All students are required to pass a certification review in order to receive the degree or certificate. The review will evaluate a student’s IT Technical and Professional skills through a portfolio of projects that will be presented to a committee and through a hands-on scenario task that requires students to apply their knowledge of configuring and troubleshooting operating systems, hardware, and networks; as well as, demonstrating professional practices.
If a student doesn’t pass the certification review, they will need to revise and resubmit their work until it is satisfactory.
The ITS Certification Review is offered every spring semester and students should plan to complete their certification review in the spring semester that proceeds the semester they plan to graduate.
The ITS Certification Review is comprised of the following three major tasks.
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Virtual Imagination Job Announcement
You will apply for a technical support position with a fictitious company named Virtual Imagination. Your completed application (cover letter and resume) will also serve as your application for the certification review.
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Hands-on Scenario Task
You will complete a hands-on scenario task designed to evaluate your IT technical and documentation skills. A Hands-on Scenario Preparation Guide is available online to help you prepare for the types of tasks that may appear on the actual hands-on scenario.
- Professional Portfolio
You will create a portfolio of information designed to evaluate to your IT application skills and professional practices. You will present your portfolio to a review committee as a way to document your human relation skills. A Portfolio Presentation Preparation Guide is available online with a detailed description of the task you need to complete for your portfolio.
Our expectation is that you treat the Certification Review as though you were applying for a real position. Every task you complete should be done in a professional and thoughtful manner that reflects pride, that is accurate, that is formatted professionally, and that has no spelling or grammar errors.
When you show up to complete your hands-on scenario task, you should show up with all the tools you would bring if you were going to a client's office to work on their computer. Bring your tool kit, extra disks, and any resources required to deal with any PC configuration, troubleshooting, or repair situation.
When you show up for the portfolio presentation, show up on time and prepared to present the items in your portfolio.
Specific information about how student will be evaluated is available in the ITS Certification Review Rubric.
What will happen when the certification review is complete?
The committee will write recommendations based upon your portfolio presentation and hand-on scenario. The committee will make one of the following recommendations:
- The review was passed and you are ready for graduation.
- The review was passed, contingent upon redoing specific parts of your presentation and resubmitting them to a committee member. When the revisions are submitted and approved you will be approved for graduation.
- You will be approved for graduation contingent upon taking recommended classes that will address deficiencies that were documented during the certification review process.
- You must retake the certification review test. You will need to prepare for and retake the certification review test. The committee will make specific recommendations for preparation.
Professional Portfolio Development Class
CIOS 275 Professional Portfolio Preparation is a class designed to help guide you in the development of your portfolio and review the skills necessary to pass the IT Certification Review. In addition to the preparing for the review, you will develop skills and portfolios that will be valuable to future job searches.
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