I was considering getting a four-year IT degree at UMKC but I'm having second thoughts now that I've spoken to a counselor and found that even though I'm getting an AAS in IT from JCCC, none of the technical courses will transfer or count for anything. This is because UMKC's "IT" degree is actually a thinly disguised CIS degree with a bunch of business classes as well. Oh, and two actual technical IT courses thrown in so they can call it an Information Technology degree ("look! it has some IT classes!").
Not having been at UMKC for about a decade, I see this as interesting news. Back in the day, the true geeks had more authority than this. So what I'm hearing is that UMKC is churning out a generation of IT folks who believe they have technical knowledge but in fact are managers of the worst kind, because they have no technical knowledge yet believe they do?
Managers who actually have technical knowledge are the best.
Managers who have no technical knowledge can still be decent as managers, but such managers who only _think_ they have technical knowledge ... are no fun.
Sounds like the Bloch School of Business needs more Linux under the hood.
If UMKC has a presence at the ITEC show, encourage them to put more Linux classes (and machines) in their curriculum. I believe that Linux has a way of gracefully restoring order to a top-down managerial-heavy environment.
That oughta put the conversation back on topic. :-)
-Jared
UMKC is notorious for rejecting any credits it can. They've even refused to honor basic common level classes from Missouri Accredited schools, which they can't do according to their accreditation. I decided that I didn't want to fight that hard to get into a school with that kind of attitude, but it is possible to appeal their decisions. If they continue to be jerks you can petition the accrediting body that handles both schools.
Kansas State is a MUCH better school for IT. So's Rockhurst.
If you have any contacts at potential employers, or if you can manage to talk to some, ask them what they think.
I know that JCCC has a presence at the ITEC show and their IT degree program is tech heavy: Linux/UNIX (three courses of Linux required for the "UNIX Certificate" program, all using RedHat Enterprise Linux), Windows, Cisco, LAN Hardware and Cabling. Nothing like what you find at UMKC's "IT" degree program, which is why most of my classes won't transfer. The ones that do transfer are the "liberal arts" coursework.
Now if we can only arrange for the UMKC booth folks to meet the JCCC booth folks and not sneer at them.
--- Jared jared@hatwhite.com wrote:
If UMKC has a presence at the ITEC show, encourage them to put more Linux classes (and machines) in their curriculum. I believe that Linux has a way of gracefully restoring order to a top-down managerial-heavy environment.
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On 10/19/06, Leo Mauler webgiant@yahoo.com wrote:
UMKC's "IT" degree program
I took video production I and UMKC and was kind of startled to hear the professor explain that "We aren't teaching you to do video production; we're teaching you enough about video production that you will be able to intelligently assess a potential hire for a video production position."
I wish UMKC would stop trying to pretend it isn't a third-tier university and go back to the days when the students would proudly call it "high school with ashtrays" except then they would have to bring back the ashtrays.
To be fair, UMKC has always tried to maintain the accademic aloofness from technical colleges and hands-on, practical courses. They were somewhat looked down on for being a "City College" when they started out. So that's one reason they try not to accept anything that smacks of real-world work.
UMKC's undergrad programs mostly only exist to support the graduate programs where the real money is. You might be better off with a Baker or Ottowa program.
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David Nicol -
Jared -
Jonathan Hutchins -
Leo Mauler