How does the WGU IT degree work

[dfrecore]

Hi all,

My husband is thinking that the new Cybersecurity degree will be more applicable to his work than the BSBA in CIS from TESU (the nerve!). But, he's concerned about how the program works, in terms of having to write papers and such. I just don't know.

Can someone tell me how one of the IT programs works, as I'm sure this will be similar? He plans on transferring in all of the Gen Ed's, leaving only the major courses.

Also, I'm unsure if they've made an error somewhere, as it says he needs Integrated Physical Sciences (3cr) and then Natural Science lab (2cr). Wouldn't it make more sense to have a physical science course and a physical science lab? Seems strange.

Also, any ideas what courses are transferrable in the major? I have the obvious Gen Ed's, but I'm unsure about things like these, where I might be able to find an ACE-approved course to bring in:
Intro to IT (SL or Saylor)
Network & Security - Foundations (Saylor or TECEP)
Networks (Saylor, TECEP or CSU-Global)
Managing Cloud Security (CSU-Global's Cloud Computing and Big Data)
Data Management - Foundations (CSU-Global's Database Management)
Business of IT - Project Management (CSU-Global's IT Project Management)
Technical Comm (is this the TECEP or CSU-Global course, or Technical Writing?)
Digital Forensics in Cybersecurity (CSU-Global's Digital Forensics & Investigations)
Legal Issues in InfoSec (CSU-Global's Information Security Legal and Ethical Issues)

He also took the MIS and Cybersecurity DSST exams and passed them cold. So he's game for testing out as much as possible, especially on the computer stuff.

I want to weigh out what would make sense to transfer in, especially the more expensive CSU-Global CBE's, with what will make it the easiest for him to finish in a single term.

Also, he could get his CISSP cert again, his work would pay for it, does anyone know what courses it will take out?

[bjcheung77]

I'm not sure when the new degree is supposed to come out, but I don't see any new info yet.
There was a thread about it, may have been updated, just that I haven't seen more for it.
Your husband can send in his free application and also get an evaluation on his credits.
These are the three that are currently on their website, along with the certs.

BSIT AOS: BS IT Areas of Study | Western Governors University
- courses: BS IT Courses
CompTIA A+
CompTIA Network+
CompTIA Security+
CompTIA Project+
CompTIA Linux+
CIW Site Development Associate
CIW Advanced HTML5 and CSS Specialist
CIW User Interface Designer

Net Admin: BS IT Network Admin Areas of Study
- courses: BS IT - Network Admin Courses
Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA): Windows Server 2012
Microsoft Certified Professional, Specialist
CompTIA Linux+
CompTIA A+
CompTIA Network+
CompTIA Security+
CompTIA Project+
CIW Site Development Associate

Security: BS IT Security Areas of Study
- courses: BS IT - Security Courses
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNAÂ)
Cisco Certified Network Associate Security (CCNAÂ Security)
CompTIA A+
CompTIA Network+
CompTIA Security+
CompTIA Project+
CompTIA Linux+
CIW Site Development Associate

Transferable Certs: Transferable IT Certifications | WGU Online IT Certification

For myself, I would choose the Net Admin or the Security option, as my workplace pays for both Cisco/Microsoft exams.

[dfrecore]

I'm also interested in how much testing there is, vs how much paper-writing there will be. And how quickly they let you move onto the next course when you complete something.

They told me they will have the new transfer info out next week (she thinks).

[jsd]

bjcheung77, the BS Cybersecurity program comes out in June and the program info is available on the site already. The IT college also offers BSs in Data Management/Data Analytics, or Software Development, or Health Information Management.

dfrecore, Does your husband have an associates by any chance? that will waive almost all of the general ed requirements, even if he doesn't have direct equivalents for courses, it works kind of like a block transfer.

I don't have any gen ed stuff to do, so if he ends up with some of those this doesn't apply, but for my particular degree plan, almost 100% of my courses are passed based entirely on one objective exam, or a certification exam. The exception is of course the capstone, which will obviously require a paper. There's also a "Technical Writing" course that is a precursor the capstone, and it appears to basically be a rough draft of your capstone.

And then there's also a Data Management - Applications assignment that is required on top of the objective exam that i assume i need to turn in some database project, but I can't see the details yet.

One thing to keep in mind when transferring courses in, some of those are certification courses that you'd be eliminating if you transfer them, for example, two that you have listed are certs:

Networks (Saylor, TECEP or CSU-Global) -- this is CompTIA Network+
Business of IT - Project Management (CSU-Global's IT Project Management) --- This is CompTIA Project+


And then this one I'm pretty sure is also a cert, but it's not my program so I can't tell you 100%

Managing Cloud Security (CSU-Global's Cloud Computing and Big Data) -- I'm assuming this is (ISC)² Certified Cloud Security Professional

[jsd]

One thing I noticed on the Cybersecurity program page under "Who this program is for" is this wording below, which leads me to believe the Cybersecurity program might have more papers than the other programs do, as this isn't on the other program pages:

Students with strong research and writing instincts, the ability to communicate technical information in an understandable way, an eye for the big picture, a passion for learning, and a collaborative, team-oriented mindset.

But it's also possible that they are just referring to the capstone here, and it's not on the old pages because they just made this new page a couple weeks ago and didn't update the wording on the existing pages.

[jsd]

And how quickly they let you move onto the next course when you complete something.

When I complete a course, they can immediately enroll me in the next course.

I also can access any other courses in my plan at any given time, so I could work on multiple courses at once if I wanted to, but it's easier/faster for me to do one at a time. I'm not sure if they'll officially enroll you in two at once, but you can still work ahead.

[bluebooger]

might want to check this out

http://www.degreeforum.net/general-educa...post234246

[dfrecore]

dfrecore, Does your husband have an associates by any chance? that will waive almost all of the general ed requirements, even if he doesn't have direct equivalents for courses, it works kind of like a block transfer.

He does have an AS, but it does not cover some of the courses they require - no Nat or Physical Science, no English comp II, no Critical Thinking. But, if they go ahead and give him a block transfer, then that would be great. I guess the best thing to do is just send his transcripts and see what they give him before trying to plan anything out.

He also took the Cybersecurity and MIS DSST exams, but it is $30 to send that transcript, what a ripoff, and he may not even get anything for them! That would stink. $230 down the tubes there if they don't take them. Oh well.

[dfrecore]

bjcheung77, the BS Cybersecurity program comes out in June and the program info is available on the site already. The IT college also offers BSs in Data Management/Data Analytics, or Software Development, or Health Information Management.

They do have info on the degree, but they don't have the Transfer Eval Guidelines on there yet. So I don't know what will count and what won't for the different IT courses.

[dfrecore]

One thing to keep in mind when transferring courses in, some of those are certification courses that you'd be eliminating if you transfer them, for example, two that you have listed are certs:

Networks (Saylor, TECEP or CSU-Global) -- this is CompTIA Network+
Business of IT - Project Management (CSU-Global's IT Project Management) --- This is CompTIA Project+


And then this one I'm pretty sure is also a cert, but it's not my program so I can't tell you 100%

Managing Cloud Security (CSU-Global's Cloud Computing and Big Data) -- I'm assuming this is (ISC)² Certified Cloud Security Professional

I'm just trying to balance out what would be inexpensive and easy for him to take as a course/exam before the program, so as not to take up too much time in the program itself. But, I'm seriously thinking that if we can get all of the Gen Ed's done, then he could probably just start the IT portion and get going and do all the courses that way. If a bunch are tests, then it really just makes sense to test out within the program instead of paying to do it ahead of time.