WGU IT Data Management Degree Plan
Degree Plan[edit | edit source]
Here is a Degree plan for Western Governors University (WGU) as of approximately June of 2023. Please make sure that the suggestions are still valid before beginning to follow this plan.
The alternative credit courses were handpicked using experience from previous students as to what courses will be the easiest and quickest courses to take. In places with multiple courses listed, the first course is assumed to be the fastest/easiest course to take.
Doing Certifications at WGU vs Transferring Them In[edit | edit source]
Certifications are free at WGU, so it's optional if you want to pay the fees to transfer in certifications.
You would want to do certifications outside WGU if:
- You wanted to maximize the 90 credits of transfer credits
- You were trying to do a WGU degree in 1 term or few terms as possible
Tips on Order in Which to Complete Courses[edit | edit source]
Start with Sophia, do English Composition first. Unfortunately, Sophia only allows 2 courses open at one time, so after you start English Comp, do a course that doesn't have any touchstones (written assignments). Once done with Sophia, start doing Study.com courses.
How Long Will It Take To Complete This Degree Once I Finish All the Alterative Credits?[edit | edit source]
How long to complete depends on various factors such as experience, time commitment, the efficiency of studying, etc. However, considering you spend at least 20 hours a week on your studies, completing this degree should take 1-2 terms.
Source of Credit[edit | edit source]
This degree plan was made using this source to map out all the alternative credits.
General Education Requirements[edit | edit source]
| Course | Competency
Units Value |
Course
Provider |
Course Name | WGU Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composition: Writing with a Strategy | 3 | Sophia | English Composition I | 3 |
| Critical Thinking and Logic | 3 | Sophia | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| Technical Communication | 3 | Study.com | English 305: Advanced Technical Writing | 3 |
| Introduction to Communication | 3 | Sophia | Pubic Speaking, Workplace Communication, Business Communication | 3 |
| Introduction to Humanities | 3 | Sophia | Visual Communications
(Lots of other options from Sophia) |
3 |
| Ethics in Technology | 3 | |||
| American Politics and the US Constitution | 3 | Sophia | U.S. Government | 3 |
| Introduction to Geography | 3 | Sophia | US History II
(Lots of other options from Sophia) |
3 |
| Applied Algebra | 3 | Sophia | College Algebra | 3 |
| Applied Probability and Statistics | 3 | Sophia | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| Integrated Physical Sciences | 3 | Sophia | Environmental Science | 3 |
| Natural Science Lab | 2 | Sophia | Human Biology Lab, Introduction to Chemistry Lab, Microbiology Lab | 2 |
| Totals | 35 | 32 |
Core Courses[edit | edit source]
| Course | Competency
Units Value |
Course
Provider |
Course Name | WGU Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to IT | 4 | Sophia | Introduction to Information Technology | 4 |
| Data Management - Foundations | 3 | Study.com or Sophia | Computer Science 107: Database Fundamentals,
Introduction to Relational Databases |
3 |
| Network and Security - Foundations | 3 | Study.com | Computer Science 108: Introduction to Networking | 3 |
| Scripting and Programming - Foundations | 3 | Study.com | Computer Science 109: Introduction to Programming, or
Computer Science 115: Programming in Java, |
3 |
| Web Development Foundations | 3 | Sophia | Introduction to Web Development | 3 |
| Business of IT - Applications | 4 | ITIL | ITIL Foundations Cert | 4 |
| Totals | 20 | 20 |
Additional Courses[edit | edit source]
| Course | Competency
Units Value |
Course
Provider |
Course Name | WGU Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Management - Applications | 4 | Study.com | Computer Science 204: Database Programming | 4 |
| Advanced Data Management | 3 | Study.com | Computer Science 303: Database Management | 3 |
| Data Systems Administration | 3 | |||
| Scripting and Programming - Applications | 4 | |||
| Data Structures and Algorithms | 4 | Study.com | Computer Science 201: Data Structures & Algorithms
(Take Java first since the assignment is in Java) |
4 |
| Introduction to Programming in Python | 3 | uDacity or Sophia | uDacity Data Analytics Nano degree or Intro to Python | 3 |
| Business of IT - Project Management | 4 | Sophia | Project Management | 4 |
| Introduction to Spreadsheets | 1 | |||
| Data and Information Governance | 2 | |||
| IT Leadership Foundations | 3 | Sophia | Principles of Management | 3 |
| Networks | 4 | |||
| Introduction to Data Science | 4 | uDacity | uDacity Data Analytics Nano Degree or uDacity Intro to Machine Learning | 4 |
| Data Wrangling | 3 | uDacity | uDacity Data Analytics Nano Degree or uDacity Intro to Machine Learning | 3 |
| Data Analysis with R | 2 | uDacity | uDacity Data Analytics Nano Degree or uDacity Intro to Machine Learning | 2 |
| Machine Learning | 3 | uDacity | uDacity Data Analytics Nano Degree or uDacity Intro to Machine Learning | 3 |
| Data Visualization | 2 | uDacity | uDacity Data Analytics Nano Degree or uDacity Intro to Machine Learning | 2 |
| Data Analytics | 4 | |||
| IT Foundations | 4 | CompTIA | CompTIA A+ | 4 |
| IT Applications | 4 | CompTIA | CompTIA A+ | 4 |
| Total | 61 | 43 |
Non-Transferable Courses[edit | edit source]
| Course | Competency
Units Value |
Course
Provider |
Course Name | WGU Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Management Capstone | 4 | |||
| Version Control | 1 | |||
| Totals | 5 | 0 |
Total Transfer Credit[edit | edit source]
| Course | Competency
Units Value |
Course
Provider |
Course Name | WGU
Transfer Credit (Max 90cr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 35 | 32 | ||
| Core Courses | 20 | 20 | ||
| Additional Courses | 61 | 43 | ||
| Non-Transferable Courses | 5 | 0 | ||
| Total | 121 | 95 |
*To copy this degree plan, hold down left mouse button, drag to select tables, then copy/paste (CTR+C/CTR+P) to Sheets or Excel.