What to Expect from the Networking Technology Degree from Bryant & Stratton College

Before you choose an IT degree, you need to decide what type of technology you want to grow your career in.

If you enjoy working with the physical devices that carry internet into your home and to your computer, networking is the field for you. Network professionals move internet traffic through routers, modems and in and out of internal and external networks through buildings and across cities.

The level of degree you pursue will help you move up in the field.

At Bryant & Stratton, IT students can pursue an associate degree in networking technology as an online student in any state. The degree can be completed quickly, in just 20 months and is enough to help you win a position on most IT help desks in any industry.

The degree requires 32 credit hours and covers topics such as computing skills, routers, switches, hardware, network systems and network design. Never heard of any of those topics? You are not alone.

“Most of my students have no experience whatsoever,” said Sherry Desbrough, IT Networking/Security instructor.

Desbrough said that the material may seem overwhelming to a new student, but with focus and balance, the degree can be managed, even with a full-time schedule at home and work.

” Each course is very doable if you have good time management skills,” she said. “I have students that work full-time and have kids, and I did it myself when I went back to school, so I know it can be done.”

The goal of the program is not just for graduates to earn their associate degree but also for students to take, and pass the Network+ exam, the gold standard for professionals in the IT world.

Professionals who hold that certification are easily able to prove to potential employers that they have the basic skills needed for the trade.

“That shows they can do the entry level security or networking functions,” Desbrough said.

Students who pursue the Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology will also be prepared to take the Network+ exam. However, the extra course work, and a full 62 credits, will also help students to tackle entry level management roles.

This is because in additional to the technical courses, students will study management principles, accounting principles, operations management and other business-minded courses.

The bachelor’s degree program is not offered as an online program and is currently only offered at campuses in Wisconsin and Ohio.

Daniel Butler, networking and security instructor, said the higher degrees are the key to winning management positions.

“To move up chain having that bachelor’s or even having that master’s degree opens up more opportunities in the field,” he said.