Track: Cloud & DevOps
Focus: Infrastructure as Code, CI/CD, Multi-Cloud
Est. Cost: $337
Time to Complete: ~9 Months
Target Degree: B.A. in Liberal Arts, Specialization in Business Administration
Why: DevOps is about “Operations.” The Strategic IT and Ops Management courses in this track align directly with the Business Administration competency model.
Specialty Core (39 Credits)
Strategy: Understand DevOps culture and cloud native architecture.
| Course / Certification | Provider | Est. Cost | Credits | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUS303: Strategic IT | Saylor | $5 | 3 | Cloud Strategy/Costs |
| IBM DevOps & Engineering | IBM (Coursera) | ~$49 | 18 | CI/CD, Kubernetes, Docker |
| IBM Full Stack Cloud Development | IBM (Coursera) | ~$49 | 18 | Advanced Cloud Concepts |
Recommended Electives (15 Credits)
| Course Name | Provider | Cost | Credits | Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUS206: Mgmt Info Systems | Saylor | $5 | 3 | Systems Admin |
| Azure Administrator (AZ-104) | Microsoft (Exam) | $165 | 3 | Cert #1: Cloud Admin Gold Standard |
| Google Cloud Engineering | Google (Coursera) | ~$49 | 6 | Cert #2: GCP Infrastructure |
| CS402: Computer Comms | Saylor | $5 | 3 | Networking foundation |
Capstone Certification
Note: Capstone certifications are generally not ACE credit eligible and do not transfer as college credit. They are included as career-focused credentials that build your “Shield”—backing up your academic credentials with industry-recognized proof of technical competence that employers trust.
Recommended Capstone: AWS Solutions Architect Associate
| Provider | Amazon Web Services |
| Cost | $150 |
| ACE Credit | Possible - 3 |
Why this certification?
AWS Solutions Architect Associate is the gold standard for cloud roles. It’s the most requested cloud certification in job postings worldwide. Your IBM DevOps & Engineering and Full Stack Cloud Development coursework provides approximately 60% coverage of exam topics. This cert proves you can design and deploy scalable systems on the dominant cloud platform. This is your Shield—validating that your degree comes with real architectural skills.
Recommended Association
| Organization | CNCF (Cloud Native Computing Foundation) — Community Contributor |
| Cost | FREE |
| Website | cncf.io |
Why join? Contribute to open-source cloud-native projects (Kubernetes, Prometheus, etc.). No formal membership required—just start contributing on GitHub. Lists contributions on your profile and builds real credibility in the DevOps community.
Go Further. Pursue a Masters Degree at a fraction of the cost of traditional school. Save more money and time if you can speak spanish
Cloud & DevOps Track
| School | Program | Target Cost | High End Cost | Accreditation | NACES Eval? | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIA (Universidad Internacional de Andalucía) | Master in Digital Transformation | $1,500 | $3,000 | Spanish Public University - Official Master | Yes - WES or ECE | Business digital strategy; Spanish language |
| UNED (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia) | Master in Systems & Control Engineering | €1,200 | €2,500 | Spanish Public University - Official Master | Yes - WES or ECE | Systems engineering; Spanish language |
| Western Governors University | MS in DevOps Engineering, Software Engineering | $4,385 | $8,770 | NWCCU (US Regional) + NSA/DHS CAE-CD | No - US Regionally Accredited | Concentration for Software Engineering Program |
| Western Governors University | MS in Computer Science | $3,985 | $7,970 | NWCCU (US Regional) | No - US Regionally Accredited | AI, algorithms, systems focus |
| UNED | Master in Connected Industry | €1,200 | €2,500 | Spanish Public University - Official Master | Yes - WES or ECE | Spanish language; Industry 4.0/IoT focus |
| UNISA | Master of Science in Information Technology Management (90157) | ~$2,500 | ~$2,500 | South African Public University - Research/Dissertation | Yes - WES or ECE | Online distance learning; focuses on IT strategy and infrastructure |
Notes
Spanish Programs (UNIA, UNED): All Spanish programs require Spanish language proficiency and are taught entirely in Spanish. UNED and UNIA degrees may require NACES member evaluation for U.S. government jobs and some employers. Application processes can be challenging due to language barriers and documentation requirements.
WGU: U.S. regionally accredited with competency-based education (CBE) model for faster completion. NSA/DHS designation adds credibility for technical roles. Multiple specializations available within the Software Engineering program.
UNISA: South African institution offering research-focused master’s programs at low cost. Online distance learning format with dissertation requirement. Strong focus on IT management and infrastructure strategy.