WGU MSCSIA update.

[ChilliDawg]

Just a quick update. I am in my 5th month of my first term of the MSCSIA at WGU. I now have only a CEH exam and the Capstone to finish. Due to an extension that our term cohort was granted due to COVID, I think I will be able to finish the entire program in the first term. I will be taking the CEH next week. It will be nice to wrap up this program and move on with a Data Analytics grad program.

[Merlin]

Just a quick update.  I am in my 5th month of my first term of the MSCSIA at WGU.  I now have only a CEH exam and the Capstone to finish.  Due to an extension that our term cohort was granted due to COVID, I think I will be able to finish the entire program in the first term.   I will be taking the CEH next week.  It will be nice to wrap up this program and move on with a Data Analytics grad program.

Nice job! Are you thinking of doing the WGU MSDA or some other Data Analytics degree?

[ChilliDawg]

Just a quick update.  I am in my 5th month of my first term of the MSCSIA at WGU.  I now have only a CEH exam and the Capstone to finish.  Due to an extension that our term cohort was granted due to COVID, I think I will be able to finish the entire program in the first term.   I will be taking the CEH next week.  It will be nice to wrap up this program and move on with a Data Analytics grad program.

Nice job! Are you thinking of doing the WGU MSDA or some other Data Analytics degree?

Thanks, Merlin.  You know, I am really up in the air as to what program I should take.  Although I love the competency based format at WGU, I am also averse to having too much "paper" from one school.  Just in case I get a HR Director or Hiring Manager some day that has a bias against a particular school.  I really am interested in the MSDA at WGU, but am looking for other options. 

Also, I know that I will not be able to accelerate the MSDA like I did with the MSCSIA.  I actually work in cybersec sector, and am very weak in Data Analytics.  I wish that Northern Arizona offered a competency based Data Analytics program. 

Do you have any suggestions for a program in Data?

[jsd]

Georgia Tech has a ~$10k online MS in Analytics if you're not concerned about accelerating.

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https://pe.gatech.edu/degrees/analytics

[sheptr]

Congratulations! I remember when we started the April 2019 LIB-495 Capstone. You have done so much since!
Me not so much, but am inspired by your progress. While not in Cybersecurity, I am in IT Network Infrastructure with two toes in the InfoSec/Cyber Sec/Risk areas. More technical than policy making, I am trying to choose between the MSCSIA and MSITM now.
I surely wouldn't finish in one term, but would plan on two terms. Applying for the WGU scholarships as well.

[ChilliDawg]

Congratulations!  I remember when we started the April 2019 LIB-495 Capstone.  You have done so much since!  
Me not so much, but am inspired by your progress. While not in Cybersecurity, I am in IT Network Infrastructure with two toes in the InfoSec/Cyber Sec/Risk areas. More technical than policy making, I am trying to choose between the MSCSIA and MSITM now.
I surely wouldn't finish in one term, but would plan on two terms. Applying for the WGU scholarships as well.

Hey, Thanks!

It all comes in due time.  I have not always been as motivated as I am now.   This just happens to come at a really good time in my life.  My kids are older and not needing my constant attention.  My present employer is supportive.  Tuition reimbursement is there, etc.

You could try for the Cybersecurity Scholarship for the MSCSIA.  I was awarded that scholarship and it is $5000 for four terms.  I put a lot of effort into writing an essay with it that was relevant to cybersecurity and what I would like to achieve.  And, low and behold, I got it.

Good luck in your future endeavors. i can't wait to hear what you do.

[Merlin]

Do you have any suggestions for a program in Data?

Unfortunately, I don't know of any competency-based MS programs in data science or analytics aside from WGU.

As JSD mentioned, Georgia Tech has an MS in Analytics (OMSA). That is one of the programs I looked into myself. It is online, but runs as a traditional 2-year master's program. The next cohort doesn't begin until Spring 2021 for people who apply now.

One thing to be aware of with the GA Tech OMSA program is that they recommend all students coming into the program to have completed at least one semester of calculus and linear algebra in addition to python programming and statistics courses. The math courses aren't an absolute requirement for entry, but I suspect it will factor into entrance success. Plus it sounds like the program expects people to have higher-level math under their belt to complete the program anyway, so you might as well get the credit for it.

Although I love the competency based format at WGU, I am also averse to having too much "paper" from one school.  Just in case I get a HR Director or Hiring Manager some day that has a bias against a particular school.  I really am interested in the MSDA at WGU, but am looking for other options.

While I understand your caution, I think you may be making a mountain out of a molehill in this case. In the real world, having multiple degrees from the same school isn't a big deal for most people. Yes, it can be a negative if you're working in academia since some schools prefer their faculty to have exposure to multiple schools to avoid narrow thinking. But beyond that, it is rarely an issue. I could see it becoming weird if you were to say have like 4 degrees from the same school that were all earned in under two years (which you could do at WGU if you were diligent) since it would make it look like the school is a degree mill or something, but that isn't the case here.

As for some hiring manager being biased against WGU (or any single school), while that is possible I wouldn't change your educational plan just because there is a tiny chance that one person out there had a bad experience with WGU or for some reason hates WGU students. I know there are people who are biased against certain schools, but unless you have no other skills or experience on your resume, the school you earned your degrees from isn't going to matter much unless it is an elite college.

Of course, if you're worried about name bias, you can't go wrong with Georgia Tech. Plus, at $275 per credit, it's hard to beat that price for a top-ranked school with instant name recognition.

[AwardTour]

Just a quick update.  I am in my 5th month of my first term of the MSCSIA at WGU.  I now have only a CEH exam and the Capstone to finish.  Due to an extension that our term cohort was granted due to COVID, I think I will be able to finish the entire program in the first term.   I will be taking the CEH next week.  It will be nice to wrap up this program and move on with a Data Analytics grad program.

Nice job! Are you thinking of doing the WGU MSDA or some other Data Analytics degree?

Thanks, Merlin.  You know, I am really up in the air as to what program I should take.  Although I love the competency based format at WGU, I am also averse to having too much "paper" from one school.  Just in case I get a HR Director or Hiring Manager some day that has a bias against a particular school.  I really am interested in the MSDA at WGU, but am looking for other options. 

Also, I know that I will not be able to accelerate the MSDA like I did with the MSCSIA.  I actually work in cybersec sector, and am very weak in Data Analytics.  I wish that Northern Arizona offered a competency based Data Analytics program. 

Do you have any suggestions for a program in Data?

I am considering an MSDA from WGU in the future myself. Congrats on nearing completion towards your MSCSIA.

[theonlyski]

I just wrapped up the capstone yesterday. It's definitely a bit different and the rubric is terrible. Good luck!

[ChilliDawg]

Quick update on my MSCIA journey. Life has thrown me a couple of curve balls, but it only slowed me down by about a month.

I ended up taking the second term to finish this program. My employer decided to roll out some new mobile solutions to allow people to work from home during COVID. I ended up spending a lot of time during the past two months on a Exchange 2016 to O365 migration. It took away from my time to focus on school. However.....

I was procrastinating on the CEH, which was my second to last requirement for this degree program. I was weak with some of the tools that they focus on. I buckled down and studied for a few weeks, 4 hours a day. Finally took the CEH exam on the Fourth of July, and passed it with flying colors. That class is now closed out and complete.
I have 27 of 30 credits done of the MSCIA program, and am now focusing on my final Capstone.

In a two day period, I passed the CEH, wrote my Capstone proposal and had it approved. I am now about 10 pages into my ~40 page project. I hope to finish this degree in the month of July. Seeing as the term is prorated, it will not cost me the full amount, and they prorated and gave me my Cybersecurity Scholarship for this term, as well. Work is agreeing to pick up the rest of the tab. All in all, extending into the second term will not cost me much, if anything out of pocket.

Wish me luck. I am forging ahead and hope to have this Capstone done in a week or two.