Northeastern U-Master of Scie in Telecomm or Master of Profess Studies in Informatics

Discussion in 'IT and Computer-Related Degrees' started by telecommgirl, Nov 24, 2013.

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  1. telecommgirl

    telecommgirl New Member

    Hi everyone, I would really appreciate if you could provide me with some advise!!!

    This is my situation: This past Fall I got admitted at Northeastern University for my Master of Science Degree in Telecommunications System Management, I started taking one class, just to get a feeling of the program, to be honest at this point I'm considering in switching programs for the following reasons:

    1) The MS Program is only 30 credits, and each class has 4 credits, which means I would be only taking like 8 classes, and I think I won't get enough skills to get where I want, which is becoming a Network Engineer, Network administrator, and maybe something more interesting related to Network Security, also the classes on this program sound to me more like Theory oriented, so I really don't know...

    2) All my fellow students are recent graduates, most of them are international students, and I'm feeling like I'm studying with babies, LOL... I'm not old either, but I do have some work experience, I work at a Telecommunications Company at the Workforce and Operation Services department, but I still don't have my dream job, so this is why I'm looking to get more skills.

    3) Classes for the MS program are veryyyyy expensive...

    I initially signed up at NEU for their excellent reputation with Co-ops and good relationship with big Companies, I know it is a Top University here in the New England Area.

    Ok, so after doing some research I found that the same University offers a Master of Professional Studies in Informatics, The difference is that instead of being part of the College of Engineering it belongs to the College of Professional Studies. This MPS program has 45 credits, and it sounds to me that they are more skill oriented, and it is also oriented to people with some work experience.

    The other advantage is that classes are more affordable, and they have blended classes (Some of them are on Campus, some of them are online) and they have classes all year around (Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall) which means I could finish sooner.
    They do advertise the Co-op program as well, however I don't know if the same opportunities that are offered to the MS students are offered to the MPS students.

    So, I'm a little bit afraid of switching programs, I'm concerned about the MPS reputation, is it known out there? What do Recruiters/ Companies think when they see a Master of Professional Studies, instead of seen a Master of Science Degree?, does it really matter?

    What would be the best path for me to follow? Should I stay in my current MS Program or can I obtain the same or maybe even better education/ skills at an affordable price with the MPS Program?

    Any feedback would be really appreciated.

    Thanks!
     
  2. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    Honestly, I do not believe in college degree as much as professional experiences and senior* IT certifications. However, due to no expiration on a college degree and professional workforce requirement; then, it is a must to have. And yet, you're concerning about Master of Professional Studies degree reputation over a Master of Science degree is the norm. Peoples would think that Master of Professional Studies is inferior than Master of Science or Master of Arts. The only reasons I got my Master of Professional Studies in Information Technology from Georgetown University are full-ride (tuition FREE) program as well as receiving $22,000.00 for housing allowance from the Department of Veteran Affair.

    If you want actually enhancement for your career would be a Master degree and senior IT certifications. I would recommend you to complete the program at Northeastern University, and continue for your Cisco Certifications. I completed my Master of Science in Telecommunications at Southern Methodist University. The majority people in the classes were international students, mostly people from India. Do not under estimate them, they are extremely smart.

    *Senior (CCIE, CISSP, PMP, CISA, GCSE, and etc)
     
  3. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    Well, there are many top schools offer Master degree in Telecommunications, choose the most affordable one. Here are some of the sample schools....

    University of Colorado
    Master of Science or Master of Engineering in Telecommunications

    URL:Telecommunications Master Degree | College of Engineering Online at CU-Boulder
    Southern Methodist University
    Master of Science in Telecommunications

    Rochester Institute of Technology
    Master of Science in Telecommunication Engineering Technology
    URL: RIT - Programs of Study

    University of Denver
    Master in Telecommunication Technology
    URL: Telecommunications Technology master

    Syracuse University
    Master of Science in Telecommunications and Network Management
    URL: MS in Telecommunications and Network Management - iSchool - The School of Information Studies - Syracuse University

    George Mason University
    Master of Science in Telecommunications
    URL: M.S. in Telecommunications|Volgenau School of Engineering

    Also, have you look into Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) for Online Master of Computer Science with specialization in Networking? It is a steal deal, less than $6,500.00 for the entire program.

    URL: OMSCS - Georgia Institute of Technology
     
  4. telecommgirl

    telecommgirl New Member

    Thanks so much Tekman for your advise!

    I want to definitely stay at Northeastern University because of its location and as I mentioned above, because it has good reputation in the New England Area.

    Ok, so I would definitely considering continuing with my MS in Telecommunications ;)

    But how about doing the MPS program + Senior Certifications as the ones you mentioned above?? still not good? Better to continue with the MS in Telecommunications?

    I also believe more in Senior Certifications than the actual College.

    And yeah, I have no problem at all with the international students ;)... I was more concerned about their age, 'cause they are recent graduates and I can see how sometimes they pay more attention to their own Facebook in class instead of paying attention to the class itself, LOL

    I would like to hear more opinions... Thanks to Everyone!
     
  5. instant000

    instant000 Member

    OK, sure.

    First off, congratulations, this is a well reputed school, as you noted yourself. Of course, I don't want you to go broke doing this thing, so if finances are an issue, then PLEASE be smart about it.

    I looked over both programs. I compared the tracks by seeing what courses were REQUIRED, and also what electives the programs had that could work for someone going into Network Engineering work. The MSc program wins by a landslide.

    I have looked at several Masters level programs in Telecommunications/Networking, and the ones offered by Engineering departments are, generally, more rigorous and provide a much better foundation for the field. If you're going for Professional Studies, you may be better served to just get that from a lower cost school, unless you want the name that bad.

    If you look at the programs that TEKMAN recommended, they seem to be based in the Engineering departments of schools. Comparing my work experience to the curriculums, those are indeed better programs for learning about network engineering than the MPS options.

    MSc. in Telecommunications Management
    Required:
    4 SH TSMG 5310 Fundamentals of Communication Systems
    4 SH TSMG 5320 Telecommunications Architecture and Systems
    4 SH TSMG 5330 Data Networking
    4 SH TSMG 5340 Telecommunications Public Policy and Business Management

    Electives (these are the ones most related to Network Engineering)
    CS 5700 Fundamentals of Computer Networking 4 SH
    CS 6710 Wireless Network 4 SH
    CS 6740 Network Security 4 SH
    EECE 5576 Wireless Communication Systems 4 SH
    EECE 7364 Mobile and Wireless Networking 4 SH
    IA 5150 Network Security Practices Coreq. IA 5151 4 SH
    TSMB 6370 Perspectives in Telecommunications Policy 4 SH
    TSMB 6380 Consulting Project in Telecommunications 4 SH
    TSMB 6600 Special Topics—Business Management 1 to 4 SH
    TSMG 6600 Special Topics—Core 1 to 4 SH
    TSMN 6100 Telecommunications Convergence 4 SH
    TSMN 6200 Advanced Data Networking 4 SH
    TSMN 6350 IP Telephony 4 SH
    TSMN 6600 Special Topics—Networking 1 to 4 SH
    TSMS 6360 Operation Support Systems in Telecommunications 4 SH

    MPS in Informatics
    Required:
    3 QH ITC 6000 Database Management Systems
    3 QH ITC 6010 Information Technology Strategy and Governance
    3 QH ITC 6020 Information Systems Design and Development
    3 QH ITC 6030 Computer Systems and Networks
    3 QH ITC 6035 Information Technology Project Management
    3 QH ITC 6040 Informatics Capstone
    3 QH ITC 6045 Information Technology Policy, Ethics, and Social Responsibility
    3 QH ITC 6300 Foundations of Information Security Management

    Electives: (Since you can choose any, I'm listing the ones most network-focused to choose from)
    3 QH ITC 6305 IT Infrastructure
    MIS 6082 Network Protection 4 q.h.
    MIS 6080 Network Security Concepts 4 q.h.
    3 QH ITC 6340 Mobile and Wireless Networks and Applications
    3 QH ITC 6345 Systems and Network Administration

    Conclusion: The MSc in Telecommunications Management provides a much better track. Don't complain about learning theory. You're not going to get good hands on skills from a university. If you want

    hands-on skills, you need to consider a trade school, or a home lab. I'd actually recommend a home lab. Heck, your employer may even have a lab for workers, considering that it IS a telecom company.

    From my perspective, the MSc provides 30 SEMESTER hours of Network Training.
    Do you get greater than 30 hours of Network Engineering Training in the MPS program? (The MPS program is in QUARTER hours.)

    Don't let this bother you. Of course a recent graduate is probably younger than an adult learner. You'll get more skills sooner by working a home lab or volunteering. Also, consider that your employer probably has training programs for employees. (These programs are probably slower-paced, though, and you could probably do better by training yourself.)

    You said "work experience". From my perspective, the MPS degree is designed for people with IT experience who want to move into management You don't appear to have any experience in IT. Your job looks like HR.

    I believe that the name of the school and Masters degree would be the significant information. Those are the boxes you are checking. I did some studies before, and on a salary calculator, it showed that a more prestigious school may get a slight premium on salary, 5-10K or so. The only issue that I see is that the degree is called Informatics, which is a very broad term. Also, the content (from my perspective) is much lesser, as far as teaching you about networking.

    The MSc program is better. However, it is not what I would recommend.

    As TEKMAN stated, most of networking values CERTIFICATIONS over DEGREES. However, pre-empting CERTIFICATIONS is EXPERIENCE. I would recommend that you look at getting some junior engineering role somewhere. Your current employer may be the ideal place to do this, or anywhere willing to take a chance on you. People are a lot more likely to take a chance on you if you show dedication to the career field, by first getting a cert like the CCNA.

    Please keep in mind that I work in Network Engineering. I haven't updated my LinkedIn lately (maybe after the direct deposit kicks in, LOL). But anyway, I'm speaking from experience, and looking at career paths of past associates, as well as myself.

    I can tell you this, based on my own experience in this field, that if I could start my career over from scratch, I would go in this order:
    01 - Choose a field
    02 - Study it to a basic level
    03 - Certify it to a basic level
    04 - Get basic work in the field, start building up experience
    05 - Study it to an advanced level
    06 - Get advanced work in the field, build up even better experience
    07 - Certify to an advanced level
    08 - Make the big bucks
    09 - Work on degrees

    You appear to have chosen a field, which is step 1.

    You may think that it is odd to get certifications before the degree, but with the options that we have nowadays to attend school while working, the math works out better this way.

    You can get higher positions faster by certifying higher in the field, than you can by just getting more degrees. The advanced certifications are more difficult than the degree programs anyway, and advanced networking certs can take the same amount of time as a Masters degree, and can be far more rewarding to your bottom line. Of course, you're not going to be that engineer forever, so while working, you can work at the degrees online.

    Are you prepared to take a pay cut, if necessary, if it helps you get to where you ultimately want to be?

    Anyway, look at it like this:
    You can get your CCNA, and your salary will be X.
    Get your CCNP, and the salary can be 2X or more.
    Get your CCIE, and the salary can be 3X or more.

    You can get your MSc degree, but without any sort of work experience (in network engineering) or certification, you'll probably be stuck at X.

    Most of the better candidates out there that you will compete against for Network Engineering positions will have certifications, and most job requirements will ask for it, too. Consider studying for the CCNA. It will be time well invested, especially since you have decided to pursue Network Engineering.

    If you're trying to look at lower cost options for learning about networking, one other school you could try is Fort Hays State University, which has a really low-cost MPS-Computer Networking program:
    Computer Networking curriculum - Fort Hays State University

    Please note my earlier message about Engineering programs being superior, but sometimes, you have to consider your pocketbook.

    Hope this helps.
     
  6. instant000

    instant000 Member

    Hrm. That's a lot to read, after looking it over.

    If I had to do this again from scratch, I would say to get some good basic books on the following:
    1 - TCP/IP (TCP/IP Guide is free online)
    2 - LAN ( I don't have the book anymore, so I can't recommend a title, it was from my BS degree, which I would say was decent, but I already had a ton of work experience by the time I got around to it.)
    3 - WAN (Wide Area Networks - that's the title of the book)
    4 - Packet Analysis (Practical Packet Analysis)

    After this foundation, you're ready to start looking at certifications.
    You can look at the Network+ material, but I don't recommend the certification.
    You can look at the WCNA (Wireshark) material, but I don't recommend the certification.

    Pick a networking vendor (HP, Cisco, Juniper, Brocade, etc.) that you like, and get a basic cert.
    Then, get a basic job.

    Then, study on your vendor of choice, up to the advanced level. After you get to the advanced level on one vendor, it's just a matter of syntax to be advanced on another vendor. (80% of what you study is how the protocols work, the other 20% is vendor-specific implementation.)

    While getting the advanced certs, your skills and experience will have increased, and you would qualify for higher jobs.
     
  7. telecommgirl

    telecommgirl New Member

    Wow guys, thanks so much for your input and for taking the time to reply to my post... I'm so impressed and I really appreciate it =)

    Ok, So considering all the good info that you have provided me, and the big emphasis in getting IT certifications, which I definitely agree with. I will study to get my CCNA, I do have some basic concepts (TCP/IP, LAN, WAN from my B.S.E.E, and by the way I do not work in H.R, LOL, I pretty much work performing internal provisioning of Services, I also assist Technicians on site installing and troubleshooting, making sure that levels are within spec, monitor the network for outages, so yeah I do have some basic knowledge)

    So how about doing the MPS Program + CCNA Certification to start???, we know that the goal is to get an Entry Level Network engineering position, I do agree that the MPS Program doesn't cover Networking topics in deep, but anyways as we know, I would be really getting the Networking knowledge from the Certifications and the real work experience

    Don't get me wrong, don't think that I want to find the easy path or anything like that... I do definitely want to do what is best and what would help me get the job that I want.

    I'm just more concerned about money and time... The MS Program would cost me around $40,000.00 and I wouldn't be graduating 'til December of 2015 (Fall 2015)

    The MPS Program would cost around $26,000.00 and I would be graduating at the end of 2014 or beginning of 2015, and I can have some money left to work on my advanced Certifications.

    Thanks for the info about the other Universities... I was looking at their programs, and they look very interesting, but I think for now I would stay at Northeastern University.

    Ok Guys, thanks again... I hope I'm not bothering you that much, but it is big help to hear your advice.
     
  8. telecommgirl

    telecommgirl New Member

    Wow guys, thanks so much for your input and for taking the time to reply to my post... I'm so impressed and I really appreciate it =)

    Ok, So considering all the good info that you have provided me, and the big emphasis in getting IT certifications, which I definitely agree with. I will study to get my CCNA, I do have some basic concepts (TCP/IP, LAN, WAN from my B.S.E.E, and by the way I do not work in H.R, LOL, I pretty much work performing internal provisioning of Services, I also assist Technicians on site installing and troubleshooting, making sure that levels are within spec, monitor the network for outages, so yeah I do have some basic knowledge)

    So how about doing the MPS Program + CCNA Certification to start???, we know that the goal is to get an Entry Level Network engineering position, I do agree that the MPS Program doesn't cover Networking topics in deep, but anyways as we know, I would be really getting the Networking knowledge from the Certifications and the real work experience

    Don't get me wrong, don't think that I want to find the easy path or anything like that... I do definitely want to do what is best and what would help me get the job that I want.

    I'm just more concerned about money and time... The MS Program would cost me around $40,000.00 and I wouldn't be graduating 'til December of 2015 (Fall 2015)

    The MPS Program would cost around $26,000.00 and I would be graduating at the end of 2014 or beginning of 2015, and I can have some money left to work on my advanced Certifications.

    Thanks for the info about the other Universities... I was looking at their programs, and they look very interesting, but I think for now I would stay at Northeastern University.

    Ok Guys, thanks again... I hope I'm not bothering you that much, but it is big help to hear your advice.
     
  9. instant000

    instant000 Member

    You have a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering? In that case, it really does not make sense to do the MPS or the MS at this point. Your money and time would be best spent getting a CCNA and getting better job experience. I apologize for misinterpreting what your job was. If you had only said "Operation Services" I would have thought you were technical. Since you said "Workforce and Operation Services" I thought HR. I apologize for the confusion.

    With knowing electrical engineering, you can appreciate signal propagation, and how protocols work "on the wire". In this case, you probably want to read the four types of books I mentioned earlier, while pursuing your CCNA. If you're not yet a member, please sign up on techexams.net, and join the conversation in the CCENT/CCNA forum. I'm instant000 over there, also. There will be MANY posters there, who can help you with your professional goals, if you're intent upon becoming a network engineer.

    I honestly do not think the MPS program would provide you sufficient challenge, if that makes any sense. I would recommend that you work on the CCNA, and getting the network engineering position. You already work in provisoning, troubleshooting, and network monitoring. Beef up your skills in packet analysis, as well as routing and switching, and try for something a little more demanding.

    Easy path? There are no shortcuts. You have to learn the things at a fundamental level, then learn them at an advanced level. It really is that simple.

    OK. I'm about to save you a little money.

    If you search on geteducated.com, I can see that University of Colorado - Boulder offers a regionally accredited, 100% online MS Telecommunications programs for less than $25,000.00. If you can do electrical or computer engineering, several state schools (University of STATENAME / STATENAME State University) offer the degree in the 100% online format for $20,000.00 or less.

    To save you time, I advise getting the CCNA, and getting to work. :)

    If you must stay at Northeastern University, then I would have to advise you to go with the MSc program. It is FAR better than the MPS program, for preparing you for the telecommunications field.

    My posting is written from the perspective of helping you get into better Network Engineering opportunities with more of the type of work that you want to do. You're already doing some of that work already, and you're not totally ignorant of the field. I think you're only a CCNA away from getting into a Network Engineering role. You're not taking any shortcuts. There are no shortcuts. You have to learn this stuff.

    What would I advise?

    I would advise you to drop $2,000 on an All Access Pass from INE, for a two years subscription. Additionally, I would advise you to drop an additional $500 on a one-year subscription to Safari Books Online. Then, I want to advise you to acquire a decent home lab for approximately $500-$1,000.

    Then, after this $3,000 to $3,500 investment, spend 20-25 hours per week studying for your certification track.

    Complete a track to the Associate level, then get the Network Engineering job that you're looking for. At your level, this should be doable in 3-6 months. The testing will cost another $300. After that, continue your studies to the Professional $600 and Expert $2,000 level.

    By the time the two years have passed, you may be at the Expert level, after investing approximately 2,000 hours and $5,900 - $6,400 dollars. You should have doubled your salary at least once, if not twice by this time.

    If you enroll into your Masters program, you will invest approximately 2,000 hours and $26,000 or $40,000. Your salary may increase slightly, but employers will be no more willing to let you touch their networks.

    If not, I assure you that your knowledge and compensation will have grown significantly, if you're putting 20-25 hours per week into it.

    The ideal scenario is to do both. However, doing both requires a considerable time investment, and if you're working, you may not have the free time available to "do both".

    If you must do both, then I would advise a 20/10 split, and just do the schooling part-time. (That is 20 hours per week on certs and 10 hours per week on school.)

    The CCNA may be your quickest ticket to something better, so take advantage of the opportunity to pursue it.

    Hope this helps.
     
  10. telecommgirl

    telecommgirl New Member

    Thanks to both of you, for your excellent feedback!
     

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