iCarnegie Partnerships FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Questions we frequently receive about our partnership program and curriculum licensing include:
What types of schools are ideal partners for iCarnegie?
iCarnegie curriculum is applied to higher education and professional training programs in computer programming, software systems development, e-commerce development, and software engineering and project management. Related to those subject areas, iCarnegie is an excellent partner for schools or training partners that meet ANY of the following criteria:
iCarnegie maintains a global network of partners. Partner types include: community colleges, private for-profit career colleges, post-secondary technical schools, pre-university colleges, four-year colleges, universities, government-run training programs, and corporate training groups. Although each partner is unique in some way, they share the common characteristic of having chosen to license the iCarnegie courses because of the tremendous competitive advantage it gives them as trainers and educators.
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Some of these courses sound similar to what we have -- How is the iCarnegie curriculum different?
At initial glance, iCarnegie’s course titles and brief descriptions may sound similar - or even nearly identical -- to some of your existing courses. However, we find that more detailed discussions about each course provides a much better understanding of any differences in course philosophy, content, assignments, assessments, and outcomes.
For example, our “Database Systems” course may sound very standard based on the course title - but it would be a mistake to not look more closely at this course. In addition to teaching all the fundamental topics related to database systems, students enjoy the practical assignment of creating and testing an Amazon.com-like e-commerce bookstore that includes rich functionality for searching, ordering, and monitoring the shipment status of items. In the process, they gain hands-on exposure to modern software design and engineering practices found in the workplace.
Detailed courses descriptions are not provided on this website, but are made available during partnership evaluation discussions. At that time, we typically engage in a mutual curriculum review to determine which iCarnegie courses to offer to your students.
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Who teaches the courses?
Our partners are responsible for providing the instructors for each iCarnegie course they teach. As part of your partnership agreement, iCarnegie provides instructor orientation and preparation services prior to their first iCarnegie teaching experience.
The instructor orientation component can be conducted either at iCarnegie’s headquarters (which allows them to meet the course mentors in person) or at the partner’s location. During this time, the instructors learn about iCarnegie’s courses and how to use our web-based curriculum delivery system, grading tools, and student support features. The orientation can last 2-5 days, depending on the number of instructors and how many courses they will be teaching.
Instructor preparation requires the instructors to work through each iCarnegie course they will be teaching. It also includes mentoring from dedicated iCarnegie course experts and iCarnegie Instructor Certifications. Please visit our Instructor Training & Orientation page for more details.
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How is the curriculum delivered?
iCarnegie follows a curriculum delivery model that leverages web-based learning, traditional classroom instruction, and instructor support from iCarnegie course mentors. iCarnegie provides the course content, assessments, and exams via our own proprietary web-based system, while our education partners provide the instructors, classrooms, and labs to appropriately teach their local student markets. Although a distance learning model without the classroom component can be supported, iCarnegie and our partners find that classroom hours with knowledgeable instructors leads to higher student retention rates and overall better student performance.
For more details about our curriculum delivery model and its benefits for partners and students, please click here.
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How many classroom hours and independent study hours are needed for each course? How many credit hours should each course be?
iCarnegie’s courses, generally speaking, suggest approximately 40-50 classroom hours and 80-100 independent study hours (or a total of 120-150 hours). However, those time estimations also can be dependent on either or both (a) the knowledge and skill level of the students and (b) the amount of time students devote to the course relative to other obligations. For example, iCarnegie courses used in corporate training environments may be set up as two-week “boot camps,” where students already have enough IT (pre-requisite) experience to allow for a faster-paced course delivery.
In all cases, iCarnegie flexibly works with each partner to determine the appropriate mix of classroom vs. independent study time allocations.
Credit hours received for iCarnegie courses are typically 3 or 4 credit hours.
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What if we want to add some topics that are not in your current course offerings?
Partners are free to augment iCarnegie courses with additional content or modules that may be necessary for their local markets. As interest in new topics grows, iCarnegie considers these trends and partners’ suggestions for future curriculum enhancements.
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Do we need to offer all of the iCarnegie courses?
No. Partners should work with iCarnegie to determine the right mix of courses to offer to your local student markets. There is a high level of flexibility in how to create the right “package” of courses and certifications that meet training needs.
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What are the iCarnegie certificates and how do those credentials benefit students?
iCarnegie’s certificates are awarded in Computer Programming and Software Systems Development, based on how many iCarnegie courses and exams are successfully completed. iCarnegie certificates measure the students’ level of knowledge related to software development concepts and practical “hands on” skills in creating professional-grade software applications. As such, iCarnegie certificates represent long-term career preparation, rather than vendor-specific technologist training.
Whether offered alone or with a diploma or degree from the education partner, iCarnegie certificates are an excellent credential and are considered an added value to participating in the iCarnegie curriculum.
iCarnegie certificates bear the brand of “iCarnegie, curriculum powered by Carnegie Mellon,” and may optionally include the education partner’s logo as well. The certificates are sent out via postal mail to the students upon successful completion of their certification exams.
To learn more about how the certificates are awarded, please visit our Certifications page.
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What is Carnegie Mellon’s involvement, and do they recognize any of the courses for transfer credits?
Carnegie Mellon’s faculty from the world-renowned School of Computer Science have been involved in the development of iCarnegie courses since the company’s inception as a subsidiary of the University. Faculty members were engaged to develop each of iCarnegie’s 10 courses in the Software Systems Development curriculum. Since then, Carnegie Mellon faculty have been providing ongoing course consultation, as well as assistance in developing new “hands on” practical assignments for students. Carnegie Mellon’s provost is a member of iCarnegie’s board of directors, and iCarnegie executives are involved in various committee memberships at Carnegie Mellon, including the Dean’s Advisory Board for the School of Computer Science.
Transfer credits: Students who are admitted into Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science undergraduate program would receive transfer credit for most of the iCarnegie Software Systems Development (SSD) courses in which they certify. Most courses qualify as elective credits, and SSD3, 5, and 7 carry transfer credits for core degree courses.
In addition, students who successfully certify in iCarnegie’s complete 10-course SSD program and who are admitted to the Software Design and Management track of the MSIT program at Carnegie Mellon University are eligible to receive advanced standing. The advanced standing makes it possible for a student to complete the MSIT program in two semesters, rather than the normal three.
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What do our instructors, classrooms, and students need in order to participate in iCarnegie courses?
Instructors of iCarnegie courses must complete iCarnegie orientation and pre-classroom preparation. (Visit our Instructor Training & Orientation page for more information.)
Technical requirements for computers that access the iCarnegie courses can be found at our Technical Requirements page.
Pre-requisite education and training for students taking the iCarnegie courses should include Algebra II as well as familiarity with using a computer and navigating the World Wide Web. Course-specific pre-requisites are generally at the discretion of our partners, but iCarnegie provides guidelines on the skills and education necessary for admission into each of our 10 courses.
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What is the employment outlook for students of programming and software development curriculum?
While employment situations vary from region to region, the worldwide software development industry - whether small businesses or multinational corporations - is in serious need of experienced software programming and engineering professionals. Employers are looking for professionals who know more than just basic programming skills - they require knowledge of software engineering methods, project management, architecture and design, quality assurance and testing, and the ability to easily learn new technologies and programming languages.
In the USA, for example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks Computer Software Engineers as the #1 fastest-growing profession through the year 2010. Job websites Monster.com and Dice.com have recently reported the largest number of IT job postings since 2000.
iCarnegie students and certificate holders are finding employment and career advancement worldwide. They are working for small businesses, consulting firms, multinationals, government, education, and even for themselves - as independent consultants or by starting their own software enterprises. They hold positions as programmers/analysts, software engineers, software project managers, IT directors, information associates, web applications developers, software consultants, and many other functions.
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What marketing and other support does iCarnegie provide?
iCarnegie works directly with each partner to develop locally appropriate marketing plans, in which iCarnegie helps to support through joint marketing and PR activities. iCarnegie partners have access to a web-based Partner Marketing Kit that includes guidelines, templates, and examples of partner marketing materials to promote the iCarnegie courses. iCarnegie also conducts periodic marketing events for it partners.
Additional support provided to iCarnegie partners may include program management support, curriculum planning guidance, and help in developing business relationships and articulation agreements.
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