WGU changes coming in the next few months

Just got an email from my mentor letting me know of some changes that are happening in the next few months at WGU. Seems like a lot of Microsoft Certifications are going away and being replaced with WGU proctored exams. Here is the email,

" Over the next few months, WGU will be introducing some changes to programs and the student portal that you need to be aware of.
Student Portal Changes

The interface for the student portal will be upgraded to a new, more user friendly view. When this portal is available to you, there will be a link at the top right of your screen that allows you to select between the Classic view and the new student experience. The home page and the degree plan page will be the pages most affected by this upgrade.

One of the changes to the degree plan page will allow students to create scenarios of their upcoming courses. You will be able to take a more interactive role in planning your degree path!

These changes are being rolled out to each WGU college separately and the IT college is second in line to receive the new student experience. We are expecting them to be available to currently enrolled students sometime in May, but we don’t have an exact date.

Program Changes

In the IT world, we have to be flexible and adapt to new technology as it is adopted. The IT College at WGU is not exempt from that and we change our programs to reflect what is currently happening in the industry. As certifications are retired or updated, we change our courses to keep students up to date. Please keep in mind that all dates are projected launch dates.

Undergraduate Programs

All IT Program Tracks
· WFV1 (IT Fundamentals I) exam will be updated by the vendor on May 1st.
· AXV1 (IT Fundamentals II) and CPV1 (IT Fundamentals III) will be updated to reflect the most recent A+ exam material (801/802 exams). The current A+ exams (701/702) will retire at the end of August, but the new courses will be available starting June 1st.
· DFV1 (Web Development Fundamentals) will change from a Microsoft exam to a WGU exam plus a student project on May 1st.
BSIT/BSITSec/BSITSF Tracks
· KET1 (Introduction to Programming) and KFT1 (Object Oriented Design and Development) will both change to a WGU exam plus a student project on May 1st.
BSITND/BSITNW
· CSV1 (Operating Systems) will change from a Microsoft exam to a WGU exam starting July 1st.
BSITSec Track Only
· CSV1 (Operating Systems) will change from a Microsoft exam to a WGU exam starting May 1st.
o Additionally, students that have not already taken this course will have an option of completing a program change that will allow them to take two separate courses in its place.
§ DRV1 (Operating Systems I) is a course that prepares students for the Linux+ LX0-101 exam
§ DSV1 (Operating Systems II) is a course that prepares students for the Linux+ LX0-102 exam
BSITND Track Only
· AHV1 (Directory Services) and AIV1 (Network Design and Management) will both change from Microsoft exams to WGU exams on July 1st.
· BHV1 (Configuring Applications Infrastructure) and BIV1 (Enterprise Administration) will both change from retiring Microsoft exams to WGU exams starting May 1st.
BSITSF Track Only
· ANV1 (Software I) exam will be updated by the vendor and the competencies for the course will be updated to reflect this on July 1st.

Graduate Programs

MSISA Track
· LKT2 (Network Security Practices and Policies) will change to a WGU exam on May 1st.
· FYV2 (Security Policies and Standards – Compliance and Certification) will change from GIAC exam to a WGU exam on May 1st.

If these program changes affect you and your degree plan, we will talk about them during our weekly chats in the next few months.

As always, if you have any concerns or questions, you can call or email me anytime. Have a great day!"

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Comments

zidian

theanimal wrote: »

And no one ever argued or denied any of what you just said in this post. I think you definitely misunderstood zidian's and my post as well.

The point I beileve that zidian was making that is if YOU ARE CURRENTLY a student of WGU and you are taking the class and exam for academic credit towards a WGU degree, it must be through certiport.

This is the point exactly. You may take the MTA exams with whomever you choose to when not enrolled and not for college credit at the time that you are taking the exam. WGU will accept that certification as credit to your course no matter where you attained it. Once you are enrolled, however, you are required to use Certiport. Prometric is no longer permitted if it is for a course you are enrolled it. You may still take it at Prometric on your own dime, but WGU will not pay for it and WGU may not accept it. I don't know their transfer policy of certifications while enrolled.

swild had to retake a couple of the MTAs on his own dime so he might be able to give you some additional information if you plan on doing it while enrolled. If I remember correctly, he took the pass report and submitted that when he finally passed.

Hypntick

Xyro wrote: »

Same

The rushed certifications are what turned me off about WGU. Now I will definitely reconsider.

See i'm the exact opposite, that's what attracted me to the program in the first place. I tend to work better with a firm deadline in place to motivate me. So I can see some of these changes being good for some, bad for others, just depends on how you look at it.

theanimal

Just out of curiosity, where can these change/updates be found? Was the OP copied from WGU's website?

nosoup4u

xocity wrote: »

Just got an email from my mentor Here is the email

From his mentors email

theanimal

nosoup4u wrote: »

From his mentors email

derp didn't even read that, thanks.

zidian

I have a question for anyone who knows about ANV1 - Software I. As of today, the exam for this course is

Java Standard Edition 6 Programmer Certified Professional Exam. According to the OP this is changing. My Mentor also told me it is changing to the new Java exam on July 1st.

My question is, in your opinion, would it be easier to take the Java 6 exam or wait for the next one and take it? My primary goal with college is to finish as fast as possible. If the current exam is likely easier than the next one I'd like to go ahead and get it out of the way. Otherwise, I can wait and take the next one when it is changed out.

Does anyone have any experience with this or know of any resources on what is different between the two exams?

Thanks!

xocity

I'm not too sure about that specific exams but Ill say this from another approach. I would imagine that when a new exam comes out, it means new objectives. With new objectives , books need to be updated , those books take time to be published, getting newer and better resources for the course would be harder to do for a brand new exam. I would say that the old one would be easier to learn (assuming your already farmiliar with the objectives/topics of exam) then the new one.

This principle has applied for plenty different certs, but im not really into programming so I cant say too much for the java as far as how "Hard" its going to be.

olaHalo

Anyone else hear anything about this?
Im on the BS Network Admin track and I just started the 70-680

nerdinhiding

I am currently in the enrollment process with WGU with my 1st mentor call last Monday. I explained to him that I have been studying for the 70-680 and wanted to confirm that I would receive credit for passing the exam before I enrolled. He couldn't confirm the cut off date on when the change is done and had no information other than the 70-680 is definitely going to an in house exam "this summer". I am suppose to have another call with him this Monday evening, I will post what he says. I am on track to start June 1st or July 1st depending on whether I need to take the 70-680 or not before hand. Personally I hope they accept it as I want to take it.

Cisc0kidd

An enrollment counselor is different than a mentor. The ECs have good under standing of the general picture but they definitely don't understand the details well. If you read here it is likely you'll know more than they do.

Xyro

Hypntick wrote: »

See i'm the exact opposite, that's what attracted me to the program in the first place. I tend to work better with a firm deadline in place to motivate me. So I can see some of these changes being good for some, bad for others, just depends on how you look at it.

I definitely agree that it depends on what is important to a person.

nosoup4u

I found EC to be the weakest link of WGU and I almost didn't attend because of incompetence of mine.

joemysterio

I need to go through this thread again and look into this, I am hoping on enrolling in the Network Admin within the next month or two... confused at what will change for me whenever I start....

nerdinhiding

nosoup4u wrote: »

I found EC to be the weakest link of WGU and I almost didn't attend because of incompetence of mine.

I'm glad to hear that because so far I have been concerned. A nice dude but lacking technical knowledge on things that I want to hear about.

Hypntick

Yeah the enrollment guys really are the worst part of the entire experience. See if you can speak to a student mentor, they'll have a ton more information about everything.

colemic

Just got off the phone with my mentor as well - some changes for MSISA in the works as well. As of May, GIAC 27002 will be dropped (primarily due to the cost of the vouchers, and SANS won't budge on giving them a discount on the vouchers at 900 a pop), and will be replaced by an organic, in-house course with WGU exam. Not sure of the exact content of the new course, but my mentor did say it might include some homeland security-type topics.

And drumroll please... Cisco will be dropped from the MSISA program altogether in September. No CCENT, No CCNA. Which I am wholly in favor of, iI don't like thatI can earn Master's degree-level course credit for passing a vendor-specific, entry-level networking exam. Don't know what it wil be replaced with.

And he said they were looking at EC-Council as well. While CEH and CHFI are big draws to the program, for me, personally, it was VERY underwhelming, the exams.

demonfurbie

colemic wrote: »

Just got off the phone with my mentor as well - some changes for MSISA in the works as well. As of May, GIAC 27002 will be dropped (primarily due to the cost of the vouchers, and SANS won't budge on giving them a discount on the vouchers at 900 a pop), and will be replaced by an organic, in-house course with WGU exam. Not sure of the exact content of the new course, but my mentor did say it might include some homeland security-type topics.

And drumroll please... Cisco will be dropped from the MSISA program altogether in September. No CCENT, No CCNA. Which I am wholly in favor of, iI don't like thatI can earn Master's degree-level course credit for passing a vendor-specific, entry-level networking exam. Don't know what it wil be replaced with.

And he said they were looking at EC-Council as well. While CEH and CHFI are big draws to the program, for me, personally, it was VERY underwhelming, the exams.

id be in favor of replacing the ccna with an in house networking test or a cert from offensive security the megasploit one

colemic

Currently it's just CCENT, not CCNA. And instead of going in-house, I'd almost rather see the Net+ brough back. Although I have it, I still consider it a rather entry-level cert as well.

nerdinhiding

nerdinhiding wrote: »

I am currently in the enrollment process with WGU with my 1st mentor call last Monday. I explained to him that I have been studying for the 70-680 and wanted to confirm that I would receive credit for passing the exam before I enrolled. He couldn't confirm the cut off date on when the change is done and had no information other than the 70-680 is definitely going to an in house exam "this summer". I am suppose to have another call with him this Monday evening, I will post what he says. I am on track to start June 1st or July 1st depending on whether I need to take the 70-680 or not before hand. Personally I hope they accept it as I want to take it.

After speaking with the enrollment counselor last night, they no longer accept the 70-680 as credit for the network admin track.

instant000

kirk_nc wrote: »

I agree the true value is the degree but I already have a BS in IT from a University. Went 2 years working at a helpdesk with no progress, I'm trying to break into a Networking role so I decided to enroll in the BS Network Admin program to ultimately obtain the certifications since my first degree has not helped me much.

kirk_nc:

Good evening.

Are you almost complete with the program and have thus put so much into it that you might as well finish?

If not, you definitely might want to reconsider the cost of the degree program for another degree at the same level that you already possess. It would cost less to get a home lab going and pursue your CCNA that way.

If you're trying to get a higher role in networking, look out for junior level networking positions, while working at getting your CCNA.

N2IT

Good to see the University is not afraid of change and looking to better meet the needs of their students and the University. I hope they keep trying to innovate, that to me is a good sign.

razz2525

Hi, this thread was great for me to read since my term starts May 1st in the B.S. IT Security program. I was very daunted by the idea of some of these cert exams since I do not have years of technical experience as some others do. However, despite my anxiety, my main focus was the certs and to see some of them go by the wayside in favor of WGU exams concerns me a bit. Were the CIW certs that worthless? Everyone here seems happy to see them go. For my part though, I would like the Security+ and Net+ certs since my employer has told me that these would be important for me to have to switch over to a more technical role from a compliance role...

gunbunnysoulja

I'm curious, I start in July but went through the enrollment process, and was told what I need to take and what has been waived by either certifications or coursework/degree.

Should I assume that the new courses may not transfer, even though their predecessors did? I had a bunch of courses transfer on my evaluation.

slinuxuzer

I don't see that these changes have gone live on 5/1/13 as expected? Does anyone have any updated information?

razz2525

My mentor told me that the changes will happen in June 2013 as part of a new track for BSIT but it will be an option for the student to change to that track, if they so choose... I think I understood him to say that. I'm sure I'll ask him again at some point closer to June.

trilom

I started the BSIT:Software track May 1 2013, studied for CIW: Web Foundations 5, but when I signed up I instantly took pretest and passed before May 1st, on May 1st I put in for my voucher for the test and received a Web Foundations 6 voucher, and called and they said that it did in fact switch May 1st, passed the Web Foundations 6 with flying colors (its alot easier). My mentor said that the A+ will be changed to the newest one on July 31st.

DoubleNNs

I'm mostly concerned about the CCNA update. I'm planning on starting WGU in August and want to take the ICND1 and 2 before then. I'm hoping they'll transfer in alright and I won't be forced to take the new versions.

eansdad

Their policy is certs within the last 5 years so I couldn't imagine any issues. Not to mention the current ICND1 and 2 will be around till the end of the year.

xocity

Got an email like 5 days ago, Not sure if everyone knows about it but its good to know, Physics sounds scary i'm happy I completed that class before the change.

Here is the email

"...the following updated courses are available as of August 1, 2013. As your mentor, I highly recommend that you take advantage of the opportunity to update your degree path. We can discuss these updates during your next weekly call, but feel free to get in touch with me sooner if you have questions!

Original Course Code

Description of change

New Course Code

WFV1

3rd party (CIW 1D0-610) exam update

Course code remains the same - version update only

AXV1

Update 3rd party exam (CompTIA A+ 801) and updated competencies

EAV1

CPV1

Update 3rd party exam (CompTIA A+ 802) and updated competencies

EBV1

DFV1

Changed to WGU exam + student project

EUC1 (OA) and EUP1 (PA)

INC1

Replaced with Biology - exam and lab

CDC1 (OA) and CDP1 (PA)

INT1

Replaced with Physics - exam and lab

UBC1 (OA) and UBT1 (PA)

HHT1

Replaced with Intro to Probability and Stats - Objective Exam

CJC1

QLT1

Replaced with College Algebra - Objective Exam

CIC1

LAE1

Replaced with English Communication I - Performance assessment

TBC1

QBT1

Replaced with English Composition II - Performance assessment

TPC1

LUT1

Replaced with Communication Courses - Objective Exam and Performance Assessment

TJC1 (OA) and TJP1 (PA)

"

djfunz

Interesting to read all this. My portal still looks the same and my mentor has not mentioned any of these changes to me. I wonder how they changed QBT1? That nightmare course took me months.