn't a blow off, but it didn't live up to the hype (at least to me), either... and so far the same has been true of graduate school. Plus, I am in a program that was partnered with my employer and we have to still do group papers... some of the folks are on their third graduate program and consider this one to be the most work. That is probably the most difficult thing about the program... just the amount of work required. Perhaps you fall into that same category...

vsecgod · May 2012

This thread is full of win. I saw some threads awhile back of people praising UMUC, but now I have 2nd thoughts of going there for my masters..

dt3k · May 2012

Carnegie Mellon, wow. Where did you get your BA?

the_hutch · May 2012

dmoore44 wrote: »

You don't need to find a public university... Carnegie Mellon is a private school. The difference between them (as far as the GI Bill is concerned) is about tuition payment/reimbursement rates. The Post 9/11 GI Bill will pay a rate that is equal to the the highest public school in the state that your prospective school is located... If you want to go to a private school, just make sure that they participate in the Yellow Ribbon program (like Carnegie Mellon) - the Yellow Ribbon program will take care of the remainder of tuition owed if the VA doesn't pay the full amount.

You're my hero. How did I not know this?

dmoore44 · May 2012

the_hutch wrote: »

You're my hero. How did I not know this?

Glad to help! I just want to make sure that everyone is properly informed and can make a decision with as much information as possible.

dmoore44 · May 2012

dt3k wrote: »

Carnegie Mellon, wow. Where did you get your BA?

Shouldn't matter - as long as you receive adequate scores on the GRE/GMAT (you can take either/or for the CMU program), have an impressive resume, and otherwise meet their application requirements - you should be a shoe in. At least that's what I've gathered when I've attended their virtual information sessions. They have a reputation, so what they really care about is that you perform well in their classes...

paul78 · May 2012

reppgoa wrote: »

...but rather reflect the opinion of most of the real working world. When you hear "Carnegie Mellon" you are impressed, when you hear "UMUC", you either have no idea what school that is

You mentioned "real working world" so I thought I would offer my own personal bias.

If I see UMUC (and I had to google it) on a resume - that wouldn't sway me one way or another. If I see Carnegie Mellon on a resume, that would catch my attention. But only marginally more than if I saw UMUC on the resume. If you included your military experience experience on a resume, that would probably have most impact.

And as for making that final hiring decision - experience and how someone comes across in an interview is the biggest factor.

dt3k · May 2012

Am I looking at the cost right? 20K per semester?

9K for part time Distance?

reppgoa · May 2012

Dunno, employer is paying it =X

Valsacar · May 2012

Make sure you're employer will pay everything. I know mine has a 12K/yr cap for graduate degrees.

Above someone mentioned the GI Bill, but it has changed. It's now a flat rate across the country (well, world really), it is no longer based off state. Some schools do the yellow ribbon program (normally not for all students) that will lower the cost more (hopefully down to what the limit is... 17k/yr I believe).

As for UMUC, they aren't that bad. I did around half of my degree with them (they were at the ed center, love that GI Bill housing allowance) and I had some really good professors and some really crappy ones... but I had the same thing at other schools too. I think it depends on face-to-face vs online teachers, which ed center you're at, etc. As for them not being affiliated with UMD, that's just wrong. They are part of the same program, they're just a branch off of them. Their entrance standards are low, but so are many schools... anyone in the SOCAD program has the same lack of entrance requirements as it's forced on them for military members.

CM is a good school though, if you can do it I'd say go for it.

reppgoa · May 2012

Valsacar wrote: »

As for them not being affiliated with UMD, that's just wrong. They are part of the same program, they're just a branch off of them.

What you are referring to is the University Systems of Maryland, USM Institutions - USM. Just because they are both in this program, does not mean they have anything do do with each other. They don't share resources at all. UMUC students are NOT UMD students, nor do they have ANY affiliation. Anything you hear otherwise is somebody trying to make their degree sound better than it is. When you get your degree, it does NOT say University of Maryland: College Park, it says University of Maryland University College. Huge difference. UMD programs are nationally ranked, many in the top 10. UMUC...lol

UnixGuy · May 2012

To answer briefly, CMU is the best university in the world when it comes to Info Security. I've heard great things about CMU Heinz (Pittsburgh Not Australia Adelaide though). CMU Heinz is a school of management and policy. Excellent Masters in information systems management and information security management.

CMU Heinz, and CMU INI, and CMU Pittsburgh/ CMU Australia/Portugal are ALL part of Carnegie Mellon University - The #1 university for Computer Science according to many rankings, and a top 5 in most rankings:

Take a look at rankings:

Best Computer Science Programs | Top Computer Science Schools | US News Best Graduate Schools

Academic Ranking of World Universities in Computer Science - 2011 | 2011 Top 100 Universities in Computer Science | ARWU-SUBJECT 2011

I know a guy who got a job in Google, and another who got a job in JP Morgan. The standards are very high. If I have the chance, I'd definitely go with this program. The guy who went to Google now got a scholarship to Harvard Business School

If you can go on campus, you will make use of their excellent career service.

You can't go wrong with that.

HLRS · June 2012

well if u can get in the CM program its great, isnt it like ivy league? wow , not sure, UMUC seems legit but too easy standards. I was thinking going http://infoassurance.norwich.edu/ or SANS they seems legit

UnixGuy · June 2012

Ivy League is an athletic association, but CMU is not in the Ivy league, yet it's the best in Info Sec research, ranked better than any university in the world.

Information Security Master's Degree

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