Informed my employer has tuition reimbursement for a Masters (or Ph.D.) in IT Security...

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Informed my employer has tuition reimbursement for a Masters (or Ph.D.) in IT Security...

Posted: 4/2/2017 9:29:39 PM EDT

I am currently working on my ISC² CISSP. Boss walks up and says, "We'll pay for you to get a Masters in IT Security or similar. Oh, you already have your Masters? We'd pay for a Ph.D."

If I have the ability to work on a free Masters in IT Security, which one would you guys recommend? Are any of them worth anything?

(PS: I have no desire to do a Ph.D., thesis writing/defense, etc. )

Posted: 4/4/2017 9:19:37 AM EDT

[#1]

check the fine print on that.
anything past a BS where I work required like promised time after or you have to pay it back.
something like having to work an additional 2 or 4 years after the degree was completed or you owed the company money.

Posted: 4/4/2017 9:23:30 AM EDT

[#2]

Quote History

Quoted:
check the fine print on that.
anything past a BS where I work required like promised time after or you have to pay it back.
something like having to work an additional 2 or 4 years after the degree was completed or you owed the company money.

View Quote

Also at my company you pay the cost upfront and then submit for reimbursement at the end of each semesters.

Posted: 4/4/2017 10:48:51 AM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
Also at my company you pay the cost upfront and then submit for reimbursement at the end of each semesters.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
check the fine print on that.
anything past a BS where I work required like promised time after or you have to pay it back.
something like having to work an additional 2 or 4 years after the degree was completed or you owed the company money.

Also at my company you pay the cost upfront and then submit for reimbursement at the end of each semesters.

Done and done.

I have the ability to work on a free Masters in IT Security, which one would you guys recommend? Are any of them worth anything?

Posted: 4/4/2017 2:55:49 PM EDT

[#4]

so I guess it depends on where you are going.
the 2 most looked for that I have seen were the ethical hacking type pen testing.
I have seen the ads, and noted the shortage at work. back log is crazy to get someone to do any security checks.
Whatever gets you in that boat seems to be the ticket.

Posted: 4/18/2017 5:23:30 AM EDT

[#5]

Look into SANS MA. Primarily based on their GIAC training so you get the MA and the certs.

Posted: 4/27/2017 9:11:33 PM EDT

[#6]

$5250 is the max reimbursement you can get, or the IRS will come get its due.

Posted: 5/1/2017 6:19:58 PM EDT

[#7]

No recommendation- Thumbs up on a great employer and opportunity.

Posted: 5/2/2017 11:58:25 AM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
$5250 is the max reimbursement you can get, or the IRS will come get its due.

View Quote

That's per year right, not lifetime?

Posted: 5/3/2017 9:51:51 AM EDT

[#9]

get into forensics , more secure position .

Posted: 5/3/2017 11:40:22 AM EDT

[#10]

This is relevant to my interests (sorry for co-op'ing your thread, OP).

I've been in the industry for about 20-25 years, but it has been nearly as long since I graduated. What's the difference in a masters degre and a masters certificate?

Posted: 5/5/2017 6:03:30 AM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
This is relevant to my interests (sorry for co-op'ing your thread, OP).

I've been in the industry for about 20-25 years, but it has been nearly as long since I graduated. What's the difference in a masters degre and a masters certificate?

View Quote

Certificates are generally a couple of classes in a particular area.

Posted: 5/5/2017 10:21:46 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
Certificates are generally a couple of classes in a particular area.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
This is relevant to my interests (sorry for co-op'ing your thread, OP).

I've been in the industry for about 20-25 years, but it has been nearly as long since I graduated. What's the difference in a masters degre and a masters certificate?

Certificates are generally a couple of classes in a particular area.

Any value in them, or do you need the full boat? (see what I did there?)

After floating through so many jobs over the years, I find it hard to pin down my specific skills. At the same time, I have a huge wealth of experience from almost every part of the business: IT, development, product design/management, tech sales, SE, complex solution design, services delivery and client sat/advocacy.

I think my goal for going back to school would be to fill any gaps and add some quantifiable skills/knowledge to replace all my technical certs that have aged out (Microsoft, Checkpoint, Nortel).

Posted: 5/5/2017 11:34:41 AM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
Any value in them, or do you need the full boat? (see what I did there?)

After floating through so many jobs over the years, I find it hard to pin down my specific skills. At the same time, I have a huge wealth of experience from almost every part of the business: IT, development, product design/management, tech sales, SE, complex solution design, services delivery and client sat/advocacy.

I think my goal for going back to school would be to fill any gaps and add some quantifiable skills/knowledge to replace all my technical certs that have aged out (Microsoft, Checkpoint, Nortel).

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
This is relevant to my interests (sorry for co-op'ing your thread, OP).

I've been in the industry for about 20-25 years, but it has been nearly as long since I graduated. What's the difference in a masters degre and a masters certificate?

Certificates are generally a couple of classes in a particular area.

Any value in them, or do you need the full boat? (see what I did there?)

After floating through so many jobs over the years, I find it hard to pin down my specific skills. At the same time, I have a huge wealth of experience from almost every part of the business: IT, development, product design/management, tech sales, SE, complex solution design, services delivery and client sat/advocacy.

I think my goal for going back to school would be to fill any gaps and add some quantifiable skills/knowledge to replace all my technical certs that have aged out (Microsoft, Checkpoint, Nortel).

I've never seen a job advertisement that asks for one...

I guess it's the kind of continuing education you could use to show some education in a specific part of a field, but I suspect they're not terribly valuable otherwise. They're not comparable to a degree.

Posted: 5/5/2017 12:51:15 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
I've never seen a job advertisement that asks for one...

I guess it's the kind of continuing education you could use to show some education in a specific part of a field, but I suspect they're not terribly valuable otherwise. They're not comparable to a degree.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
This is relevant to my interests (sorry for co-op'ing your thread, OP).

I've been in the industry for about 20-25 years, but it has been nearly as long since I graduated. What's the difference in a masters degre and a masters certificate?

Certificates are generally a couple of classes in a particular area.

Any value in them, or do you need the full boat? (see what I did there?)

After floating through so many jobs over the years, I find it hard to pin down my specific skills. At the same time, I have a huge wealth of experience from almost every part of the business: IT, development, product design/management, tech sales, SE, complex solution design, services delivery and client sat/advocacy.

I think my goal for going back to school would be to fill any gaps and add some quantifiable skills/knowledge to replace all my technical certs that have aged out (Microsoft, Checkpoint, Nortel).

I've never seen a job advertisement that asks for one...

I guess it's the kind of continuing education you could use to show some education in a specific part of a field, but I suspect they're not terribly valuable otherwise. They're not comparable to a degree.

Makes sense.

Posted: 5/5/2017 1:04:28 PM EDT

[#15]

Read the fine print on how long you have to stay after
But its great to get a Master on the job

Posted: 5/9/2017 1:20:50 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
That's per year right, not lifetime?

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
$5250 is the max reimbursement you can get, or the IRS will come get its due.

That's per year right, not lifetime?

I do believe it is per year.

Posted: 5/20/2017 8:07:33 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
I do believe it is per year.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
$5250 is the max reimbursement you can get, or the IRS will come get its due.

That's per year right, not lifetime?

I do believe it is per year.

It's per year. The issue is your company can provide tuition assistance up to that amount, then after that amount it gets taxed. Your company will takes out the taxed amount then you have to cover the remainder.

I'm on my last year of an employer paid Masters program.

Posted: 5/28/2017 11:17:22 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:

It's per year. The issue is your company can provide tuition assistance up to that amount, then after that amount it gets taxed. Your company will takes out the taxed amount then you have to cover the remainder.

I'm on my last year of an employer paid Masters program.

View Quote

It's per year however upto 10k for a graduate program. Have to pay tax after that.

My employer had no fine print however even if they do... who cares. Opportunities will open up with higher education