Posted on Oct 7, 2015
Pursuing a BA in the IT field (either IT management or network security). Are there any good online programs that I could consider?
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IT: Information Systems Technician
IT Technician
Education
Bachelors Degree
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 44
I won't disparage any accredited university, or the value of education as a whole. Obtaining a traditional education at a brick and mortar college, while I was in the military, was just not feasible due to the multitude of TDYs and deployments. That being said, both my undergrad and MBA were completed through an online platform. I will say this, since being in the job market, many employers might look down on an online degree that was obtained where there was no actual, physical campus at the main location. Don't ask me why, but I would assume it has something to do with the prevalent prejudices online degrees still get to this is day. Good luck and congratulations on making the decision to further your education. It's the best thing you can do for yourself before you separate/retire (trust me on that).
SSgt Jonathan King
MSgt, I agree. A lot of hiring managers have a bias and its so prevalent that some companies are even removing the school name from candidates' resumes before they reach the hiring manager's desk to help prevent the prejudice from being an issue. I finished my Associate's online, my Bachelor's on campus with an online and on campus school, and am working on my MBA through a blended program. I specifically chose to not attend an MBA program at a brick and mortar because I felt the quality of the education is based more on how much effort the student puts in than on the name of the school. I can confidently say that putting in the effort and taking an interest in business outside the classroom (I listen to audio books during my morning commute and attend SCORE classes when I can) is more important than the name of the school. The knowledge and skill set are what will produce real results on the job, and a candidate is more likely to get hired for their experience and accomplishments than for the name of the school anyway.
I have been in the IT field for more than 14 years with multiple college degrees and IT certifications. My college degrees include: B.S in Computer Science (Troy University), M.S in Telecommunications Engineering (Southern Methodist University), MPS in Technology Management (Georgetown University) and currently working on Ph.D in Information Assurance (Nova Southeastern University). I also have IT Certifications include, MCSE, MCIPT, CCNA, CCNP, Security+, CASP, Ethical Hacker, ITILv3, CISSP, and etc. I am currently a Cyber Security Consultant to one of the top financial institutions. A College degree is the least requirement for the IT job, the most selling points are experiences and IT certifications. However, attending top school would provide good networking for the job hunting. School such as Western Governor University only helps those experienced IT professionals to fill a cap (a college degree). I would recommend the following program and schools.
- Penn State University's Bachelor of Science in Information Science and Technology
URL: http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/information-sciences-and-technology-bachelors/overview
- University of Florida's Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
URL: http://ufonline.ufl.edu/degrees/undergraduate/computer-science/
- Northeastern University's Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
URL: http://www.northeastern.edu/online/degrees/bachelors-information-technology/
- Arizona State University's Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
URL: http://asuonline.asu.edu/online-degree-programs/undergraduate/bachelor-science-information-technology
-Drexel University's Bachelor of Science in Computing and Security Technology
URL: http://online.drexel.edu/online-degrees/bachelors-degrees/bs-gs-tech/index.aspx
- Penn State University's Bachelor of Science in Information Science and Technology
URL: http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/information-sciences-and-technology-bachelors/overview
- University of Florida's Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
URL: http://ufonline.ufl.edu/degrees/undergraduate/computer-science/
- Northeastern University's Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
URL: http://www.northeastern.edu/online/degrees/bachelors-information-technology/
- Arizona State University's Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
URL: http://asuonline.asu.edu/online-degree-programs/undergraduate/bachelor-science-information-technology
-Drexel University's Bachelor of Science in Computing and Security Technology
URL: http://online.drexel.edu/online-degrees/bachelors-degrees/bs-gs-tech/index.aspx
Penn State Online | Bachelor of Science in Information Sciences and Technology
The online bachelor of science in information sciences and technology is designed to prepare people to use information technology to attain a variety of system-based goals such as reliability, accessibility, and efficiency.
SFC Brandon McCray, MBA, PMP
Says the guy with a degree and certs. It never hurts to have a degree. Your a vet. Get the degree or else the question will be why does a person with free money for school not go to school. it's invaluable to have one. Regardless of its low on the priority list for some employers.
SFC Brandon McCray, MBA, PMP
Correction. It's the least selling point IF you have it along with other experience and certifications. Consider your degree the start of your journey.
SFC Brandon McCray, MBA, PMP
Correction. It's the least selling point IF you have it along with other experience and certifications. Consider your degree the start of your journey.
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