| Information
Technology Education in the US
Table
of Contents
Non-Degree
IT Courses
What is Certification?
Obtaining Certification
The Certification
Exam(s)
Expenses
Visas
Resources
This
handout is designed to provide basic information regarding
non-degree information technology courses and
certification.
Non-Degree
IT Courses
Information
technology (IT) training courses are available across
the United States, with a wide range of courses and
certification options. Some courses have prerequisites,
while others are designed as beginning courses for
individuals who do not have a background in computer
science. Additionally, some certification programmes
are designed as a single component in a larger degree
programme. For information about comprehensive computer
science master’s programmes, please see our EAS
Guide to Postgraduate Study in the US.
What
is Certification?
Certification
usually entails sitting one or more exams that assess
your skills in a particular area. After passing the
exams, you receive a certificate that states you are
qualified to deal with problems that might arise when
using particular software, hardware, etc.
There
are hundreds of areas in which you can achieve certification,
including networking, programming, technical support
and maintenance. Some of the more popular certification
vendors are Microsoft, Novell,
IBM, CompTIA and Cisco. Before you attempt certification,
you need to assess your need for certification. You
may not even need a certificate if you have extensive
work experience. However, if you are just starting
in a technology-related field, certification may give
you the edge over other job applicants. To determine
your certification needs, speak with colleagues and
potential employers to ascertain their expectations
and requirements.
Obtaining
Certification
The
first step in obtaining certification is deciding
what type of certification you need or wish to obtain
and learning about the course and examination involved.
Certification providers normally have extensive web
sites that thoroughly explain the content of the exams.
Deciding
how to Study for the Certification Exam
For
each type of certification, there are a variety of
study options, including instructor-led courses, computer-based
training, on-line training and self-paced training
(in which you motivate yourself using books and computer
software). In choosing a certification training programme,
you should consider how you learn best, the length
of the course, location, type of certification offered,
reputation of the certification trainer and cost.
With
all types of courses, students should investigate
the reputation and legitimacy of the programme before
applying by checking with the certification vendor.
The vendor web sites contain lists of authorised
training providers, and often have search engines
for training providers in different regions of the
US.
Instructor-led
certification training courses usually consist of
a group of classes (modules) that prepare students
for specific types of certification exams. The courses
are typically offered by independent training organisations,
and can vary tremendously in cost and duration.
Many
certification courses are also offered on-line. Students
can avoid any visa application problems by taking
a distance course. Self-paced training is the least
expensive option for exam preparation. Authorised
trainers often sell manuals and instruction books
that are considered sufficient preparation for certification
exams. Because of the more unstructured nature of
distance and self-paced training courses, students
should carefully consider their study skills and how
they learn best before enrolling.
The
Certification Exam(s)
The
exams that actually grant certification are administered
separately from the training courses. Each certification
provider links to exam registration information from
its web site. Please note that both the certification
exams as well as training courses are offered in the
US as well as in other countries around the world.
For example, you may choose to do your training in
the US and then take the certification exam in the
UK (or vice versa).
Expenses
The
cost of certification exams is usually close to US$100,
although exam costs can range from US$68-US$1000.
Also, you may have to take more than one exam to attain
the complete certification. The cost of training courses
also varies tremendously because of the wide range
of duration and intensity of courses.
Visas
For
further questions or clarification about visa requirements,
contact the US Embassy, as it is the official source
of information on visa regulations (US Embassy, Visa
Branch, 5 Upper Grosvenor Street, London W1A 2JB;
Operator Assisted Visa Information Telephone Service,
£1.50/minute: 09061 500 590, web site: www.usembassy.org.uk).
The following information is taken from the US
Embassy web site:
If
you wish to pursue a course of study that is not
principally academic in nature at an established
vocational or other recognised non-academic institution,
you need an M-1 student visa to travel to the US.
To obtain an M-1 visa, you need to obtain a Form
I-20M, entitled Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant
(M-1) Student Status, from the institution that
you plan to attend. If the institution cannot issue
the appropriate I-20 form, you cannot participate
in the programme at that institution. Therefore,
you need to enquire at each individual institution
as to whether it can issue an I-20 form.
Additional
Resources
Other
On-Line Resources
General
Sites
Beginner's
Guide to Certification
(click on Certification Guide)
A comprehensive certification overview, with guidelines,
descriptions, advantages and disadvantages of certification
programmes.
EarthWeb
A resource on over 400 types of certification from
over 40 vendors, with descriptions, costs, requirements,
perks and contact information.
IT
Education and Training Gateway
A guide to free on-line training courses, on-line
support, course and programme searches and links to
training sites.
Certification
Vendors
Cisco
CompTIA
IBM
Microsoft
Novell
Off-Line
Resources
The US Educational Advisory Service's reference
library contains several directories concerning computer
science and information technology education in the
US (see below) and catalogues from US universities.
You are welcome to consult these materials during
our opening hours.
Specific
resources for computer science education available
in the EAS library are as follows:
-
Computer
Science and Electrical Engineering Programs.
Princeton, New Jersey: Peterson's.
-
Postgraduate
Computer Science, Mathematics and Information
Technology Studies in Europe and North America.
London: Edition XII Limited.
-
Vocational
and Technical Schools. Princeton, New Jersey:
Peterson's.
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