Cheapest online/DL Masters program

Does anyone know which one would be the cheapest UK or US based Masters degree programs in Computer Science/Information Systems/Information Technology ?

Also what Masters degree you think would help in order to move up to IT management positions ? for example IT Manager, IT Operations Manager etc.. can one progress to higher positions with a Computer degree considering Undergrad degree is in Computers ? or is it necessary to have a Management degree.

 

Try www.touro.com...

 

Re: Re: Cheapest online/DL Masters program

do you mean www.tourou.edu

 

Is Touro the cheapest ?

also Touro does not have MS CS/IS/IT. It only offers MS ITM which is not a technical program. Its management related

 

http://www.bellevue.edu/Programs/Degrees/mscis.html

 

My experience (30 years) in the MIS/IT world has seen that basic business knowledge is more valuable to the IT person than soon to be out-dated computer knowledge. Continuing education in IT is fine but basic business knowhow (accounting,inventory,MRP,EDI,General Ledger ,Costing,sales information,on and on) is more valuable to a company. That combined with computer expertise makes a valuable employee.

 

Thanks for the info everyone.

GENO, you think it will be better to complement a Bachelor degree in Computers with a Management related degree, like MBA ? MBA also has many flavours. Should this be in IT management or General Management to be able to successful ?
I am a computer person (years of Sys. Admin) but dont want to stay at this level. Want to pursue something that will help me progress. as you mentioned IT skills get outdated pretty quick.

Randell1234, I know you are doing MS-ITM. You think that program has the ingredients required to progress in IT, maybe to Project Manager and beyond or toward senior technical positions ? would you recommend that program if thought in these terms ?

 

Kinda In the Same Boat

I'm also looking at a MS degree in IT management and Touro seems very Management oriented which sounds great. The price seems to be okay also, specifically with the GI bill also.

I agree with an earlier post about different flavors of MS degrees, MBA's can span several different specializations which makes a decision even harder.

I'm already in a management position and I want to be a CIO vice a CTO, my undergrad is a (AIU BIT). I don’t want to do the (AIU MIT) due to the 27k cost. It also seem very technical and not very management specific.

I've also been talking to Colorado Technical Uni. (CTU). I had a bad initial phone conversation with them, I remedied that fast CTU is 22k but, as you progress through their program you accumulate certificates at no additional cost. As you work your way through you can earn project management certs, security, and a few more. Seems like a great way to add to your resume as you work through school.

If you get a chance read CIO Magazine and look at a few of the IT management folk’s credentials, it may help you decide a path.


Sincerely

 

The program is good. I would recommend it but it is not technical. If you want to be a manager or CIO this degree may work for you but I would also consider an MBA. An MBA will give you a more rounded approach to the business world.

You can look a University of Maryland dual program -
http://www.umuc.edu/grad/dualdegrees/dualdegrees_mba.html

 

etech,

a general MBA would be an excellent complement to a baccalaureate degree in CS. Any additional computer traiining can be achieved via certification or additional classroom time. If you are employed as a programmer or systems analyst your business knowledge is just as or more important than your computer knowledge. You will be dealing with users who know next to nothing about computers and could not care less - they deal with accounting problems, manufacturing concerns and sales issues along with numerous other functions. Things like how an order coming in the door triggers all of the firms manufacturing/service functions. In many instances you will be called upon to streamline/make more cost efficient certain functions or write complicated software to maintain files and give upper management reliable reports and interactive data analysis. An MIS/IT professional has to be more that computer savvy. Good luck.

 

If you have good IT skills and certs you may want to take a look at Western Carolina University.

They have a PM track that is AACSB accredited. Kind of expensive unless you live in the state but it would fulfill business accreditation and project management skills. Then sit for the PMP exam and you will have covered a broad spectrum. There are also several MBA tracks with PM attributes.

Project Management is always a value added academic qualification. I work in an office where all of us have graduate degrees is something, MBA, MSEE, MSCS, but all of us are required to maintain PM certification, either as a PMP, or ongoing education to the PMP.

Despite academic qualifications, there is no substitute for management experience. Take a good look at some of the learning and skill objectives of MBA programs. I would venture that you may have added skills without realizing it.

Just some thoughts. Hope they help in a fashion.

Happy Holidays

 

Although not from US or UK You should check out the offering of Australian based universities, usually they are priced very reasonably.

Check out:

http://www.usq.edu.au
http://www.usqonline.com.au

(That has been my alma mater)

our:

http://www.csu.edu.au

Good luck

 

"You can look a University of Maryland dual program -
http://www.umuc.edu/grad/dualdegree...egrees_mba.html"

Just a nitpick, but UMUC (www.umuc.edu) is not the same as the "University of Maryland" (www.umd.edu). Two totally different degree granting institutions in the same state system (www.usmd.edu).

An MBA from UMUC (http://www.umuc.edu/grad/mba/) is obviously a totally different degree from the MBA issued by the Robert H Smith School of Business at U.Md (http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/mpo/mba_home_high.html)

 

Thanks for the clarification

 

The software development team that I manage now had been very successful in implementing our software solutions, which we developed in-house. All of which were not mainly due to our collective knowledge in IT, but rather, my background as industrial engineer. My theoretical and practical knowledge in production/manufacturing management have greatly influenced the systems design and my teams’ grasp of the business processes.

I do have IT certifications relevant to my experience and current task, and Computer Society professional affiliations in recognition of my knowledge in this field.

With all of these, my lack of IT degree seems to be the reason for the sluggish career growth and fair compensation. There could be some other factors, but as far as my current employer is concerned, they made it appear that having an IT degree can be the only basis to make things favorable.

My immediate and other superiors (who hold a non-IT degrees) are inclined to support my case, but the HR, other superiors, and colleagues strongly oppose this move.

Confused…

 

State-of-the-art lasts about 6 months in the IT arena. Money and time expended pursuing degrees in IS/IT can be better utilized gaining knowledge in business functions unless you plan on teaching for a vocation. Most companies can not afford the most current technology en masse but make gradual changes both in hardware and software. Which means you have to reeducate yourself and in turn educate your users. My point is that what you learn(ed) while gaining a degree will soon be irrelevant or obsolete once you enter the real world but a solid understanding of business functions is always state-of-the-art.

 

I agree that technology changes quickly but solid understanding of it is very valuable. Just because technology changes quickly is another reason to be involved in it and stay uptodate on changes.

Technology changes also require business changes. You cant make the same decisions today the same way you made decisions 5 or 10 years ago. There are many new aspects to be considered today.

A good foundation in business and technology is very important. I have seen many people in management positions that have no clue about technology - they loose respect very quickly and it becomes very difficult for them to manage and lead.

Another note on your comment that technology becomes obsolete very qucikly. I dont believe that is trueat all, I think that technology advances but does not become obsolete. A router is a router, it passes traffic from A to B. Just because no one uses a certain model, it does not mean that it is obsolete, it got upgraded with newer features because of new need (most business needs).

Windows 98 and Windows XP are very different, but they are based on the same platform and there are new features on XP because on new "business" requirements.

If business does not become obsolete in the same way like technology, why are there 100s of book published yearly on business subjects.

 

You are not wrong, but my comments are based upon 30+ years at all levels within the MIS/IS/IT field. Your technical skills are a given based upon experience on whatever technology but where the rubber meets the roads is your understanding of the business environment. Can one understand manufacturing and accounting processes, most of these procedures do not change only within different orgaizations. Technology changes, we are not using 360 or 370 mainframes any longer but a debit is still a debit and MRP is still MRP and inventory movement is still inventory movement. Get what I am saying? Technology education can be gained along the way because of its dynamic nature but business knowledge is what separates the IT applicant from those who lack it. As far as the 100's of books published on varying subjects in business, its called publish or perish for the authors. Thanks.

 

You are actually right! In fact Professional Computing Societies encourage their members to widen their knowledge base and that includes business i.e. the Australian Computer Society offers its members discounted courses and some of it are business related, The British Computer Society offers similar programs, and the ICCP's Core IT Skills exam includes economics, finance, accounting, production/manufacturing, marketing, management, etc., aside from technology.

For without uderstanding the business, technology skills will be of minimal use.

 

Additionally....

There had been a survey results published in one of the issues of the British Computer Society Magazine (BCS Bulletin). It mentioned the complaints of most employers in relation to their IT personnel's business knowledge and skills. It further reitirates, that employers preference for hiring new IT employees is the applicants' business acumen in addition to his technology skills.