Western Governor's University - MS Information Security and Assurance - Page 2

skrpune · 06-27-2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwertyiop

I hope they get it cause that would be a big plus for me

I don't have the link handy, but I'm pretty sure WGU has opted to not go the NSA route...somewhere on here I saw a post with a quote from a WGU rep saying they've decided not to go for it, I'll post back if I find it...

veritas_libertas · 06-27-2009, 10:38 PM

Not according to my advisor. Read my post.

theICE · 06-28-2009, 01:23 AM

You do not get credit for experience, but only for some classes if you have certain certs, please get the facts straight before you put down WGU.

ssiphone@sbcglobal.net · 06-28-2009, 03:35 AM

This is a new change. I just talked to Gwen earlier today as she had not told me that they changed course. We are going to connect next week and pursue the justification to the powers that be about why WGU has to get this designation.

qwertyiop · 06-28-2009, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiphone@sbcglobal.net

This is a new change. I just talked to Gwen earlier today as she had not told me that they changed course. We are going to connect next week and pursue the justification to the powers that be about why WGU has to get this designation.

That sounds great, if you need anything from me or any other WGU students just let us know

ssiphone@sbcglobal.net · 06-28-2009, 03:54 AM

WGU does not give you "life experience" credits at all! The purpose of WGU is to provide those of us that have years and years of practical on the job experience the ability to prove ourselves without having to sit in a classroom and listen to lectures where really we could be teaching the class. That is the accelerated part of WGU that is most appealing. You have to take proctored exams at WGU along with real industry related IT exams at testing centers. The proctored approach is much different than the paper approach of programs like Phoenix. No sending in your smart buddy to sit for the exam.

If you are not an already experienced IT person, then WGU is really going to be a challenge for you. You will find yourself having to spend more time putting things together because you are going to have to use many learning resources to bring up your knowledge to pass the assessments.

Along the same line, I would say that WGU is not a school for someone that needs lots of encouragement, attention and direction. This program is for people like me that have been working as a professional in the field of study and is not interested in bringing along some dude/dudette submitting group projects, but would rather prove what I know in my own mind and do my own work.

Moreover, the curriculum is actually based on the competencies that you need to know in order to be successful. To make sure of this, WGU has relationships with many names you may have heard of from time-to-time, Microsoft, SUN Microsystems, Google, etc.

Then when talking about degrading the relevancy of a degree, WGU is nothing like the papermills of University of Phoenix with its group activities and purely paper education. The only thing that they have going for them is that they have a huge marketing program and budget. I have not met a Phoenix program yet that compares to programs offered by WGU.

ssiphone@sbcglobal.net · 06-28-2009, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwertyiop

That sounds great, if you need anything from me or any other WGU students just let us know

I will for sure! Glad to know that there are others interested. I talked to Gwen about the current administrations desires to expand cyber security. I am a CISO in the utility sector and we are finally dealing with new standards related to critical infrastructure and getting a lot of traction on cyber security with the monies in the stimulus bill to demonstrate SMARTgrid technologies. This all means there is a strong link in industry to the federal government; let's add the credibility that comes along with COE designation.

theICE · 06-28-2009, 04:06 AM

Everything ssiphone posted is correct, I think some people that put down WGU are just misinformed.

ssiphone@sbcglobal.net · 06-28-2009, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theICE

You do not get credit for experience, but only for some classes if you have certain certs, please get the facts straight before you put down WGU.

Exactly! I just posted a little longer of a response below to the folks on this post that seem to pontificate and thought we needed a little balance in the facts.

Online education is not for everyone, just like B&M is not for everyone. Personally, the B&M method just grates on my nerves. As a working professional, I am not interested in dealing with the sycophants. I hated it when I was "that" age and now I really hate it today.

veritas_libertas · 06-30-2009, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veritas_libertas

Yeah, I have a feeling what you are saying is what is going on at WGU.

I just wanted to reconfirm for you all my earlier comment. I talked to my counselor again this evening and he said that they are indeed planning on getting NSA certified by the end of the year.

ssiphone@sbcglobal.net · 07-01-2009, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veritas_libertas

I just wanted to reconfirm for you all my earlier comment. I talked to my counselor again this evening and he said that they are indeed planning on getting NSA certified by the end of the year.

Gwen Britton and I have a con call tomorrow evening to go over some MSISA program information as well as to get to the bottom of this question for sure. Gwen is the head of the MSISA program. She is definitely an advocate for certification. It was her work that added the certs to the MSISA program.

qwertyiop · 07-01-2009, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiphone@sbcglobal.net

Gwen Britton and I have a con call tomorrow evening to go over some MSISA program information as well as to get to the bottom of this question for sure. Gwen is the head of the MSISA program. She is definitely an advocate for certification. It was her work that added the certs to the MSISA program.

Well goodluck. I hope you'll let us know how it goes

shednik · 07-01-2009, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theICE

Everything ssiphone posted is correct, I think some people that put down WGU are just misinformed.

No I just don't agree with giving credit because you have a certification...the standard BS usually requires 120-126 credits I think to earn a degree you should have to earn all of them by taking some sort of class. I am in no way saying you have to go the traditional route but their program just makes me wonder....no GPA and giving credit for certifications. Maybe I'm just more for a more traditional program be it online or in class, I looked into their program and was turned off by how they did things. Definitely not what I was looking for, but for some it may work. I chose to get my degree at a local school for the curriculum and the name, both I felt would do me better then any other school.

veritas_libertas · 07-01-2009, 01:54 AM

I think most of what you are saying has already been addressed in this thread. As far as certs go, I know of other schools and community colleges that will do that. For that matter don't forget that you can test out of many classes, in fact most classes in a traditional college.

dynamik · 07-01-2009, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veritas_libertas

I think most of what you are saying has already been addressed in this thread. As far as certs go, I know of other schools and community colleges that will do that. For that matter don't forget that you can test out of many classes, in fact most classes in a traditional college.

This is true. Brown College, for example, basically helps you earn certs and allows you to test out of courses. I could have tested out of 3/4 of the required courses. They still wanted me to pay full tuition for each credit though, so I told them to go fly a kite.

qwertyiop · 07-02-2009, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiphone@sbcglobal.net

Gwen Britton and I have a con call tomorrow evening to go over some MSISA program information as well as to get to the bottom of this question for sure. Gwen is the head of the MSISA program. She is definitely an advocate for certification. It was her work that added the certs to the MSISA program.

How was it?

veritas_libertas · 07-03-2009, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwertyiop

How was it?

Yes, what did you find out?

ssiphone@sbcglobal.net · 07-06-2009, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veritas_libertas

Yes, what did you find out?

So Gwen and I did connect on Wednesday...this is the first I have been able to login.

They WILL be seeking the NSA certification, just not until 2010. There is some more work left to do on the courseware that needs to be worked out before they can apply. Adding the EC-Council and SANS certs to the program was a big step forward as those courses are already approved within the NSA process. There are five or six of the WGU created assessments that are still being developed. (There are 18 total needed to graduated.) Additionally, there are requirements around the number of faculty and their status in the industry. One of the things is having published faculty...right now the only one they have is the new dude, Allen Clarkson.

Provided the remaining courseware is approved in 2010, she anticipates certification in 2011. I did talk to her about whether that designation would be retroactive to students that graduated prior and she was going to check on that and get back to me. I should be done no later than December 2010 so I sure hope the retro thing works out. There is a chance that they might have to change a course based on the process and that could be a limiting factor for the retro status.

Gwen and I talk often, and you can guarantee that I will stay on top of this subject. If anything changes, I will be sure to post to keep everyone informed!

Scott.

veritas_libertas · 07-13-2009, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiphone@sbcglobal.net

So Gwen and I did connect on Wednesday...this is the first I have been able to login.

They WILL be seeking the NSA certification, just not until 2010. There is some more work left to do on the courseware that needs to be worked out before they can apply. Adding the EC-Council and SANS certs to the program was a big step forward as those courses are already approved within the NSA process. There are five or six of the WGU created assessments that are still being developed. (There are 18 total needed to graduated.) Additionally, there are requirements around the number of faculty and their status in the industry. One of the things is having published faculty...right now the only one they have is the new dude, Allen Clarkson.

Provided the remaining courseware is approved in 2010, she anticipates certification in 2011. I did talk to her about whether that designation would be retroactive to students that graduated prior and she was going to check on that and get back to me. I should be done no later than December 2010 so I sure hope the retro thing works out. There is a chance that they might have to change a course based on the process and that could be a limiting factor for the retro status.

Gwen and I talk often, and you can guarantee that I will stay on top of this subject. If anything changes, I will be sure to post to keep everyone informed!

Scott.

Thanks for the update Scott. I am glad to hear they are headed that way. It will benefit them for sure!

veritas_libertas · 07-13-2009, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redroses

Thanks Ed for the uplifting comment. It is good to know that somehow I could be of help although the thread is way old.

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dynamik · 07-13-2009, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veritas_libertas

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It's just spam. He matched the color of the link to the background

Alif_Sadida_Ekin · 07-16-2009, 10:32 PM

Question. If I start a program at WGU and I don't finish, will I be able to transfer what I've earned to a brick and mortar school, such as a state university? Or would I have to go back to WGU to finish my BS?

qwertyiop · 07-16-2009, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alif_Sadida_Ekin

Question. If I start a program at WGU and I don't finish, will I be able to transfer what I've earned to a brick and mortar school, such as a state university? Or would I have to go back to WGU to finish my BS?

Its up to the school that your applying to and if they want to accept the transfer

snadam · 07-17-2009, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynamik

This is true. Brown College, for example, basically helps you earn certs and allows you to test out of courses. I could have tested out of 3/4 of the required courses. They still wanted me to pay full tuition for each credit though, so I told them to go fly a kite.

I guess im kind of beating a dead horse here, but this has been my experience as well.

veritas_libertas · 03-06-2010, 04:59 PM

Just updating the thread...

WGU's MS:ISA has been certified by the CNSS