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Frequently Asked Questions
What are my courses like? All courses within the Department are in a lecture/lab environment. At least 50% of the assigned class times are spent in hands-on activities. These hands-on activities are implementations of the topics discussed in the lectures. Students may work individually or as part of a team in the lab environment, dependant on the particular activity. Sufficient equipment is in place so there is no need for sharing of equipment. All students are engaged in the activities at the same time.
What type of equipment will I use? As stated earlier, the coursework in our Department is rich in laboratory experiences with state-of-the-art industry hardware and software. A server lab has installed current versions of Windows and Windows Server, Novell, and various distros of Linux. Each student has a number of servers at their command for configuration at any time. The Cisco Academy lab is equipped with many different models of routers and switches. Other hardware devices include: Dedicated security firewall appliances, Wireless APs and bridges, WAN emulators, various modules and devices for IP Telephony, fiber and copper meters, testers, and certifiers… Classroom PCs with current installations of Web development software and programming languages.
What about certification? Do I get those through the school? Many of our courses prepare students to be successful in taking industry recognized certification exams; however the student is responsible for signing up with outside testing centers to complete the exams.
What are some of industry certifications that I will be prepared for? Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
I took Cisco courses in High School, can I transfer them? Most likely yes. Many schools have adopted the Cisco Networking Academy courses, particularly at the CCNA level. If you have completed any of these courses at another school, and received a grade of B or higher, you may be able to transfer those courses to Montana Tech. Check with an advisor.
It says that you are a Cisco Regional Academy. What does that mean? Besides preparing college students for careers in the IT industry using Cisco approved curriculum materials and equipment, we are also responsible for training teachers to teach these courses at other institutions. We Train the Trainers.
How does Network Technology compare with other Computer degrees? The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the Association for Information Systems (AIS), and the Computer Society (IEEE-CS), describe five computing disciplines: Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, and Information Technology. Our program is a specialty area of Information Technology. IT, as an academic discipline, is concerned with issues related to advocating for users and meeting their needs within an organizational and societal context through the selection, creation, application, integration and administration of computing technologies.
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