Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, or Accounting

[sanantone]

I work for a state agency that controls the purse strings for the state government and enforces tax laws. My agency, technically, does not have tuition reimbursement. However, you can convince them to pay for continuing education, including college courses, as long as it's related to your position or another position in the agency. Since I'm about to be finished with my medical science program soon, I'm thinking about getting my employer to pay for a term at WGU. It's hard for me to pass up free money. 

Accounting is directly related to my current position, but tax law is boring. I also don't know if WGU would admit me without an accounting degree, even if I complete an undergraduate certificate in accounting. 

Cybersecurity would be most interesting to me, but I don't know if they'll accept my BSBA in CIS with a couple of cybersecurity courses as meeting the admissions requirements. 

I should meet the admissions requirements for the data analytics program. I haven't really thought about a career in big data, data analytics, or data science, but stronger skills in statistics and SAS could help me in landing a job as an epidemiologist with my MS or in social science research with my PhD. 

In the end, I think I'll lean toward the program that requires the least amount of writing. 

P.S. I dropped out of the Walden program before completing any work. I knew I wasn't going to write all those papers. 

[eriehiker]

You are so right on the papers. I just finished my tenth competency and the papers have been ten to twenty pages each. Haha!

[sanantone]

If it had been my first graduate degree, I probably would have pushed through it. But, my first master's and PhD required a lot of writing. I just can't do any more research papers.

[dfrecore]

I think TESU's Data Analytics program doesn't require writing at all - not even the capstone. But I could be wrong.

[sanantone]

I think TESU's Data Analytics program doesn't require writing at all - not even the capstone.  But I could be wrong.

If tuition is $668 per credit hour, then I don't think my employer will cover much. Also, the program is not eligible for financial aid.

[quigongene]

Cybersecurity would be most interesting to me, but I don't know if they'll accept my BSBA in CIS with a couple of cybersecurity courses as meeting the admissions requirements. 

Only one way to find out. Also, they just revamped the MSCSIA program.

[sanantone]

Cybersecurity would be most interesting to me, but I don't know if they'll accept my BSBA in CIS with a couple of cybersecurity courses as meeting the admissions requirements. 

Only one way to find out.  Also, they just revamped the MSCSIA program.

I applied, but I won't enroll until September or October. If I don't qualify, I'll just switch my program to data analytics.

[Ideas]

You are so right on the papers.  I just finished my tenth competency and the papers have been ten to twenty pages each.  Haha!

Wow. I guess I wouldn't have completed half the degree in a term.

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If it had been my first graduate degree, I probably would have pushed through it. But, my first master's and PhD required a lot of writing. I just can't do any more research papers.

Hm, I'm worried about getting sick of papers soon. Or during a doctoral program 

I might have to do what you are and choose low-writing programs.

Congrats on getting most of the science degree done! You're doing 30 credits in 3 terms?

[davewill]

I think TESU's Data Analytics program doesn't require writing at all - not even the capstone.  But I could be wrong.

If tuition is $668 per credit hour, then I don't think my employer will cover much. Also, the program is not eligible for financial aid.

If you do it through Statistics.com, it would average out to less, but the schedule isn't very flexible, and it still may not be covered by your employer.

https://www.statistics.com/tesu#program

[sanantone]

You are so right on the papers.  I just finished my tenth competency and the papers have been ten to twenty pages each.  Haha!

Wow. I guess I wouldn't have completed half the degree in a term.

---

If it had been my first graduate degree, I probably would have pushed through it. But, my first master's and PhD required a lot of writing. I just can't do any more research papers.

Hm, I'm worried about getting sick of papers soon. Or during a doctoral program 

I might have to do what you are and choose low-writing programs.

Congrats on getting most of the science degree done! You're doing 30 credits in 3 terms?

I'm doing 37 credits in three semesters. It's not bad. 

I think TESU's Data Analytics program doesn't require writing at all - not even the capstone.  But I could be wrong.

If tuition is $668 per credit hour, then I don't think my employer will cover much. Also, the program is not eligible for financial aid.

If you do it through Statistics.com, it would average out to less, but the schedule isn't very flexible, and it still may not be covered by your employer.

https://www.statistics.com/tesu#program

The entire program uses Statistics.com. If you pay tuition to Statistics.com, then it's not a TESU course, and you're limited to 12 transfer credits. If you pay tuition to TESU, then it's considered a TESU course even though the platform and curriculum comes from Statistics.com. So, you can save by taking the max of 12 credits through the whole Statistics.com/ACE pathway, but it won't be as cheap as WGU.

I just don't know how much my employer will cover because they don't have a stated cap. They approve continuing education on a case-by-case basis.