So I've decided to apply to the University of the Cumberlands for their PhD in IT and skip DSU or Capella. The main reason is financial rather than anything else. I currently have a bunch of federal student loans that can be discharged through the VA due to my disability level. I thought to start with UC in the fall 2025 and apply for more federal loans until 31 Dec 2025, to see if the DoE would extend the rule about not paying federal taxes on forgiven student loans into 2026 and beyond. If they don't, I would get them discharged, and be able to afford paying the tuition to obtain my doctorate. I'm 51 yo now and have no desire to pursue any tenure-track positions anywhere in that rat race. That is one other reason why I'm foregoing in person studies at UT Dallas. DSU has too many complex requirements to include a GRE score and I don't want to deal with that frustration. Capella is well...meh still on their reputation and perception. Liberty is a hard no due to their religious leanings (although I've read that UC is a little bit like that, but not as rabid). Reading 32 pages of the UC thread was quite interesting and hopefully I will employ some of those tips for scheduling classes when I get accepted and start my program.
There's nothing wrong with Capella. They've sustained the usual amount of criticism, but there's nothing particularly unusual about these. The fact is, Capella has operated successfully for decades. Further, no one really knows or cares about a few complaints.
I think you made the right choice for the University of the Cumberlands. I made several pros and cons between the University of the Cumberlands and Nova Southeastern University, even though I finished 40% at NSU. I also attended two semesters at Capella University in 2010. I also attended Liberty University for one semester. I like Liberty University due to its sports and larger alumni networks. But there is one problem that I can't comprehend: Liberty University's classes align with world views (religious). I always wanted to avoid PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT, although Capella University is the best school in its area (ONLINE PRIVATE FOR PROFIT) compared to Walden University, University of Phoenix, Ashford University, and Northcentral University. I am afraid that one day, Capella University will be defunct or absorbed by other institutions. As for the University of the Cumberlands, it has a long history and has started to pick up its reputation. It is a religious-affiliated school, but your study does not require Christianity in the curriculum like Liberty University. DSU is a little more expensive than the University of the Cumberlands by ~$100 per course for Non DSU residents is not bad. I don't see the GRE requirement unless you are applying for a graduate assistantship. I have not seen many dissertation publications by DSU, but there are a lot of University of the Cumberlands'.
Application submitted. Here goes nothing! Interestingly, it said that my CISSP could account for a couple of classes too if accepted.
It does if your specialty is in Information Security, which saves you $3,276 and a semester. ISOL 633 Legal Regulations, Compliance, and Investigation (3 Credits) ISOL 699 Information Security Project (3 Credits) URL: https://catalog.ucumberlands.edu/content.php?catoid=4&navoid=116 Highly recommend taking the Core courses first before approaching the specialty.
DSU was great 10 years ago when it was one of the only games in town besides Nova (which was at least twice as expensive) if you wanted a tech doctorate from a non-profit school. These days, there's so many options that DSU is faded in the background for me. I can still see it as a very viable choice for some people though. Thankfully it's no longer the only choice.
Yes, back in the day. Dakota State University only offered a Doctor of Science in Information Systems and Cybersecurity/Information Security, not a Doctor of Philosophy. It was a Master's degree designation college, I am wondering if they have upgraded to a Doctorate/Research University. Dr. Eric Brown, who was a DegreeInfo forum member, obtained his degree there. URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericbrown/ . After he earned his DSc from DSU in 2014, he was no longer active in DegreeInfo.
