What next for me?

[ChilliDawg]

Yes, I am indecisive.  I get ideas from you folks, and then I just go do it.  

I recently finished my MSCIA from WGU, and I am already getting really bored.  I have relegated myself to knocking out I.T. Certs in my spare time.  I have become so acclimated to always working on something for school, over the past 3 years, that I am going stir crazy.  I wish I could stick to my diet, like I stick to my educational milestones.

I was hoping for some suggestions.

I do not think that a Doctoral Degree is in my future.  I have no interest in teaching or research, ever.  I am considering another Masters, or maybe an MBA.  I DO NOT want another degree from a school that I have already attended.  Exception:  I did the BOG Pierpont, and might go for the WVU Regents Bachelor w\ a concentration. (EDIT: Just realized I cannot apply for the RBA since I already have a RA Bachelor through TESU).

I have a TESU B.A.L.S. and have desired to procure a Bachelor that has a concentration.  Maybe I.T. or Business, seeing as my transcript is I.T. and Business heavy.  Is it foolish to go back for another Bachelor, after my M.S.? 

Do any of you know of a Bachelor or Masters program that would make maximum use of my existing accomplishments, as noted in my Sig line?  Any suggestions and ideas are greatly appreciated.

[Ideas]

Do the MBA or a grad cert in a specific area of IT. Don't another IT degree and don't do a BSBA.

You could do the MBA at Purdue Global because of their rep.

[allvia]

How about project management? Becoming a PMP is a very marketable in the technology fields.
https://www.pmi.org/certifications/types...gement-pmp

[ChilliDawg]

Do the MBA or a grad cert in a specific area of IT. Don't another IT degree and don't do a BSBA.

You could do the MBA at Purdue Global because of their rep.

I will definitely look into the Purdue.  I would like to see how the ExcelTrack works for others.

[Johann]

First consider your career path. What do you want to be doing? Pick a degree in that specific field. Find out what schools the real achievers in that field went to. This is your life. It isn't a snap generic thing that can be solved without specific info in one post. Or, If it's not going to be work-related, what do you like to do? What do you want to learn? I don't believe there's any kind of "blanket advice" that can be trusted. Any advice given, without knowing a lot more about your ambitions and your preference - well, it's not worth very much, as I see it.

You never know. If you sit and think about those things for a while, you may get some idea of where to look. And if you want more - you will be better served when people have some specific idea of what you're looking for.

One other thing. What kind of rep does Purdue Global have? It isn't Purdue. It's basically the former Kaplan. I'm not saying that's bad - it's just that Purdue Global and Purdue are NOT the same brand.

[Merlin]

One other thing. What kind of rep does Purdue Global have? It isn't Purdue. It's basically the former Kaplan. I'm not saying that's bad - it's just that Purdue Global and Purdue are NOT the same brand.

While we know that here on this forum, the opposite is actually true in the "real world".

I polled some other hiring managers that I know asking what they thought of "Global" campuses from schools like Purdue, Colorado State University, and now the University of Arizona. Other than people like me who follow education forums and such, nobody I spoke to just assumed that Global just meant Online, and that they were one in the same school. Even after I explained that Purdue Global was formerly Kaplan and that the new University of Arizona Global is just a rebranded Ashford University, the response was effectively "well, it is still Purdue, they wouldn't put their name on it unless it meets their standards."

So, unless there is some large scale campaign to educate people as to the differences between regular and global campus schools, the average person outside of academia (and the people making hiring decisions) is likely to assume that there is no difference between those schools. The brand is the brand.

I know that some students and alumni at schools like Purdue and Harvard go out of their way to try to downplay the credentials of people who attend their distance learning focused counterparts, but it hasn't made much difference. Outside of a small number of people who understand the differences, I think most people will see the name and make the association either way.

Heck, the University of Arizona appears to be pushing that credits from UofA Global can be freely mixed with any other UofA campus or micro-campus credits. Since you can mix and match, students may even get the same diploma regardless of which school they attend or how they earn those credits.

So maybe the brands are the same... at least for anyone not involved with academia.

[ChilliDawg]

First consider your career path. What do you want to be doing? Pick a degree in that specific field. Find out what schools the real achievers in that field went to. This is your life. It isn't a snap generic thing that can be solved without specific info in one post. Or, If it's not going to be work-related, what do you like to do?  What do you want to learn? I don't believe there's any kind of "blanket advice" that can be trusted. Any advice given, without knowing a lot more about your ambitions and your preference - well, it's not worth very much, as I see it.

You never know. If you sit and think about those things for a while, you may get some idea of where to look. And if you want more - you will be better served when people have some specific idea of what you're looking for.

One other thing. What kind of rep does Purdue Global have? It isn't Purdue. It's basically the former Kaplan. I'm not saying that's bad - it's just that Purdue Global and Purdue are NOT the same brand.

Johann, 

I should have specified.  I am an older student(51), mostly doing this for fun.  I literally consider this to be a hobby, anymore.  I have been in I.T. for 30 years, and am staying here until retirement.  Presently, I am an I.T. Director in the Government Sector, dealing with cybersecurity compliance.  My M.S. from WGU helped put me there.

I am just looking for the next big thing for me to work towards in my spare time.  Since initially posting this thread, I think I am really settling on an MBA.  I am looking presently at doing it locally at UNF.

I threw this post out, because I get really good ideas from this forum.  Not so much asking people to make my mind up for me, but more just hearing about the different programs at various schools.  Each time I login here, I think I learn about a new school or Executive program. 

Thanks for your advice.

[Johann]

Johann, 

I should have specified.  I am an older student(51), mostly doing this for fun.  I literally consider this to be a hobby, anymore.  I have been in I.T. for 30 years, and am staying here until retirement.  Presently, I am an I.T. Director in the Government Sector, dealing with cybersecurity compliance.  My M.S. from WGU helped put me there.

I am just looking for the next big thing for me to work towards in my spare time.  Since initially posting this thread, I think I am really settling on an MBA.  I am looking presently at doing it locally at UNF.

I threw this post out, because I get really good ideas from this forum.  Not so much asking people to make my mind up for me, but more just hearing about the different programs at various schools.  Each time I login here, I think I learn about a new school or Executive program. 

Thanks for your advice.

Thanks! Now I get it! I'm 77 and I do stuff for fun too. I'm hoping to be the world's oldest full-stack JavaScript developer and concertina player. If  going to your local B&M Uni pleases you - then I'd say it's a good choice. If you want another idea, Georgia Southwestern State University   offers an AACSB-accredited MBA online for around $7,700. That's the lowest tuition for an AACSB MBA I've seen.

[ChilliDawg]

Johann, 

I should have specified.  I am an older student(51), mostly doing this for fun.  I literally consider this to be a hobby, anymore.  I have been in I.T. for 30 years, and am staying here until retirement.  Presently, I am an I.T. Director in the Government Sector, dealing with cybersecurity compliance.  My M.S. from WGU helped put me there.

I am just looking for the next big thing for me to work towards in my spare time.  Since initially posting this thread, I think I am really settling on an MBA.  I am looking presently at doing it locally at UNF.

I threw this post out, because I get really good ideas from this forum.  Not so much asking people to make my mind up for me, but more just hearing about the different programs at various schools.  Each time I login here, I think I learn about a new school or Executive program. 

Thanks for your advice.

Thanks! Now I get it! I'm 77 and I do stuff for fun too. I'm hoping to be the world's oldest full-stack JavaScript developer and concertina player. If  going to your local B&M Uni pleases you - then I'd say it's a good choice. If you want another idea, Georgia Southwestern State University   offers an AACSB-accredited MBA online for around $7,700. That's the lowest tuition for an AACSB MBA I've seen.

That is Awesome, Johann! You inspire me. I am starting to have issues with being in my 50's. Trying to stay relevant.

Thanks for the pointer on Georgia Southwestern State University. Do you know if it is self-paced or proficiency based? I will dig into it. This here is why I made my post. Pointers like this are exactly what I was hoping for.

[Johann]

Thanks for the pointer on Georgia Southwestern State University.  Do you know if it is self-paced or proficiency based?  I will dig into it.  This here is why I made my post.  Pointers like this are exactly what I was hoping for.

It doesn't appear to me, at least, to be self-paced. There's a proposed 2-year schedule of the courses on the site -that's what makes me think it's not.

You can get all the info and links here: https://www.gsw.edu/academics/schools-an...ba-program. Whatever your choice, I wish you every success.