Looking for UL Cloud Security and Privacy

[jch]

As I planned, I have now taken and passed the CompTIA Cloud+ exam. This should transfer into TESU as CYB-450 Cloud Computing. To finish out the BS-Cybersecurity's cloud security pathway, I will also need CYB-451 Cloud Security and Privacy. I'm wondering if any of you have suggestions for possible alt credit equivalences. I have not even bothered to ask TESU advising, given their reputation for being unhelpful in similar matters. 

Although the TESU BS in Cybersecurity isn't really thought of as an alt-credit-friendly program, it looks like significant requirements can be taken care of this way. Here's what I have found for the specific cloud security requirement:

• ISC2 CCSP has an ACE rec for cloud security, but it's only LL. Besides, the exam is $600, and getting the certification requires endorsement + work experience that I don't have. This is a shame because ISC2 has many IT/cybersecurity exams with LL and UL ACE recommendations. ISACA is the same deal. 
  
• Cisco CCNP-security has a CACE rec for UL network security. Probably not close enough to cloud security. 
  
• Several Microsoft exams/certs have ACE or NCCRS recommendations for cloud-computing related credit, but I don't think any of these would really qualify as UL cloud security credit: Azure DevOps  Azure Solutions Architect  Managing MS Teams  Dynamics 365 Fundamentals  365 Security Administrator (unknown ACE rec, LL NCCRS)  Azure Security engineer (LL at ACE and NCCRS) 
  

Is there anything else that I'm missing? I performed pretty comprehensive searches through the ACE and NCCRS databases. Unfortunately, there isn't a good central way to look through the CACE network.  

Additionally, what is the best way to predict transfer equivalencies for alt-credit? The more 'traditional' sources are of course well-documented here and on the wiki, but what about everything else? I presume that I simply look at the ACE/NCCRS rec and find the closest thing in the TESU catalog, correct? How much does the credit recommendation and level actually matter? If something sounds close, could TESU be convinced to put it in anyway? Should I bother running anything by TESU advising or having them preplan things? 

If this cloud security requirement can't be fulfilled via alt credit, that's fine. I'm planning to take enough classes at TESU to dodge the tuition waiver in any case. Also, I am okay with gambling on a cert or two if needed; at worst it's just something else to put on the resume.  

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Here are my notes on the CompTIA Cloud+ CV0-002 certification if anyone was interested:
This is a challenging exam. I expected it to take a cloudy flavor on material from the A+, Network+, and Security+ exams. As a more niche cert, there is a dearth of preparation materials available. The usual suspects in the CompTIA prep realm don't have anything for Cloud+. I ended up buying a used copy of one of the two officially endorsed study guide books. I skimmed it cover to cover, taking notes and thoroughly reviewing any weak areas. I used all the practice tests in the book, plus the included online test. After whizzing through the online exam simulator and scoring above 90%, I decided I was ready.  

When I opened the exam, my heart sunk to see a performance-based question simulating a fibre channel SAN requiring reconfiguration. The book had only glossed over FC with a few paragraphs of basic information. I was woefully unprepared for that problem, as well as the other FC and storage networking questions that came up. I wholeheartedly agree with the Amazon reviews stating that the book does a poor job covering exam objectives. Many topics that the book covered extensively had a minimal presence in the actual exam. Meanwhile, many question types and vocabulary terms from the exam weren't in the book. Overall, the depth and complexity of questions far exceeded what I expected given my practice tests and previous CompTIA certifications. I took almost the entire allotted time to get through and review the questions, whereas I had finished my previous CompTIA exams in about 20 minutes. Don't be misled by the term cloud, as this exam is actually heavily focused on private and hybrid cloud implementation and operations in addition to public cloud deployments. The subjective questions that CompTIA is infamous for make frequent appearances in this exam. Be prepared to see a lot of "company x has a y with constraints blah blah blah and is experiencing z, what is the best solution" type questions, where you have to rack your brain trying to guess which of the plausible answers the exam writer liked the most. Overall, it was a very stressful experience.  

I was extremely relieved to finish the exam and receive my high passing score of 843. At times, I seriously doubted if I would even finish. 

The Pearson OnVUE remote proctoring system worked well again, with one significant hitch. I'm glad I did the system test beforehand, as I would have missed my exam otherwise. The latest version of their browserlock software treats some of the Xbox bloatware shipped with Windows as a prohibited process. Frustratingly, this item doesn't show up in the task manager and can't be uninstalled through the normal GUI. Here are the instructions I used to eliminate it using Powershell. Otherwise, I had no problems starting and taking my exam. The proctor launched my exam in about a minute, without needing to talk to me at all.

[dfrecore]

I think TESU is probably the worst way to get a Cybersecurity degree - it will be very expensive.  Not sure why you'd pay that much to go through them?  NONE of the 60cr you need for the major can be gotten through Study.com, which is where most used to come from.  I don't think they'll take anything except the CompTIA exam you have.  So 57cr at TESU is going to be like $30k.

I think you should look at other schools that will take ACE credit but have better pricing for credit; PurdueGlobal, WGU, APU, all have Cybersecurity degrees for MUCH less than TESU.

Purdue has a competency-based or traditional.  They give TONS of credits for certs (you'd get 10qcr - 6.67 semester-based - for that same cloud cert).  My husband took the AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate cert and got 55qcr (36.67 semester-based) for that single cert.  Then, they take Study.com and Sophia courses.  My husband has an AS from 25 years ago, and between that, his cert, and 8 Study.com courses, he'll only need to take 8 PUG courses for the Cloud degree.  He should be able to complete those through ExcelTrack in a single 10-week term for $2500.

[jch]

I think TESU is probably the worst way to get a Cybersecurity degree - it will be very expensive.  Not sure why you'd pay that much to go through them?  NONE of the 60cr you need for the major can be gotten through Study.com, which is where most used to come from.  I don't think they'll take anything except the CompTIA exam you have.  So 57cr at TESU is going to be like $30k.

I think you should look at other schools that will take ACE credit but have better pricing for credit; PurdueGlobal, WGU, APU, all have Cybersecurity degrees for MUCH less than TESU.

Purdue has a competency-based or traditional.  They give TONS of credits for certs (you'd get 10qcr - 6.67 semester-based - for that same cloud cert).  My husband took the AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate cert and got 55qcr (36.67 semester-based) for that single cert.  Then, they take Study.com and Sophia courses.  My husband has an AS from 25 years ago, and between that, his cert, and 8 Study.com courses, he'll only need to take 8 PUG courses for the Cloud degree.  He should be able to complete those through ExcelTrack in a single 10-week term for $2500.

I'm trying to keep this thread focused just on the cloud security requirement, but here are my thoughts on planning for the whole degree. While I agree that TESU isn't the best place for a Cybersecurity degree, it's not nearly as bad as you think. Although SDC and the other usual sources for degreeforum members don't cover this area, many other sources will work or may work. I will definitely be able to transfer in at least 30cr of the major requirements. That includes things I've already sent in or am highly confident will apply. They actually take at least three and maybe four of the CompTIA certs for three credits each. One Microsoft cert I hold was accepted at three credits, and I'm waiting on another. If my Strayer classes don't take care of the programming and database requirements, those can be found via multiple sources. Then there's about 15cr which could possibly be found via ACE/NCCRS/CACE. That's what I came here to ask about. There are many IT certifications and exams with relevant ACE and/or NCCRS reviews, but I'm not sure how to predict what will actually work. In the end, there will be about 15cr that I will definitely have to take through TESU. That's certainly not terrible, and it's why I am planning to continue with TESU.

[MNomadic]

Sorry, can't help with what you asked for but thanks for the Cloud+ write-up.

[dfrecore]

I think TESU is probably the worst way to get a Cybersecurity degree - it will be very expensive.  Not sure why you'd pay that much to go through them?  NONE of the 60cr you need for the major can be gotten through Study.com, which is where most used to come from.  I don't think they'll take anything except the CompTIA exam you have.  So 57cr at TESU is going to be like $30k.

I think you should look at other schools that will take ACE credit but have better pricing for credit; PurdueGlobal, WGU, APU, all have Cybersecurity degrees for MUCH less than TESU.

Purdue has a competency-based or traditional.  They give TONS of credits for certs (you'd get 10qcr - 6.67 semester-based - for that same cloud cert).  My husband took the AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate cert and got 55qcr (36.67 semester-based) for that single cert.  Then, they take Study.com and Sophia courses.  My husband has an AS from 25 years ago, and between that, his cert, and 8 Study.com courses, he'll only need to take 8 PUG courses for the Cloud degree.  He should be able to complete those through ExcelTrack in a single 10-week term for $2500.

I'm trying to keep this thread focused just on the cloud security requirement, but here are my thoughts on planning for the whole degree. While I agree that TESU isn't the best place for a Cybersecurity degree, it's not nearly as bad as you think. Although SDC and the other usual sources for degreeforum members don't cover this area, many other sources will work or may work. I will definitely be able to transfer in at least 30cr of the major requirements. That includes things I've already sent in or am highly confident will apply. They actually take at least three and maybe four of the CompTIA certs for three credits each. One Microsoft cert I hold was accepted at three credits, and I'm waiting on another. If my Strayer classes don't take care of the programming and database requirements, those can be found via multiple sources. Then there's about 15cr which could possibly be found via ACE/NCCRS/CACE. That's what I came here to ask about. There are many IT certifications and exams with relevant ACE and/or NCCRS reviews, but I'm not sure how to predict what will actually work. In the end, there will be about 15cr that I will definitely have to take through TESU. That's certainly not terrible, and it's why I am planning to continue with TESU.

TESU became very picky with the Cybersecurity degree in particular, so if you can find a way around it, then great.  I would say that you should send in everything you've done to see where they place everything in an eval.  That way, you know before you commit to anything that it will work.  It would suck to think that things would work, but then find out they didn't after you'd done 100cr.

I can see that they take all 4 CompTIA exams, although if you haven't already taken Security+, it's too late.

There's also no guarantee they will take courses via ACE/NCCRS/CACE for this degree.  Definitely not CACE if it's not listed, because they are one of the worst schools for accepting certs.  If you look at Purdue Global's list, it is VERY long - they accept a ton of certs. Same with WGU.

I would just rather know sooner than later if your plan is solid.  15cr if fine to take there - but there are so many other options that I wouldn't limit myself if I didn't have to.