How to Get a Master's Degree in Network Administration

If you are planning on a career in network administration, you may have wondered about the merits of earning a master's in network administration. Deciding to pursue a master's in network administration could be a pivotal point in your career, so how should someone approach this decision? The best way to handle it is to do what you do best--rely on the same skills that made you a good fit for network administration in the first place.

A computer network is a series of different components which the administrator brings together to work effectively in conjunction with one another. Similarly, the decision to pursue a master's in network administration consists of many different components. You must approach each of those components individually to make the most informed choices and then bring the various components together so they operate as an effective decision process.

This guide can help you manage that decision process. The key components of that process are as follows:

• Understanding the nature of a master's in network administration. As a starting point, you should look at the field of network administration, the types of master's degrees available, and how a master's degree might help with your career.
• Researching an MS in network administration. If you decide to pursue an MS in network administration, or a similar degree in the field, the first step is research. You'll need an efficient way to gather all the information necessary to make an informed decision. This guide can point you towards some helpful sources of information.
• Evaluating graduate network administration programs. Your research gives you a variety of choices for on-campus and online master's degree programs. How do you decide which one is the best fit for you? This guide presents you with a list of decision criteria you can use to narrow down the field until you are left with a manageable number of choices.
• Applying to graduate schools in network administration. Applying to master's programs is often a competitive process which consists of a variety of different requirements. This guide helps you know what to expect so you can plan the application process carefully and make the best impression possible.
• Advancing your career in network administration. Earning a master's degree in network administration may be an important step forward, but there are other things you can do to advance your career. This guide concludes with some suggestions for actions you can take in addition to earning your master's degree.

Read More

How to Get a Master's Degree in Network Administration

If you are planning on a career in network administration, you may have wondered about the merits of earning a master's in network administration. Deciding to pursue a master's in network administration could be a pivotal point in your career, so how should someone approach this decision? The best way to handle it is to do what you do best--rely on the same skills that made you a good fit for network administration in the first place.

A computer network is a series of different components which the administrator brings together to work effectively in conjunction with one another. Similarly, the decision to pursue a master's in network administration consists of many different components. You must approach each of those components individually to make the most informed choices and then bring the various components together so they operate as an effective decision process.

This guide can help you manage that decision process. The key components of that process are as follows:

• Understanding the nature of a master's in network administration. As a starting point, you should look at the field of network administration, the types of master's degrees available, and how a master's degree might help with your career.
• Researching an MS in network administration. If you decide to pursue an MS in network administration, or a similar degree in the field, the first step is research. You'll need an efficient way to gather all the information necessary to make an informed decision. This guide can point you towards some helpful sources of information.
• Evaluating graduate network administration programs. Your research gives you a variety of choices for on-campus and online master's degree programs. How do you decide which one is the best fit for you? This guide presents you with a list of decision criteria you can use to narrow down the field until you are left with a manageable number of choices.
• Applying to graduate schools in network administration. Applying to master's programs is often a competitive process which consists of a variety of different requirements. This guide helps you know what to expect so you can plan the application process carefully and make the best impression possible.
• Advancing your career in network administration. Earning a master's degree in network administration may be an important step forward, but there are other things you can do to advance your career. This guide concludes with some suggestions for actions you can take in addition to earning your master's degree.

Those are the component parts of this decision process. If you are ready to bring those components together into a smoothly-operating operation, this guide can help you do that.

Understanding the Nature of a Master's in Network Administration

Perhaps the first thing you should know about a master's in network administration is that it might come under a variety of different titles. Relevant degrees include an MS in network administration, an MS in network architecture, an MS in information systems, an MS in networking and system administration, or even an MBA with a concentration in information systems. For the purpose of simplicity, this guide refers to the degree as an MS in network administration, but as you begin your decision process, keep an open mind about the variety of different forms the degree might actually take.

Just as there are a variety of relevant degrees, the job opportunities in network administration also take on many forms. Any medium-to-large organization with a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or virtual private network (VPN) is going to need someone to oversee the configuration and maintenance of that network. This can include corporations, academic institutions, not-for-profits, and government organizations. Besides working on a network from within the organization, you can also work for an independent information technology consulting company.

Why Should I Earn a Master's in Networking Administration?

With all this variety, the most prominent common denominator about careers in this field is that the job outlook is good, with above-average incomes and expected job growth. In fact, with so much demand for network administrators, a bachelor's degree may be sufficient to get you into the field. With that being the case, why pursue a master's in network administration? There are a few reasons:

• To maximize your earning potential. The bigger the organization, the more complex the network administration challenge is likely to be--and the more likely the organization may be to look for someone with an advanced degree to handle that challenge.
• To improve your prospects for promotion. At its simplest level, network administration can be a purely technical job, but more broadly-defined responsibilities for computer networks can include budgetary and supervisory aspects as well. An advanced degree can make you more qualified for these higher-level responsibilities.
• To establish credibility with peers and managers. As you rise to the higher levels of any organization, you are more likely to encounter peers and managers who have advanced degrees. Having a master's can help you be perceived as being on more of an equal footing with senior management.
• To impress potential consulting clients. If you work as an independent information technology consultant, having a master's degree can be an effective way of getting potential clients comfortable with your level of expertise.

There was a time when there might have been a conflict between getting your career underway and going on to pursue an advanced degree. However, now that you can earn a master's degree online, you don't have to put starting your career on hold in order to continue to build your credentials. In fact, an employer interested in developing in-house talent might even help pay for you to earn a master's degree online while you continue in your current role.

If you think an MS in network administration can help your career, you'll want to take the next step, which is to research programs offering that type of degree.

Researching an MS in Network Administration

Where do you begin to find out about an MS in network administration? To start, you'll want to keep an open mind about the exact title of the degree program, and start by casting as wide a net as possible. The following are some tools that can help:

• Online college guides and directories. Whether or not you intend to earn a master's degree online, an online resource like WorldWideLearn.com should help you start to identify some programs. They list both on-campus and online master's degree programs, as well as information about subjects such as financial aid and preparing for standardized tests.
• Publications which review college programs. Publications like Kiplinger's and US News & World Report release regular rankings of different colleges and degree programs, based on a variety of different criteria.
• The U.S. Department of Education. The Department of Education's Web site hosts information on a range of different educational topics. Of particular interest to someone considering graduate school should be sections on applying for federal financial aid, and on determining the accreditation status for specific degree programs.
• Individual college and university Web sites. These can contain a great deal of information, so don't make them your initial research source, but rather turn to them once you have narrowed down your list of candidate schools.

As any good network administrator knows, assembling information is one thing, but processing it is another. The most value is added in how information is processed, so next you want to look at some criteria for evaluating graduate network administration programs.

Evaluating Graduate Network Administration Programs

You may have some initial preferences, such as whether you want to attend graduate school on campus or earn a master's degree online. You may even have specific schools in mind from the start. Still, to be as objective as possible, it is best to start with an open mind toward the full field of possibilities, and then use a series of specific criteria to determine which schools should be eliminated from consideration.

The following are some criteria you can use for this process:

• Accreditation. It is very important that you do not waste your time on programs that do not meet widely-recognized accreditation standards. The U.S. Department of Education is a good source of information on accreditation status. You can also learn more about accreditation from WorldWideLearn.com.
• Cost. Early in the decision process you should do a reality check about which schools you can afford, but don't eliminate any school based on cost until you've researched your financial aid options. If cost remains a barrier, consider how you might save money if you attend graduate school part-time and/or earn a master's degree online.
• Admissions standards. Find out information on the percentage of applicants accepted, average test scores, and average undergraduate grade point averages. These can help you assess your chances of being accepted to a particular program or whether a program is challenging enough for you.
• Convenience. Factors such as whether there is an appropriate program in your area and scheduling flexibility may be important to your choice of master's programs. If these are issues, consider whether an online master's degree program might be the best option for you.
• Faculty. Factors such as the percentage of faculty with PhDs, the percentage of courses taught by full-time faculty, student/teacher ratio, and the publishing histories of faculty members can all give you a feel for the quality of a program's teachers.
• Reputation. Reading articles about a program and inquiring about the placement history of its graduates are examples of ways you can get a sense for how highly a program is regarded in the industry. If possible, ask recruiters and hiring managers who specialize in computer-related jobs how they view graduates of particular programs.
• Campus environment. For many people, the interaction and overall atmosphere of an on-campus environment is an important part of the educational experience. If you feel that way, as you get down to the final stages of your search, you might visit a few campuses to see if you like them. If you are earning an online master's in network administration, talking to current students can help you gauge the environment in which you'll be studying.

Using these criteria, you should aim to narrow the list of possibilities down to three or four target schools.

Applying to Graduate Schools in Network Administration

Having narrowed down your list of possible choices, you can now focus effectively on each school's application requirements. Also, since there is likely to be a cost associated with most applications, narrowing down your choices makes applying to graduate school more cost-effective as well.

The key to applying to graduate schools in network administration is time management. Each school's application process is likely to have multiple elements, some of which require a fair amount of lead time. Here are some of the things you might have to provide:

• Application forms. You may be able to fill these out online, but be sure to take the time to answer questions thoughtfully and proofread your responses carefully.
• Financial aid applications. Some of these can require detailed financial information, so be sure you leave yourself enough time to compile the necessary data.
• Academic transcripts. If you haven't done so already, be sure to check these for accuracy before you start forwarding them to graduate schools.
• Standardized test results. If a school requres you to take a standardized test like the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), think about leaving yourself enough time to re-take the exam if you are not satisfied with the initial results. Plan to take the GRE several months before your applications are due.
• Letters of recommendation. You'll get the best results from these if you prompt the writer with some ideas about what might be relevant to the application. Also, don't rush the writer by making your request at the last minute.

Start your application process by making a calendar of key dates based on the deadlines your target schools have for their submission requirements.

Advancing Your Career in Network Administration

Earning an MS in network administration can be a big step forward, but ultimately, career success is usually based on a combination of factors. Here are some things you can do along with earning your master's degree to enhance your career prospects:

• Read trade publications. Computer science is a fast-evolving field. If you are going to be successful in it, you have to make a commitment to actively stay abreast of new developments.
• Gain experience. If you haven't already worked in the field, try to gain some relevant experience while you pursue your master's degree, even if it's just a part-time job or an internship.
• Join an association of computer professionals. There are often local associations which allow computer professionals to exchange ideas and experiences. Besides helping you better understand the profession, attending these meetings can also be valuable opportunities to make new job contacts.

As with assembling a computer network, considering a master's degree in network administration consists of a variety of different elements. Each requires individual attention, but the real success lies in getting all the elements to work together toward a single purpose. Following the steps in this guide can help you toward successful decisions about continuing your education.

Sources

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Tech America
• Technology Association of Maine
• TimesJobs.com
• U.S. Department of Education

Collapse