Bit of a dilemma

Hello all,

I'm in a bit of a dilemma here. As many of you in this board might know, I was accepted into FIU's online corporate MBA program. Well, yesterday, I also received a letter of admissions from Brandeis University, I was admitted into their online MS IT management program. Herein lies my problem. I like both programs, and right now I'm in a mess in what to do. A bit about myself. I'm currently enlisted in the US Army, I'm an intelligence analyst and work alongside the NSA/CSS here in Hawaii. I do computer network intelligence. I have been doing this for over two years, my problem is that I want to continue to work in the IT realm once I get out of the military, perhaps within government or private industry, I have not decided yet. I currently hold a TS/SCI clearance, and would like to leverage that as well once I get out.
My question is, which degree will serve me better both in the private and public sectors, an MBA or an MS ITM degree? With education assistance and scholarships the overall cost of the MBA will be hovering around $13k, Brandeis MS ITM will set me back $25k.
Like I said before, I want to continue to work in the IT realm, however, possibly at the management level, I'm killing m head over this. Should I stay with FIU or go to Brandeis? I would love to hear your input over this, I know that ultimately the decision will be mine to make, however, would love to hear your thoughts? Given the same situation what would you do?
Thank you all!

 

My personal opinion; get a degree that is most relevant to your career goals. An MBA is very good, but since you want to work in IT, I don't see that there is really much of a choice. An IT degree will open more doors in that industry. Land a great IT job and you will make that extra money back fairly quickly.

 

It's likely most tech companies will hire you because of your experience and not your degree. I'd say go for the MBA as there WILL be a time as you move up the management ladder where it will be a big benefit to have it. If you foresee yourself moving into management someday, I'd get the MBA and rely on your experience to show employers you have the tech skill required. If you only want to do hands on tech and never move into an executive role then the MBA isn't as important.

 

I tend to agree with bazonkers. Put the extra $12K into a IRA or 401K; that will give you a great start for your future financial security.

 

If you work in IT and want to stay in IT, get the IT management degree. You can shoot for the MBA if you can get an IT/IT management specialization. It really should boil down to the courses that make up each degree.

Bottomline: If program cost is an issue, stick with the cheapest. If degree utility is of importance, an IT management masters will yield the fastest result. If the MBA has an IT focus area, it may provide a better versatility down the line. Goodluck!

 

I would suggest the MBA. It provides a great business foundation especially to complement an non-business undergraduate degree. I think it is a more general degree providing great flexability for future paths. When you also factor in that FIU is AACSB and $12K cheaper - it would become a no-brainer for me.

 

So there you go. This is what usually happens when you ask a question over what you should when both choices are good. You will find that everyone has a different opinion and you are still left to make the decision on your own. I have a buddy who has done extremely well in IT with an IT degree so my opinion is skewed that way. Other very wise people disagree with that line of thinking. I think you will be OK either way; follow your heart.

 

Truth.

and the fact that you also have a clearance means you're fine no matter what.

 

To add to that, the MBA plus a few more computer certs will fill both needs. You can demonstrate your computer knowledge with certs and business knowledge with the MBA. I think the IT world is more about what you have done and can do with or without a degree. If you were the network admin for Amazon that would hold a heck of a lot more weight then have a degree in IT. Does that make sense?

Go for an MBA with a few certs: Microsoft, CompTIA, and Cisco. This will show broad and indepth knowledge of IT.

 

Thanks all of you for providing great insight. I agree with you, certifications do help, I currently have CompTIA Network+ and Securty+ certifications, currently working on my Ethical Hacking certifications, and CISSP certification as well. {the Army and NSA pays for them, so it's a nice perk.} Even though Brandeis has an excellent reputation, and I have no doubt in my mind that they provide an excellent education. I decided to stay with FIU, I agree with Randell an AACSB MBA for under $13K is too good to miss. Even though I like Brandeis a lot, I believe that the best way to go is FIU, hopefully the decision pays off.

 

You are making the right choice. Good luck!

Dave