Students: Recertification Policy

Effective August 8, 2008, STI no longer requires STI Master's Students to keep the following Certifications up to date until graduation (but see "Important Note" below regarding the GSE in the MSISE program):

• (1) GIAC GOLD Certifications with 80 average or above and
• (2) GIAC Certifications, with 80 average or above, that the masters student uses as his/her electives

The above will be sufficient to count towards graduation for an active Master's Student as long as it has not expired before the student is accepted into the Master's Program; and it will apply to such certifications earned while a Master's Student is in the Master's Program. While STI no longer requires STI Master's Students to keep certifications related to the program current, many benefits exist to doing so.

Which score is used to calculate the final GPA?

Scores on all exams must be 80 (or average of 80 if it was a two-part exam) or higher for students in the Master's Program.

When a GIAC Gold Paper/Written Assignment is required, the student must also pass the GIAC Gold/Written Assignment before the grade can be assigned.

This paragraph applies to persons who graduated on or before July 21, 2011.
The final course grade was based on the latest recertification score just before graduation.
If the person had to do a special exam retake because the student scored less than 80 but higher than the GIAC passing point, then it would be calculated as described in this example: First score was 78, and the second score was 90 - the score that STI used was 90.

This paragraph applies to persons who graduate after July 21, 2011.
The final course grade will be based on the score that first applied to the student in the Master's Program (rather than the latest recert score).
If the person must do a special exam retake because the student scored less than 80 but higher than the GIAC passing point, then it would be calculated as described below:
Example: First score was 78, and the second score was 90 - the score that STI will use will be the "minimal passing score" for STI. If the minimal passing score for STI is 80, then 80 would be the score used.

Important Note - Possibly Different Treatment by GIAC

This STI policy does NOT affect GIAC policies about recertification requirements. So it is possible that an STI Master's Student may still desire to keep all certifications current.

The change in STI policy simply means that STI does not require recertifying the above certifications as a condition to graduation from STI.

Students who are enrolled in the MSISE (Engineering) program (curriculum version 1.6 effective September 15, 2008, or later versions) are required to pass the GSE as part of the STI Community Project Requirements. In order to take the GSE, students may need to keep current certain certifications that are listed as prerequisites to taking the GSE. Please visit the GSE page on the GIAC web site for more information regarding the GSE.

Background summary on "super exam" for ease of reference

STI Master's Student's GIAC certifications which have not expired at graduation shall be valid for four years after the Master's Student graduates from STI. Four years is calculated from the end of the month of graduation.

Or, in cases where the person holds the GSE, then the advancement by four years will occur based on the date of the GSE expiration.

If the person holds both the GSE and also graduated from STI, whichever event came first resets the re-certification date.

After the four years, the person likely will have the option to take a custom re-certification exam ("super-exam"), encompassing material from the core certifications for their degree, to extend the certifications an additional four years.