36 years of Age, should do Bsc or Msc ?

[tuckerarabi786]

Hello to all,

I am looking for your advises what steps should i take in order to start and complete Bsc and than Msc.

My age currently is 36 years.
Living in Middle East and Asia (back and forth)
I mostly have spent 15+ years in doing various Business and Jobs.
I believe its important to have a Degree of some-sort, that helps to further present yourself to the World (Unfortunately). And also may help you to get an edge with Immigration.


I am mostly inclined in doing something in 
Information Technology / Data Analyst / Data Science 
Or anything related if you think is good. I think Applied Arts & Sciences has a blend and can do IT concentration ?

Do you suggest i should do Bsc or just jump into Msc ?
I prefer Online Method. 

If i do Bsc, is their any fast route, I understand many suggested in another forum posts, to get credits from study.com / sophia.org and other similar websites and transfer.
Is this the best route, or any other options available.

Can you list some good Universities that can accept good amount of credits.
Is Big 3 the only option and than majority transfer from Big 3 to more well known and top ranked QS universities ?

Please guide the right step. So i may begin.

Thank You

[rachel83az]

I'm confused. Do you already have a Bachelor's degree? If you don't, that's where you should start. In the US, most Master's programs will not admit you without a Bachelor's degree. But, for immigration, you do eventually want to get a Master's degree.

If you want a degree for Immigration (to the USA), I would not go with a generic "Applied Arts & Sciences" degree. You're going to want to go to the list of needed professions and pick a degree from that list. I could be mistaken, but I don't think that "Information Technology" is usually on that list. Computer Science is usually high up on the list, however. I'm not sure about Data Analyst/Data Scientist.

One possible degree would be Purdue Global's Analytics degree: https://www.purdueglobal.edu/degree-prog...analytics/ Unfortunately, Purdue Global has a lot of writing. Each class has at least 5 lengthy papers to complete. It will not be good for everyone.

Another possible option would be TESU's Computer Science degree: https://tesu.smartcatalogiq.com/Current/...er-Science It is a BA and not a BSc, but you'd have to talk to an immigration lawyer to find out if it matters. It should NOT matter to most American employers.

Once you have your Bachelor's degree, you could get a Master's degree from somewhere like Georgia Tech. They are a well-ranked college and have several inexpensive Master's degrees in related fields. Completing one of those would almost certainly make your immigration application stronger.

[bjcheung77]

Yeah, it's a little confusing.  You're explaining what you want but not providing much more info for us to help you.  This is why we have a template and last post addendum; I highly suggest you update your current post with the info that's missing here, we can help you further once we know more details: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Forum-D...ing-Advice

[Pikachu]

Do you already have a bachelor's degree?

[borrs]

depending on your experience some universities accept students into Masters even without Bachelors. Through the "professional route". This is what I have done. I required a Masters urgently, and now I'm taking a bachelors in my free time.
it depends on your context, many jobs insist on having a BS , even if you have a masters. Other jobs require neither.

If you have the time, a BS is very valuable and achievable. I'd start there.

[sialiblo]

It doesn't have to be sequential BS then MS, you can get MS without BS at all, or you can get MS first and then BS some time later, depends on what your objective and urgency is.

CU Boulder in Coursera has 3 masters: Data Science, Engineering Management and Electrical Engineering, all of them doesn't require BS degree, you just need to finish pathway course to get admitted. If your interest is into IT/analytics/data science, then MSDS is the closest to your interest

[tuckerarabi786]

I'm confused. Do you already have a Bachelor's degree? If you don't, that's where you should start. In the US, most Master's programs will not admit you without a Bachelor's degree. But, for immigration, you do eventually want to get a Master's degree.

If you want a degree for Immigration (to the USA), I would not go with a generic "Applied Arts & Sciences" degree. You're going to want to go to the list of needed professions and pick a degree from that list. I could be mistaken, but I don't think that "Information Technology" is usually on that list. Computer Science is usually high up on the list, however. I'm not sure about Data Analyst/Data Scientist.

One possible degree would be Purdue Global's Analytics degree: https://www.purdueglobal.edu/degree-prog...analytics/ Unfortunately, Purdue Global has a lot of writing. Each class has at least 5 lengthy papers to complete. It will not be good for everyone.

Another possible option would be TESU's Computer Science degree: https://tesu.smartcatalogiq.com/Current/...er-Science It is a BA and not a BSc, but you'd have to talk to an immigration lawyer to find out if it matters. It should NOT matter to most American employers.

Once you have your Bachelor's degree, you could get a Master's degree from somewhere like Georgia Tech. They are a well-ranked college and have several inexpensive Master's degrees in related fields. Completing one of those would almost certainly make your immigration application stronger.

Sorry for the Confusion
I do not have any Bachelors.

Is their any other University i can check also?
I have budget open from $5,000 - 25,000. It is always good less the better.
I am married with kids, so always need to plan the budget. : But i always feel if i spend less and do BSc from a low QS / Ranked University, at times it effects the whole career profile - i think. 

What do you think, should i start studying now and gather credits from websites like study.com / straightline.com / sophia.org ?  Universities can accept credits combined from all these 3 too yes?
I think Coursera also provide credits ?

I think Purdue Global is a good option, but analysing what others are too.
The reason i am avoiding Computer Science, as it is more tilted towards those who want to become Software Engineers, as it contains more programming modules.

I am more into Cloud Computing, Information Systems, Data Analyst / Data Science type roles.

I would appreciate if you can guide me with some steps, to save money, time, and avail a well known BSc Degree, that can help me later in employment and immigration opportunities.

Thanks.

---

It doesn't have to be sequential BS then MS, you can get MS without BS at all, or you can get MS first and then BS some time later, depends on what your objective and urgency is.

CU Boulder in Coursera has 3 masters: Data Science, Engineering Management and Electrical Engineering, all of them doesn't require BS degree, you just need to finish pathway course to get admitted. If your interest is into IT/analytics/data science, then MSDS is the closest to your interest

Hi
Yes i have looked at CU Boulder MSc Data Science program, looks interesting - excellent Curriculum.
I need to brush up a little more on Data Structures & Algorithms and Statistics, Probability, Algebra & Calculus. 

So probably i do MSc side by side with BSc, and doing MSc in a little slow paced than the BSc. 
Hopefully by age 38-39, i can have both completed. 

What steps should i take, if presume i start with BSc now, should i start gathering credits ?

I also found out that Coursera is also launching some BSc Degree in Computer Science and Data Science, no idea which university as yet
https://www.coursera.org/degrees/bsc-com...admissions
https://www.coursera.org/degrees/bsc-dat.../academics

Do you think i explore this option too?

Or beside Purdue Global, are their any other university say in Top 100 or Top 300 ranking, i can look at ?

I am looking for some direction help, a little lost. Sorry, 
So i dont waste too much time, and lots of money.

[bjcheung77]

What are your commitments besides kids, school, work?  How much energy, time can you put into your studies a day?  From reading the info you've entered; it's almost got all the info mentioned in the addendum and template.  The more energy, time you have, the more I would recommend Purdue Global for a BSIT/MSIT combo.  You should start accumulating credits that will go towards your degree with ACE options such as Sophia/Study.com

This is my suggestion, a one and done option, PUG BSIT/MSIT combo using their ExcelTrack program, you can get one after the other and also since you mentioned Coursera/Google, you can take the W3School PHP and the Cousera/Google certificates on route to the degree as they will grant credit towards their degrees offered.  Review the links below for the appropriate degrees that interest you...

At the moment... It really won't matter if you decide on PUG, SNHU, UMPI, or another degree at the undergrad level as they all will take a max of 90 credits (75%) towards their degree, so I would start with the Sophia.org/Study.com combo of alternative credits I mentioned.  You can then decide on a simple UMPI BLS MIS option or a PUG/SNHU BSIT, then ladder to the PUG MSIT.

PUG Credit for IT Certifications: https://www.purdueglobal.edu/alternative...ion-exams/
PUG wiki: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:PUG
SNHU wiki: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:SNHU
UMPI wiki: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:UMPI

[Pikachu]

Since you mentioned cloud computing, Purdue Global does have a BS in Cloud Computing and Solutions (ExcelTrack) degree. The good thing about PUG is they're quite generous with transfer credits from certifications. PUG does have a lot of writing though. If writing papers isn't your thing then TESU offers BA in CS, BS in Data Science and Analytics, and BS in IT degrees. UMass Global is another option. It offers BS in IT and BS in IT, Data Science in self-paced format. UMass accepts Sophia & Study for transfer credits, just like TESU, PUG, UMPI etc.

Some programs involve writing a lot of essays, some have proctored tests, some have a bit of both. Some people are good test takers while others are good at churning out essays. Whichever program you end up selecting, play to your strengths.

[rachel83az]

depending on your experience some universities accept students into Masters even without Bachelors. 

It doesn't have to be sequential BS then MS, you can get MS without BS at all, or you can get MS first and then BS some time later, depends on what your objective and urgency is.

As far as I know, US immigration officials "don't understand" having a Master's without a Bachelor's. Going Master's first, then Bachelor's, could also be viewed suspiciously. This is completely different territory than just getting a degree for employment purposes. Other countries would have their own ideas about what is "proper" for degree-holders, though I think that Canada would be generally similar to the US as far as immigration goes. Though, I could be wrong.

If someone is even partly considering moving to the US, I would definitely recommend going with the traditional American route of Bachelor's first, then Master's. To do otherwise would be to risk unwarranted scrutiny from a picky immigration official.

Sorry for the Confusion
I do not have any Bachelors.

Is their any other University i can check also?
I have budget open from $5,000 - 25,000. It is always good less the better.
I am married with kids, so always need to plan the budget. : But i always feel if i spend less and do BSc from a low QS / Ranked University, at times it effects the whole career profile - i think. 

The universities we recommend here aren't low-ranked ones. They're usually fairly highly ranked, compared to other US universities, they're just not as well known. For career purposes US universities can be broadly divided into 3 categories: 1.) Prestigious ones "everyone" has heard about, such as Harvard, MIT, and UCLA. These are usually both expensive and exclusive. 2.) Infamous institutions. Degree mills. Places with a generally bad reputation for one reason or another. 3.) Everyone else.

The universities we recommend here for Bachelor's degrees are, at worst, "everyone else". UMPI is a "state school" which is fairly well-ranked and has some name recognition. The others are neither good nor bad. They won't boost your career in the same way that a degree from Harvard can (for some people), but neither will your career be harmed.

On the other hand, we do recommend some fairly well-known schools for graduate degrees. Georgia Tech is one of the best universities in the country for a degree in technology and related fields. It is definitely possible to get a Bachelor's degree from an "unknown" university, then go on to attend a more prestigious university for your Master's degree. Others on this forum have done this. Getting an inexpensive Bachelor's degree also allows you to spend more money on a better Master's degree.

What do you think, should i start studying now and gather credits from websites like study.com / straightline.com / sophia.org ?  Universities can accept credits combined from all these 3 too yes?
I think Coursera also provide credits ?

You'll need to pick a university and a degree first. Each one will have very different requirements. Once you have that chosen, then we can help you with what credits would be good to get. For instance, if you were to choose UMPI, it doesn't make any sense to take English Composition elsewhere. Other universities will need 3-6 credits of English Composition.

The reason i am avoiding Computer Science, as it is more tilted towards those who want to become Software Engineers, as it contains more programming modules.

A degree in Computer Science just looks better on an immigration application than "information technology". Nothing says that you have to become a software engineer with a computer science degree. Also, many data science/data analyst jobs want someone with a computer science degree. Also, getting a Computer Science degree from TESU would give you some flexibility in what courses to take. This includes having data science credits as electives. 

I am more into Cloud Computing, Information Systems, Data Analyst / Data Science type roles.

TESU does have a Data Science degree, but it costs a bit more and will take longer than their Computer Science degree.

I would probably recommend a TESU Computer Science degree (with lots of Data Science electives), followed by the Georgia Tech Master's in Analytics: https://pe.gatech.edu/degrees/analytics

Otherwise, I would probably go with Purdue Global's ExcelTrack Analytics degree. It will be more work, but I think it might be both slightly cheaper and faster than TESU's Data Science degree. From there, you'd continue on to Georgia Tech's program (or something similar).

Purdue also has a Cloud Computing degree, but I don't know how that would look to immigration officials. I also don't know off the top of my head what Master's degree you could continue to, though I am sure there are several.