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JTP’s COSC Cyber Security Update/Accountability Thread
#1
Taking the lead from ajs1976 and his accountability thread, I decided to chronicle some of my journey towards the BS Cybersecurity major at Charter Oak State College. I figured since the program is still new without much info on it I might share what I’ve done so far and my plan for finishing.

I’m not going to address any of the non-major requirements because there is quite a bit of information elsewhere on the forum and wiki addressing it. I will note however that I did use a waiver to get out of the oral communication requirement and you can read about it in my previous post (here). So below are the requirements or courses I am using to finish out the major. It looks like they slightly changed the requirements for the 15-16 year and they are slightly more restrictive on which UL electives you can choose. I chose to pursue the CEH and CHFI exams for two reasons.

1. It looks great for my career field, shows growth on my annual review, company paid for it.

2. They are each courses/test required for WGU’s Masters in Information Security & Assurance. Giving me an early start on their masters program

  • ITE 102 Introduction to Computer Science
    • CLEP information systems (3cr)

  • ITE 220 Networking and Data Communications
    • Community College Networking Course (2cr)

  • ITE 145 Fundamentals of Information Systems Security
    • TEEX Cyber Sec for IT Professional (2cr)

  • CSS 146 Legal Issues in Information Security
    • Took Fall15 at COSC (3cr)

  • CSS 230 Managing Risk in Information Systems
    • Took Fall15 at COSC (3cr)

  • CSS 245 Security Policies and Implementation Issues
    • Will attempt PLA before 2016 (3cr)

  • CSS 345 Auditing IT infrastructures for Compliance
    • Received PLA scholarship and am going to turn in before 10 Nov (3cr)

  • CSS 346 Access Controls, Authentication and PKI
    • DSST Cyber Security (3cr)

  • CSS 347 Sec Strategies in Windows OS/Applications
    • Depending how initial PLAs go I will submit one for this as well or take Spring 16 (3cr)

  • CSS 435 Fundamentals of Network Security
    • CompTIA Security+ Exam direct transfer (2cr)

  • CSS 436 Systems Forensics, Investigation and Response
    • Plan on taking the EC-Council Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI) exam late 2015 or early 2016. Haven’t gotten official word it will count, but CEH counted for CSS 437. (3cr)

  • CSS 437 Hacker Techniques, Tools and Incident Handling
    • EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker Certification had credential evaluated (3cr)

  • CSS 490 Cybersecurity Capstone
    • Projected to take last half of Spring 2016



So one benefit to transferring courses in is that…you don’t have to retake content again. My issue came that my coursework was completed in a quarter hour system so I started getting 2cr courses in sections that required 3cr. Because the major is so new and they are working very closely with the regional accrediting organization they are very hesitant to allow wiggle room on the posted requirements. I ended up having to write a letter to the provost requesting approval for my courses that only had 2 credit hours on the basis I already had courses in the subject area and more importantly I said I would take an extra 3 cr UL course; she seemed hesitant but eventually agreed.

As far as the courses at COSC go they are a pretty nice format. All content is a part of Jones & Bartlett publishing’s Network & Security book series. Literally every course title is the name of a corresponding book from the publishing company. Most weeks you have 1 or 2 chapters of reading, a pdf lab document to read and work through, a “lab assessment sheet” which is just where you put the answers to the lab and is what is actually turned in, a discussion post on the weeks content, and then some sort of project/writing assignment. It made it easy to pace myself between the two courses I took and tried to knock out reading and labs one day, discussion another, and then start the writing assignments while waiting for people to post their responses.

Of the two courses I took, I absolutely loved one of the instructors and had some issues with the other. Considering they both used the same format what made the one class so frustrating is that the instructor was usually 3 weeks behind on grading and didn’t respond in a timely manner or at all. That made it really difficult when the point of entire course week by week is to draft a large document and you have to use input from your instructor on your previous work to complete the next assignment. Also his course shell seemed really cluttered and links to the documents we needed for the labs were broken on a regular basis. I waited 5 days for a reply (48 hour response time by butt), and all I got was, “looking into it”. I just started posting in the Q&A thread any issues each week and myself and the other 3 students in the course would just agree on what we would turn in and state, “If this is an issue let us know.”

I guess to be clear we didn’t have a mutiny against the teacher, but some weeks the lab assessment sheet wouldn’t be posted so there was no way to show we did the work. We would just agree on submitting a word doc with certain parts of the lab answered out.

I will answer any questions I can based on my experience, and update this thread monthly with my progress.
MS CSIA From WGU - December 2018
B.S. Cybersecurity - COSC - August 2016
A.S. - COSC - May 2015
[-] The following 1 user Likes JTP's post:
  • SuperTal
#2
I had the issue with slow return of assignments on one of my two COSC classes. If they want to offer classes in the 8 week format, that can't happen. Adds unnecessary stress.

i was interested in the Cyber Security program when I started at COSC last fall, but there was not much info available at that time and I was really close to meeting the requirements to the Info Systems concentration.
Andy

---------------------------------

TESC - BSBA: CIS

Current Degree Plan
Complete:  TECEP Eng Comp I, Marriage and Family, Strategic Management, Networking, Computer Concepts, Liberal Math, Tech Writing, Managerial Accounting DSST MIS, Cybersecurity Study.com Macroeconomics
Remaining:  Waiting for credits to process

#3
I wasn't too sure about the cybersecurity program before I started either.

My initial thought was to just grab a degree in whatever would be quickest just so I could finally say I had one. In my progress of finishing out my last couple gened requirements I decided if I was going to finish a degree I wanted it to be in something actually related to my career...or at least desired career at the time. Right around that time COSC had announced their program and I already had my transcripts sent and evaluated and just decided to give it a shot.

Like I mentioned in my initial post a big draw for me was seeing coursework in hacking and forensic investigation and planning to line it up with masters requirements at WGU.
MS CSIA From WGU - December 2018
B.S. Cybersecurity - COSC - August 2016
A.S. - COSC - May 2015
#4
How can I follow this thread?
Began Aug 2014
#5
geissingert Wrote:How can I follow this thread?

go to the top of this page and click
Thread Tools
#6
Thank you. I should have asked sooner. There were many that I wished I would have known about this tool.
Began Aug 2014
#7
I was pleasantly surprised this past week when I found out anyone with a .mil email address can get a free subscription to safari books online. I had been using a 10 day free trial and was seriously considering forking out the $400 for a year subscription since all of the program textbooks are on there and the training manuals for the CHFI exam.

Now with easy access to the e-textbooks I feel more confident in the portfolio I am currently working on for CSS345 Auditing It Infrastructures for Compliance. But no kidding this thing is quite the undertaking. Not done with my narrative but with its current size and all of the other written parts, paperwork, and documentary evidence I'm sitting at 83 pages.

I probably put a solid combined 2-3 hours a week per course this past semester putting a combined total for 1 course to about 16-24 hours. I have easily put in 35-40 hours into this portfolio so far and I'm probably 3/4 of the way through. The aren't kidding when they say this is by no means a way for easily getting out of a course.
MS CSIA From WGU - December 2018
B.S. Cybersecurity - COSC - August 2016
A.S. - COSC - May 2015
#8
Finally finished my prior learning portfolio and submitted it Monday. The final page count was 121 pages, my narrative section being 34 pages. As mentioned before this process took quite a bit longer than I expected, but I feel I created a pretty solid document.

Instead of jumping into another PLA for Security Policies and Implementation issues I think I am going to wait to see how my current portfolio goes. If it passes for credit I can reuse quite a bit of it for future ones relating to the major.

In the mean time I think I will pay for a month subscription to instacert and try to knock out two UL DSST exams to finish out the 4 UL credits I will be short after all of my degree requirements. I'm definitely doing Substance Abuse, and I'm considering business ethics but I don't know if COSC will accept it since I already have SL business ethics. If my advisor says no I will try for Ethics in America, Civil War and Reconstruction, or A History of the Vietnam War. Hopefully I can get whichever two exams knocked out in the early part of December.
MS CSIA From WGU - December 2018
B.S. Cybersecurity - COSC - August 2016
A.S. - COSC - May 2015
#9
Not sure why I'm so late to the party, but this is a GREAT thread! Keep up the good work!
MBA, Western Governors University February 2014
BS Charter Oak State College November 2011
AS in EMS August 2010

I'm always happy to complete the free application waiver for those applying to WGU (I get a free gift from WGU for this).  Just PM me your first/last name and a valid email so I can complete their form.

Thread; COSC AS using FEMA http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...total.html
#10
JTP Wrote:In the mean time I think I will pay for a month subscription to instacert and try to knock out two UL DSST exams to finish out the 4 UL credits I will be short after all of my degree requirements... If my advisor says no I will try for Ethics in America, Civil War and Reconstruction, or A History of the Vietnam War. Hopefully I can get whichever two exams knocked out in the early part of December.

I am pretty sure that Ethics in America and A History of the Vietnam War are both considered lower level at COSC. http://www.charteroak.edu/exams/exams-master-list.pdf
I don't know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future.


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