IT related degree for non-us student

[Rozmars]

Your Location: Spain (moved from Ukraine)
Your Age: 21
What kind of degree do you want?: Bachelors IT/CS related 
Current Regional Accredited Credits: I have an nurse degree and a year in tech uni in my home country, but I think it would be difficult to evaluate. No other credits.

Hi guys!
So I`m currently looking for a cheapest and fasted option to get a degree since I`m already working in IT and definitely not going to spend 4 years in uni.
I found couple of nice options like:
1) ExcelTrack in Information Technology in PUG (employer could reimburse the certs price so I could take some to transfer)
2) Bachelor of Liberal Studies - Management Information Systems Minor in UMPI
3) Bachelor of Science in Information Technology in Excelsior
I`m ignoring UoP CS degree because there is no RA and I don`t want to get any issues with this later.

Which degree should I choose? As far as I investigated the web - both PUG and UMPI could be done in two terms and Excelsior allow to transfer up to 113 of 120 credits. This brings price of each of this universities to +-5k$, but I`m concerned about how doable it actually is in each of them? 
And second -  UMPI definitely will be the cheapest, but I`m not sure about management bachelors degree - isn`t it weird for bachelors?

Thanks in advance, this forum is awesome!

[LevelUP]

Your Location: Spain (moved from Ukraine)
Your Age: 21
What kind of degree do you want?: Bachelors IT/CS related 
Current Regional Accredited Credits: I have an nurse degree and a year in tech uni in my home country, but I think it would be difficult to evaluate. No other credits.

Hi guys!
So I`m currently looking for a cheapest and fasted option to get a degree since I`m already working in IT and definitely not going to spend 4 years in uni.
I found couple of nice options like:
1) ExcelTrack in Information Technology in PUG (employer could reimburse the certs price so I could take some to transfer)
2) Bachelor of Liberal Studies - Management Information Systems Minor in UMPI
3) Bachelor of Science in Information Technology in Excelsior
I`m ignoring UoP CS degree because there is no RA and I don`t want to get any issues with this later.

Which degree should I choose? As far as I investigated the web - both PUG and UMPI could be done in two terms and Excelsior allow to transfer up to 113 of 120 credits. This brings price of each of this universities to +-5k$, but I`m concerned about how doable it actually is in each of them? 
And second -  UMPI definitely will be the cheapest, but I`m not sure about management bachelors degree - isn`t it weird for bachelors?

Thanks in advance, this forum is awesome!

PUG Excelltrack costs $2,900 per term, including fees. If completed in two terms, the total cost would be around $5,800.
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/PU...egree_Plan

The BA in Business Administration with a Project Management and Information Systems Concentration at UMPI is a superior degree compared to the BLS MIS. It offers the same courses as the MIS but provides better career opportunities with a focus on business.

One downside is that it may take an additional 2-4 weeks to complete. However, in the grand scheme of life, this is a relatively short amount of time.

UMPI's tuition is $1,400 per term, and most students can finish the program in 1 or 2 terms by studying 20-30 hours per week.
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/UM...egree_Plan

If you can transfer in RA credit, TESU's computer science is a good option and would cost around $5000 if you do the flat-term tuition
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...ience_Plan

Excelsior we don't have a degree plan for IT and don't know if it's possible to transfer in max credits.

[rachel83az]

Last I checked, max transfer for Excelsior's IT degree was maybe 60 credits, unless you had prior credits available. Definitely a no-go.

PUG's actual classes involve a lot of writing. If you're not comfortable writing papers in English, I would hesitate to recommend them. Each credit is at least one paper or project, so you're looking at 45-50 papers/projects at minimum.

The UMPI degrees aren't really technical; they're mostly meant for managers of people doing the technical work. If that is good enough for you, they're extremely affordable and fast compared to most other schools out there.

[ss20ts]

Before selecting a school and program, what is your end goal with a degree in IT? It's good to know what your ultimate goal is. For example, if you want to become a DBA, I don't think UMPI would be the best option as you won't really learn much about databases. You'll create 1 database in Access which is pretty much a joke when discussing databases. This is why it is important to know what the end goal is.

---

The UMPI degrees aren't really technical; they're mostly meant for managers of people doing the technical work. If that is good enough for you, they're extremely affordable and fast compared to most other schools out there.

UMPI is also a lot of writing in English. The MIS courses have papers along with the projects. You are not prepared for a job in IT unless you already have experience. Supplementing an UMPI degree with certifications would go a long way.

[bjcheung77]

@Rozmars, Welcome to the board. Good initial post and short template of info, having said that... You've missed the addendum, which is more important to know your overall scenario, you should fill in all the missing details so we get a better picture of your situation, such as budget, commitments, study habits, time, tuition and more: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Area-works

[Rozmars]

Your Location: Spain (moved from Ukraine)
Your Age: 21
What kind of degree do you want?: Bachelors IT/CS related 
Current Regional Accredited Credits: I have an nurse degree and a year in tech uni in my home country, but I think it would be difficult to evaluate. No other credits.

Hi guys!
So I`m currently looking for a cheapest and fasted option to get a degree since I`m already working in IT and definitely not going to spend 4 years in uni.
I found couple of nice options like:
1) ExcelTrack in Information Technology in PUG (employer could reimburse the certs price so I could take some to transfer)
2) Bachelor of Liberal Studies - Management Information Systems Minor in UMPI
3) Bachelor of Science in Information Technology in Excelsior
I`m ignoring UoP CS degree because there is no RA and I don`t want to get any issues with this later.

Which degree should I choose? As far as I investigated the web - both PUG and UMPI could be done in two terms and Excelsior allow to transfer up to 113 of 120 credits. This brings price of each of this universities to +-5k$, but I`m concerned about how doable it actually is in each of them? 
And second -  UMPI definitely will be the cheapest, but I`m not sure about management bachelors degree - isn`t it weird for bachelors?

Thanks in advance, this forum is awesome!

Budget: I'd like to go the cheapest route possible - like 5-6k$, maybe spend some more time saving up to 10k, but definitely no more.
Commitments: Only girlfriend, nothing else. I work full time from 10 to 18.
Dedicated time to study: I estimate at least 3 hours every week day and on the weekends, maybe 6 hours, total would be roughly 15+12=27 hours or slightly more. Maybe even better if it will be okay.
Timeline: Finishing the courses required for the degree as fast as possible would be ideal.  I would like to finish within a year (2-3 terms in uni + Sophia and others). But I`m not in rush to enrol in next 2-3 months.
Tuition assistance/reimbursement: No reimbursement for university studies, however I can take vouchers/reimburse some IT certs from employer.
Actually wondering is there any financial aid options for non-us students?
Comment: I also considering using this degree in Europe so I`m refering to https://anabin.kmk.org/anabin.html (German DB for foreign university validity) - because if Germany accepts - other EU countries will likely accept too

---

Before selecting a school and program, what is your end goal with a degree in IT? It's good to know what your ultimate goal is. For example, if you want to become a DBA, I don't think UMPI would be the best option as you won't really learn much about databases. You'll create 1 database in Access which is pretty much a joke when discussing databases. This is why it is important to know what the end goal is.

---

The UMPI degrees aren't really technical; they're mostly meant for managers of people doing the technical work. If that is good enough for you, they're extremely affordable and fast compared to most other schools out there.

UMPI is also a lot of writing in English. The MIS courses have papers along with the projects. You are not prepared for a job in IT unless you already have experience. Supplementing an UMPI degree with certifications would go a long way.

I already have two years of work experience in IT, so I`m not really looking for technical knowledge from Bachelors degree - I`d rather have just an IT related one. Currently I`m on my way transitioning AQA -> SDET and in a year or a little bit more -> DevOps Engineer and maybe moving into management in future.

If talking about writing in English - I think I have to do it anyway so I just have to accept it and practice before enrolling.

---

Your Location: Spain (moved from Ukraine)
Your Age: 21
What kind of degree do you want?: Bachelors IT/CS related 
Current Regional Accredited Credits: I have an nurse degree and a year in tech uni in my home country, but I think it would be difficult to evaluate. No other credits.

Hi guys!
So I`m currently looking for a cheapest and fasted option to get a degree since I`m already working in IT and definitely not going to spend 4 years in uni.
I found couple of nice options like:
1) ExcelTrack in Information Technology in PUG (employer could reimburse the certs price so I could take some to transfer)
2) Bachelor of Liberal Studies - Management Information Systems Minor in UMPI
3) Bachelor of Science in Information Technology in Excelsior
I`m ignoring UoP CS degree because there is no RA and I don`t want to get any issues with this later.

Which degree should I choose? As far as I investigated the web - both PUG and UMPI could be done in two terms and Excelsior allow to transfer up to 113 of 120 credits. This brings price of each of this universities to +-5k$, but I`m concerned about how doable it actually is in each of them? 
And second -  UMPI definitely will be the cheapest, but I`m not sure about management bachelors degree - isn`t it weird for bachelors?

Thanks in advance, this forum is awesome!

PUG Excelltrack costs $2,900 per term, including fees. If completed in two terms, the total cost would be around $5,800.
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/PU...egree_Plan

The BA in Business Administration with a Project Management and Information Systems Concentration at UMPI is a superior degree compared to the BLS MIS. It offers the same courses as the MIS but provides better career opportunities with a focus on business.

One downside is that it may take an additional 2-4 weeks to complete. However, in the grand scheme of life, this is a relatively short amount of time.

UMPI's tuition is $1,400 per term, and most students can finish the program in 1 or 2 terms by studying 20-30 hours per week.
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/UM...egree_Plan

If you can transfer in RA credit, TESU's computer science is a good option and would cost around $5000 if you do the flat-term tuition
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...ience_Plan

Excelsior we don't have a degree plan for IT and don't know if it's possible to transfer in max credits.

Yup, so I`ve read about BA in Business Administration with a Project Management and it looks much better then MIS, thanks 
TESU is not really accredited in Germany (and their tuition/degree is kinda difficult to understand)

Looks like I have BA in Business Administration with a Project Management in UMPI and Bachelor of Science in Information Technology in PUG to choose from.

[rachel83az]

I think UMPI has the best chance of meeting your financial goal. If you're planning to move into management in the relatively near future, a BABA Project Management seems like it might be the best choice for you. They're also only about 10-15 papers or projects, compared to PUG's 45+ papers/projects. At $1500 per 8-week session, your $5000 budget would allow for 3 UMPI sessions, 1 ACTFL exam (foreign language such as Spanish or Russian; I don't think Ukrainian is possible), and 3 or 4 months of Sophia. This should be more than sufficient, as most students report being able to finish a UMPI degree in 2-3 sessions.

On the other hand, getting your employer to pay for at least some of the certifications that PUG accepts for credit could work well. If you'd really prefer an IT degree, you're looking at at least 2 $2500 sessions at PUG. You will also need to pay for 1-2 months of Sophia to cover the general education requirements that aren't covered by certifications. They will cost you more out of pocket, but could be worth it if you lean more towards a degree that is actually IT-focused.

I would recommend starting by signing up for Sophia and completing classes that would apply to either PUG or UMPI. For instance, you'll need or can take as electives: College Algebra, Human Biology (+lab), Environmental Science, Ancient Greek Philosophers, Intro to Ethics, Visual Communications, etc. Some of these will have papers and you'll get a better idea of what to expect with American academia. I would not recommend completing Sophia's English Composition courses if you're leaning more towards UMPI; UMPI's class is significantly faster/easier than at Sophia. On the other hand, Sophia may be faster/easier than PUG's English Comp requirements.

Regardless of school, if you want extra practice writing academic papers in English before committing to either degree, one thing you might want to consider doing would be to sign up for ASU's Universal Learner English Composition 101 class: https://ea.asu.edu/courses/english-composition-eng-101/ The cost for this would be $25. You do not have to pay the $400 transcription fee to make the class "official", only the $25 sign up fee to allow you to audit the course. Unfortunately, this class is not currently self-paced and the next start date isn't until August 15. It's not ideal, but it's a financially inexpensive way to get the hang of writing papers for an American university.

[Rozmars]

I think UMPI has the best chance of meeting your financial goal. If you're planning to move into management in the relatively near future, a BABA Project Management seems like it might be the best choice for you. They're also only about 10-15 papers or projects, compared to PUG's 45+ papers/projects. At $1500 per 8-week session, your $5000 budget would allow for 3 UMPI sessions, 1 ACTFL exam (foreign language such as Spanish or Russian; I don't think Ukrainian is possible), and 3 or 4 months of Sophia. This should be more than sufficient, as most students report being able to finish a UMPI degree in 2-3 sessions.

On the other hand, getting your employer to pay for at least some of the certifications that PUG accepts for credit could work well. If you'd really prefer an IT degree, you're looking at at least 2 $2500 sessions at PUG. You will also need to pay for 1-2 months of Sophia to cover the general education requirements that aren't covered by certifications. They will cost you more out of pocket, but could be worth it if you lean more towards a degree that is actually IT-focused.

I would recommend starting by signing up for Sophia and completing classes that would apply to either PUG or UMPI. For instance, you'll need or can take as electives: College Algebra, Human Biology (+lab), Environmental Science, Ancient Greek Philosophers, Intro to Ethics, Visual Communications, etc. Some of these will have papers and you'll get a better idea of what to expect with American academia. I would not recommend completing Sophia's English Composition courses if you're leaning more towards UMPI; UMPI's class is significantly faster/easier than at Sophia. On the other hand, Sophia may be faster/easier than PUG's English Comp requirements.

Regardless of school, if you want extra practice writing academic papers in English before committing to either degree, one thing you might want to consider doing would be to sign up for ASU's Universal Learner English Composition 101 class: https://ea.asu.edu/courses/english-composition-eng-101/ The cost for this would be $25. You do not have to pay the $400 transcription fee to make the class "official", only the $25 sign up fee to allow you to audit the course. Unfortunately, this class is not currently self-paced and the next start date isn't until August 15. It's not ideal, but it's a financially inexpensive way to get the hang of writing papers for an American university.

Thank you so much for an answer!
There is no limitation on how old Sophia credits might be, as I know, so I really can start doing classes that would apply to both universities.
Also, are the full curiculums for those degrees with Sophia equivalents somewhere?

[rachel83az]

We don't have a 1:1 comparison for the two universities, but you can see UMPI degree plans here: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:UMPI and we have PUG degree plans here: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:PUG

[Rozmars]

We don't have a 1:1 comparison for the two universities, but you can see UMPI degree plans here: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:UMPI and we have PUG degree plans here: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:PUG

I understand that there is no 1:1 comparison, I think I can do it by myself)
But thanks - those links are what I mean