WGU - BSCC (BS in Cloud Computing)

[CarpeDiem8]

Hey guys!

I'm trying to help plan my husband's path for this degree. He is currently a Senior Engineer who is pivoting his career towards DevOps. He recently obtained the AWS Certified Developer cert, is currently doing Google's IT Automation in Python cert, and then will get the AWS Certified DevOps cert. After that, he wants to start chipping away towards a bachelor's degree. We were originally going to do TESU's BACS, but after we found this, he is convinced this is a better fit.

However, I'm not too familiar with WGU. 

I am following Reddit (under the former degree name, BSCSA), I see the transfer guide for Study.com, but I still have some questions.

1) For WGU, it's recommended to apply and send transcripts to get an evaluation and see where we stand, but wait to enroll until you get as much completed with your alternative credits done, correct?

2) Does anyone know if there are other alt providers that WGU accepts aside from Study.com?

3) What other things are recommended for planning a degree when going with WGU?

Thanks!!!!

 

[bluebooger]

> under the former degree name, BSCSA

I believe that is the current name
https://www.wgu.edu/online-it-degrees/sy...ogram.html
Cloud and Systems Administration – B.S.

https://www.wgu.edu/admissions/transfers...tions.html

https://cm.wgu.edu/t5/Admission/Transfer...y/ta-p/155

https://partners.wgu.edu/Pages/BSCLSA.aspx

[Merlin]

1) For WGU, it's recommended to apply and send transcripts to get an evaluation and see where we stand, but wait to enroll until you get as much completed with your alternative credits done, correct?

As with many things in alt education, it depends.

If you're paying out of pocket, it is generally cheaper to do as much ahead of time via sources like Study.com and StraighterLine beforehand so you only have 30 credits left to complete at WGU. That way you're most likely to only have to pay for a single term.

However, if you're getting financial assistance or tuition reimbursement, then that usually doesn't cover alternative credit providers. In such cases, you may be better off enrolling at WGU right away. It takes just as long to complete courses via WGU as it does to complete them via SL or SDC, so it really just comes down to cost and who is paying.

2) Does anyone know if there are other alt providers that WGU accepts aside from Study.com?

WGU accepts more transfer credits than just about any other college. They accept credits from any NA or RA college, as well as most ACE credits. They don't accept NCCRS, but those aren't as common, and I am pretty sure that you can find ACE versions of nearly every NCCRS course out there.

I recommend sticking to Study.com or StraighterLine. In fact, WGU uses a rebranded StraighterLine for their WGU Academy. Between the two, you should be able to find all the transferable courses you need for any degree at WGU. Many people also recommend Saylor, but I found them to be sub-par compared to SDC and SL.

3) What other things are recommended for planning a degree when going with WGU?

The key thing is to look through the transfer guide to understand what courses can be transferred into each degree program. Once you have that, you can map out what courses or certificates you can complete to check off the degree requirements.

Since you can only transfer up to 90 credits towards a degree, a good strategy for picking the last 30 credits is to first identify the courses you cannot transfer and use that as the base of the 30 credits you need to take. From there, you include any courses you cannot find alternatives for. Lastly, you pad the remaining courses with the ones that will be easiest to complete, so you can get through them faster at WGU. Basically, for the last courses, don't pick hard courses like Calculus since those will take longer to complete via WGU than via SL or SDC.

[CarpeDiem8]

>  under the former degree name, BSCSA

I believe that is the current name              
https://www.wgu.edu/online-it-degrees/sy...ogram.html
Cloud and Systems Administration – B.S.

https://www.wgu.edu/admissions/transfers...tions.html

https://cm.wgu.edu/t5/Admission/Transfer...y/ta-p/155

https://partners.wgu.edu/Pages/BSCLSA.aspx

Hey Bluebooger! I was basing it on this recent post, so perhaps they don't have everything updated yet: https://www.reddit.com/r/WGU_CSA/comment...a_to_bscc/

If you're paying out of pocket

Yep, out of pocket, may do financial aid for the actual term(s) needed through WGU.

The key thing is to look through the transfer guide to understand what courses can be transferred into each degree program.

Ok, so going by the "certs included", should he go ahead and do all those certs and get credit for them while knocking out GE's before enrolling for the last 30 credits?

Also, it would be ok to apply now and send over transcripts from his DeVry degree (from 1989) and see what they will take?

Thanks for your help!! You are amazing!

[Merlin]

If you're paying out of pocket

Yep, out of pocket, may do financial aid for the actual term(s) needed through WGU.

If you think you'll do financial aid then you may want to avoid paying out of pocket at all. You may be better off just enrolling at WGU and not doing anything else. As I mentioned before, it generally takes the same amount of time to do courses via WGU as with Study.com or StraighterLine. Plus to meet financial aid requirements, you'll need to take a minimum amount of credits per term anyway, so you might as well just do it all via WGU.

Ok, so going by the "certs included", should he go ahead and do all those certs and get credit for them while knocking out GE's before enrolling for the last 30 credits?

If you're not doing financial aid then sure. Those certs aren't cheap though. If you think you might do financial aid, then you should hold off and do them via WGU to save yourself some money since WGU will pay for them.

Also, it would be ok to apply now and send over transcripts from his DeVry degree (from 1989) and see what they will take?

If he took any courses that match against the degree requirements (including GE's) then you might as well. WGU wants to see all your transcripts anyway, so they'll probably insist on it. WGU accepts NA and RA credits as well as ACE, so there is no reason not to submit all transcripts.

[natshar]

Wgu accepts starlighterline and there is page and straighterline showing it. They also accept CLEP, DSST, Saylor and CSM. There are more but those I know for sure.

If you do 4 straighterline courses and transfer them to wgu you get an automatic scholarship. So that could be worth it even if using other aid.

Also if there are any subjects he know a ton about maybe just take the clep or dsst with no or very little studying. That would be easy and fast and if a test center is a bit far book more than one test in a day.

[CarpeDiem8]

Those certs aren't cheap though. If you think you might do financial aid, then you should hold off and do them via WGU to save yourself some money since WGU will pay for them.

Ah, that makes sense. Thank you!!!

If you do 4 straighterline courses and transfer them to wgu you get an automatic scholarship. So that could be worth it even if using other aid.

This is an AWESOME tip, thank you! I see that now - had no idea!!! https://www.wgu.edu/financial-aid-tuitio...rline.html

However, I do see that "financial need" is something they look at, so we are probably not eligible.

Even so, I have extra SL courses that I bought back in 2017 and aren't going to use for my degree, so I'm happy to be able to transfer them to him, win-win!!!

Thanks again!!!!

[xicovu]

Those certs aren't cheap though. If you think you might do financial aid, then you should hold off and do them via WGU to save yourself some money since WGU will pay for them.

Ah, that makes sense. Thank you!!!

If you do 4 straighterline courses and transfer them to wgu you get an automatic scholarship. So that could be worth it even if using other aid.

This is an AWESOME tip, thank you! I see that now - had no idea!!! https://www.wgu.edu/financial-aid-tuitio...rline.html

However, I do see that "financial need" is something they look at, so we are probably not eligible.

Even so, I have extra SL courses that I bought back in 2017 and aren't going to use for my degree, so I'm happy to be able to transfer them to him, win-win!!!

Thanks again!!!!

I may be a little late on this, but if he's already got AWS don't bother with the Cloud Computing track. Going the Software Development or CS track. DevOps needs to know how to do Full-Stack. If he needs it quick, do generic Information Technology as that will give him solid Web Dev frontend, javascript, DB and should be a lot quicker. Go through code academy and blow through the Web Dev courses for the CIW. DevOps should know:

Linux (advanced)
Cloud (AWS/Azure/GCP)
Python, Powershell
Ansible/Salt/Chef/Puppet
Java preferably, but C# or C++ will do
Full stack web development
Layer 2/Layer 3 networking
Monitoring

I'm not sure his background but that's what he'd need.

If I had a candidate in front of me, I wouldn't care about the certs. I would care about his coding portfolio and projects, which WGU will not give you. Keep most the cert's off your resume because it looks really bad to have CIW or CompTIA on a "grown up" tech resume. AWS on a resume is going to get you hits like crazy, no matter the cert. He's already got one obviously but i always recommend the AWS Solution Architect as it's easy and has the exact same effect to your resume as Sysops or Development. AWS Certified DevOps isn't necessary at this point and is a lot of study effort for something that isn't going to be much of a resume boost. Any AWS cert will have the same effect, no one will care about the higher ones. With certs, pick a path and take it to an architect level if he'd like. But I seriously, seriously recommend going the Red Hat Linux Engineer path.

BS Software Engineering, Java Track
More time consuming, but if he's willing to take more time this should give him what he needs for DevOps, as long as he learning Linux in depth.

OR

BS Information Technology: Frontend, HTML/CSS/Javascript is beneficial for learning full stack. Pick Python, Ruby or Node to learn on his own time.
This should be quicker, so that should allow more time to focus on Linux.

Cloud is Linux, end of story. AWS/Azure/GCP certs mean little if you can't architect solutions. You won't get a DevOps job if you can't be a full-stack developer, so focus on building a portofolio. Degrees/Certs are for HR. No hiring manager/team is going to care at all about certificates you have (or your degree in general).

[CarpeDiem8]

I may be a little late on this, but if he's already got AWS don't bother with the Cloud Computing track. Going the Software Development or CS track. DevOps needs to know how to do Full-Stack. If he needs it quick, do generic Information Technology as that will give him solid Web Dev frontend, javascript, DB and should be a lot quicker. Go through code academy and blow through the Web Dev courses for the CIW. DevOps should know:

Linux (advanced)
Cloud (AWS/Azure/GCP)
Python, Powershell
Ansible/Salt/Chef/Puppet
Java preferably, but C# or C++ will do
Full stack web development
Layer 2/Layer 3 networking


If I had a candidate in from of me, I wouldn't care about the certs. I would care about his coding portfolio and projects, which WGU will not give you. Keep the cert's off your resume because it looks really bad to have CIW or CompTIA on a "grown up" tech resume. AWS on a resume is going to get you hits like crazy, no matter the cert. He's already got one obviously but i always recommend the AWS Solution Architect as it's easy and has the exact same effect to your resume as Sysops or Development. Other than that one, certs don't really matter. With certs, pick a path and take it to an architect level if he'd like. But I seriously, seriously recommend going the Red Hat Linux Engineer path.

Linux is really the only thing that matters for DevOps, even more than AWS.

Thanks for your reply, @xicovu!!!

So this is what we are looking at, based on your recommendations:

• Already Full-stack, Senior Dev, so that's done (his words to me were: I've been doing this since before the term "Full Stack" was invented lol).
  
• Get these certs on his resume:
  • Red Hat Certified Engineer
    
  • AWS Certified DevOps cert (since he already has AWS Solution Architect and his employer would like him to level up all the way)
    
  • IT Automation in Python cert
    

• Continue to gear up his personal portfolio to include the new skills he's learned for the DevOps route. 
  

• To check the bachelor's box - the quickest would be TESU's "BS in Technical Studies" (has the most credits that transferred over from his DeVry cert from '89). Failing that, we can look at other choices, if the title of it really doesn't matter at the end of the day.
  

Thanks again for your help with this!

[xicovu]

I may be a little late on this, but if he's already got AWS don't bother with the Cloud Computing track. Going the Software Development or CS track. DevOps needs to know how to do Full-Stack. If he needs it quick, do generic Information Technology as that will give him solid Web Dev frontend, javascript, DB and should be a lot quicker. Go through code academy and blow through the Web Dev courses for the CIW. DevOps should know:

Linux (advanced)
Cloud (AWS/Azure/GCP)
Python, Powershell
Ansible/Salt/Chef/Puppet
Java preferably, but C# or C++ will do
Full stack web development
Layer 2/Layer 3 networking


If I had a candidate in from of me, I wouldn't care about the certs. I would care about his coding portfolio and projects, which WGU will not give you. Keep the cert's off your resume because it looks really bad to have CIW or CompTIA on a "grown up" tech resume. AWS on a resume is going to get you hits like crazy, no matter the cert. He's already got one obviously but i always recommend the AWS Solution Architect as it's easy and has the exact same effect to your resume as Sysops or Development. Other than that one, certs don't really matter. With certs, pick a path and take it to an architect level if he'd like. But I seriously, seriously recommend going the Red Hat Linux Engineer path.

Linux is really the only thing that matters for DevOps, even more than AWS.

Thanks for your reply, @xicovu!!!

So this is what we are looking at, based on your recommendations:

• Already Full-stack, Senior Dev, so that's done (his words to me were: I've been doing this since before the term "Full Stack" was invented lol).
  
• Get these certs on his resume:
  • Red Hat Certified Engineer
    
  • AWS Certified DevOps cert (since he already has AWS Solution Architect and his employer would like him to level up all the way)
    
  • IT Automation in Python cert
    

• Continue to gear up his personal portfolio to include the new skills he's learned for the DevOps route. 
  

• To check the bachelor's box - the quickest would be TESU's "BS in Technical Studies" (has the most credits that transferred over from his DeVry cert from '89). Failing that, we can look at other choices, if the title of it really doesn't matter at the end of the day.
  

Thanks again for your help with this!

If the employer wants him to, then go for it but if he can convince them to let him hit the Red Hat path hard there are some Expert/Architect certs in DevOps that'll be better in actual operations. Python automation is good but learn Ansible (or Puppet/Chef), but focus as deep as possible on Redhat. Don't get to focused on putting certs on his resume. Build labs on AWS, GCP, Azure and get some dedicated servers and home gear to work on. Learning VMware well would be beneficial as well for on-prem and general how a data center works. It's an expensive certification track, but even if for self study learn VCP Data Center Virtualization. Understanding the converged data center stack would be really important.

BS Technical studies checks the box. If he has some time to put in, I would highly recommend the B.A. Computer Science at TESU. Computer Science is by far the most sought after computer degree. If not the B.A., check out the B.S. General Studies in Information System Studies or Computer Science. It's one I looked at as an option for myself. Between study.com, SL, teex, and even the Google Support Cert (worth 12 credits). Another option is the B.S. Individual Studies and take Info tech + Business or some other combination.

---

I may be a little late on this, but if he's already got AWS don't bother with the Cloud Computing track. Going the Software Development or CS track. DevOps needs to know how to do Full-Stack. If he needs it quick, do generic Information Technology as that will give him solid Web Dev frontend, javascript, DB and should be a lot quicker. Go through code academy and blow through the Web Dev courses for the CIW. DevOps should know:

Linux (advanced)
Cloud (AWS/Azure/GCP)
Python, Powershell
Ansible/Salt/Chef/Puppet
Java preferably, but C# or C++ will do
Full stack web development
Layer 2/Layer 3 networking


If I had a candidate in from of me, I wouldn't care about the certs. I would care about his coding portfolio and projects, which WGU will not give you. Keep the cert's off your resume because it looks really bad to have CIW or CompTIA on a "grown up" tech resume. AWS on a resume is going to get you hits like crazy, no matter the cert. He's already got one obviously but i always recommend the AWS Solution Architect as it's easy and has the exact same effect to your resume as Sysops or Development. Other than that one, certs don't really matter. With certs, pick a path and take it to an architect level if he'd like. But I seriously, seriously recommend going the Red Hat Linux Engineer path.

Linux is really the only thing that matters for DevOps, even more than AWS.

Thanks for your reply, @xicovu!!!

So this is what we are looking at, based on your recommendations:

• Already Full-stack, Senior Dev, so that's done (his words to me were: I've been doing this since before the term "Full Stack" was invented lol).
  
• Get these certs on his resume:
  • Red Hat Certified Engineer
    
  • AWS Certified DevOps cert (since he already has AWS Solution Architect and his employer would like him to level up all the way)
    
  • IT Automation in Python cert
    

• Continue to gear up his personal portfolio to include the new skills he's learned for the DevOps route. 
  

• To check the bachelor's box - the quickest would be TESU's "BS in Technical Studies" (has the most credits that transferred over from his DeVry cert from '89). Failing that, we can look at other choices, if the title of it really doesn't matter at the end of the day.
  

Thanks again for your help with this!

If the employer wants him to, then go for it but if he can convince them to let him hit the Red Hat path hard there are some Expert/Architect certs in DevOps that'll be better in actual operations. Python automation is good but learn Ansible (or Puppet/Chef), but focus as deep as possible on Redhat. Don't get to focused on putting certs on his resume. Build labs on AWS, GCP, Azure and get some dedicated servers and home gear to work on. Learning VMware well would be beneficial as well for on-prem and general how a data center works. It's an expensive certification track, but even if for self study learn VCP Data Center Virtualization. Understanding the converged data center stack would be really important.

BS Technical studies checks the box. If he has some time to put in, I would highly recommend the B.A. Computer Science at TESU. Computer Science is by far the most sought after computer degree. If not the B.A., check out the B.S. General Studies in Information System Studies or Computer Science. It's one I looked at as an option for myself. Between study.com, SL, teex, and even the Google Support Cert (worth 12 credits). Another option is the B.S. Individual Studies and take Info tech + Business or some other combination.

Redhat/Ansible certification path:
https://www.redhat.com/en/services/certification/rhce

Watch Acloud.guru and Linux Academy like it's Netflix. This is going to be better than any college degree program.

I use this for my dedicated server labs. Learning actual hardware is important:
https://www.wholesaleinternet.net/

Play with all Google GCP, Azure, and AWS - learning to think cloud architecture is more important than knowing the technical details of one provider.

Buy a dell C6100 if he's super ambitious, or a Dell R710 and get VMware 6.7 installed for lab.
Dell R710


Dell C6100
Look into a rack if he wants to go bigger.
Cloud-based labs are expensive. If want to work on large DevOps projects at home, either one of those will get him set. Learning VM, OS, and L2/L3 network troubleshooting is going to be crucial.

If he sticks with that, he'd have a pretty good system-side skillset by the end of the year/next year. DevOps really isn't an entry level systems job.