Students: Advising

Advising

The goal of the advising selector is to provide you as a student with a simple, streamlined method to determine the specific type of advising you may need.

Advising options for STI students:

1. New Student Orientation; General Questions
2. Required Courses MSISM
3. Required Courses MSISE
4. Mapping out your Education Plans at STI; Scheduling Courses
5. CPR 581 Joint Written Project
6. CPR 580 Group Discussion & Written Project
7. Gold Papers
8. Presentations CPR 582 and CPR 583
9. Faculty Advising / Mentoring

New Student Orientation; General Questions

Contact Diane Sardi

• info@sans.edu
• Phone: 855-6-SANS-ED (855-672-6733)

If you have a question you would like to discuss with the Informal Student Mentor (rather than with STI Staff), provide info@sans.edu with your email address and we will ask the Informal Student Mentor, who is a STI Student, to contact you.

Have you read STI's Mission Statement below?

The mission of SANS Technology Institute (STI) is to develop the information security technology leaders needed to help strengthen the information community all over the world by improving the security of cyberspace. STI seeks to prepare both the managers of information security groups and the technical leaders who direct security technology programs. The Institute's primary functional emphasis is instruction, but the Institute faculty and students will engage in research and public service programs.

Have you read Stephen Northcutt's leadership essay?

http://www.sans.edu/resources/leadershiplab/leadership_essay.php.

Have you read STI's Consistent Leadership Policy below?

Leaders accomplish their goals despite problems they encounter. They do what it takes, within reason and the law, to make sure a task gets completed. The SANS Technology Institute offers outstanding instruction and individual student support, but neither our faculty nor our administrative staff will solve a student's problems for them. For example, if a student tries to put the responsibility for finding a proctor, or paying for the course on the College, they will be reminded we have a "Consistent Leadership Policy."

Have you read it?

Acceptable methods of taking courses are described at http://www.sans.edu/academics/course-delivery-options

Have you read the following information about exams and tips?

A lot of study and preparation time is needed to be successful on exams. See http://www.giac.org/certifications/get-certified/steps. It contains tips for how to be successful.

Has your library/media fee of $50 been paid?

It is due within 2 weeks after admittance. Mail check to 8120 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 205, Bethesda, MD 20814 or call in with credit card information to 301-654-7267.

Required Courses - MSISM

Contact Diane Sardi

• info@sans.edu
• Phone: 855-6-SANS-ED (855-672-6733)

MSISM

For the MSISM curriculum, see http://www.sans.edu/academics/curricula/msism and http://www.sans.edu/academics/community-project-requirements.

Required Courses - MSISE

Contact Diane Sardi

• info@sans.edu
• Phone: 855-6-SANS-ED (855-672-6733)

MSISE

For the MSISM curriculum, see http://www.sans.edu/academics/curricula/msise and http://www.sans.edu/academics/community-project-requirements.

Mapping out your education plans at STI; Scheduling Courses

Contact Diane Sardi

• info@sans.edu
• Phone: 855-6-SANS-ED (855-672-6733)

Registering for courses

This paragraph applies to STI students admitted AFTER November 1, 2011.
The STI student should contact info@sans.edu for instructions on how to register.

This paragraph ONLY applies to STI students admitted BEFORE November 2, 2011.
The STI student will register the same way that student has registered in the past until April 2, 2012. Starting April 2, 2012, the student will register in a different way; the student should contact info@sans.edu for instructions on how to register. Additional information is provided in the lower section of http://www.sans.edu/admissions/tuition.

	Winter	Spring	Summer	Fall
Large Events	SANS Annual	Security West	SANSFIRE/NS	SANS CDI
1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year
4th Year
5th Year

Visit SANS full schedule page to see where and when live learning events are held. Above column titles are estimated times of year.

Visit SANS Course Picker page to see where and when and what method specific courses are offered.

CPR 581 Joint Written Project

Contact Diane Sardi

• info@sans.edu
• Phone: 855-6-SANS-ED (855-672-6733)

It is highly recommended that students take MGT 525 Project Management and Effective Communications for Security Professionals and Managers before starting the Joint Written Project. Working with at least one other student as his or her partner(s), the JWP is assigned by the faculty of SANS Technology Institute via email to the student partners. For the assignment, a senior staff member will select a Learning Objective for the team. The Learning Objective will have an associated Outcome. In general, the team will:

• Perform a critical analysis of the Learning Objective.
• Perform a gap analysis and determine the project steps to improve the Learning Objective. A gap analysis means the team determines where they are and where they want to be.
• Conduct original research on new developments that may have altered the subject matter.
• Write and submit the project results for evaluation and grading.

Students need to contact info@sans.edu when they are close to being ready to do this project so that STI can see if another student wishes to be a partner. After the students receive the topic, they have up to 5 calendar days to submit their Project Plan for review. The students will collaborate with their partner(s) by e-mail, phone, etc. to coordinate their efforts. Once the Project Plan is approved, they have 30 days to submit the completed project for grading to SANS Technology Institute. The grade will be a team grade of pass or fail.

When you are ready to start CPR 581 Joint Written Project, contact Diane Sardi at info@sans.edu to start scheduling.

CPR 580 Group Discussion and Written Project

Contact Diane Sardi

• info@sans.edu
• Phone: 855-6-SANS-ED (855-672-6733)

Students need to contact info@sans.edu more than 5 weeks in advance so that STI can see if another student wishes to be a partner. Your team will arrive two days BEFORE a conference to participate in a Group Discussion and Written Project (GDWP). A problem will be presented to the team in the evening; and then 24 hours later, the team presents a solution. As a leader, you will be expected to deal with situations with short turnaround times, so this project allows you to improve and demonstrate those skills. The actual presentation is given by only one member of the team. The presentation should be 15 minutes, 7 slides, 5 to 6 bullets per slide, and a maximum of 10 typed pages. The presentation usually occurs in the evening in front of a very small group including one member of SANS Technology Institute's senior staff who will award a grade of pass or fail to the team.

Note: Regarding the learning objectives of the Community Project Requirements, see http://www.sans.edu/academics/community-project-requirements/learning-objectives#c.

Gold Papers

Please visit the GIAC website to get a detailed description of the process: http://www.giac.org/certifications/gold/.

When you submit your proposed topic, you will be assigned a GIAC Gold Adviser. If you have questions that your GIAC Gold Adviser cannot answer, or if you have other concerns, you may contact Diane Sardi, info@sans.edu, 855-6-SANS-ED (855-672-6733). She can put you into contact with Johannes Ullrich who is the GIAC Gold Manager and STI Dean of Research.

Presentations CPR 582 and CPR 583

Contact Diane Sardi

• info@sans.edu
• Phone: 855-6-SANS-ED (855-672-6733)

Students give two oral and written presentations at two different conferences. The presentation topic is based on two of the student's previously earned Gold GIAC certifications research. Details about timing and preparation of the Presentations are provided in the Planning Sheet which is downloadable at http://www.sans.edu/academics/community-project-requirements. Students may request resource material about "How to Give Effective Presentations" by e-mailing info@sans.edu.

Faculty Advising / Mentoring

Contact Diane Sardi so she can make arrangements for you to talk with a Faculty Advisor / Mentor.

• info@sans.edu
• Phone: 855-6-SANS-ED (855-672-6733)

Are you looking for a trusted friend, counselor, teacher or simply a more experienced person at STI? STI does not have a formal mentoring program. However, if you are a new student, having difficulties or simply want to talk, STI will, on request, pair you with a more experienced person, who will advise as you advance in your career.

Look at the options below:

• Faculty Advisors:
  Ray Davidson is the head of the Faculty Advisor Department. Additional faculty advisors include Stephen Northcutt, David Hoelzer, and others. Contact info@sans.edu if you wish to set up a time for discussion with a Faculty Advisor.


• Course Advisor:
  After finishing a course through SANS live training or SANS SelfStudy, a Course Advisor will ask if you are encountering any problem areas, provide guidance/suggestions, and may ask questions to see if you understand the subject area. You may not need or want assistance; but we encourage you to consider using this extra resource. Please let info@sans.edu if you want a Course Advisor assigned after you finish a course through SANS live training or SANS SelfStudy.


• Virtual OnDemand (on-line) Mentor:
  SANS OnDemand classes have a virtual mentor who the student will have email access to during the course.


• STI-edu Mailing List:
  This is a good way of communicating with other STI master's students who have chosen to be part of the mailing list (most of them have). Senior staff, including Stephen Northcutt, Toby Gouker, Ray Davidson, Eric Cole, Johannes Ullrich, Matthew Scott, also are part of the list.


• STI Contact List of Students & Alumni:
  We have an STI Contact List that lists STI students' and STI graduates' names and email addresses, if the student/graduate chooses to be listed, which STI periodically updates and provides to students and graduates.


• Informal Student Mentor:
  If you have general "getting acquainted" types of questions that you would like to discuss with a student rather than with the STI staff, contact info@sans.edu and we will put you in touch with the Informal Student Mentor who is a STI Student.


• STI Student on the STI Board of Directors:
  An STI student serves on the STI Board of Directors as a director-in-training. Though the director-in-training is non-voting, the director has a very important and broad role in STI's governance. Experience as a student, knowledge of other students' concerns, and the director's other qualifications are extremely valuable assets that the student brings to the board.