<p>I am currently a USF Tampa student, but am considering changing my major to Information Technology. Unfortunately, this is only offered at the USF Polytechnic branch campus.</p>
<p>I am curious as to if this will affect job prospects in the future. I found out that it WILL say USF Polytechnic as my home campus on the diploma as well as on transcripts. I would hate for employers to think of me as a "second hand student" for graduating from a branch campus as opposed to the main campus. I would definitely do the program at USF Tampa if it was offered, but unfortunately its not.</p>
<p>The only other related degree I could possibly get on USF Tampa is the Management Info Systems degree. The drawback for that is that I would have to start ALL over (I am a transfer student with an AA). The last 2 years I have taken courses in Computer Science (All which satisfy the IT degree requirements). The last 2 years would pretty much be for nothing if I switch to MIS. It may be worth it if employers will look down on someone graduating from a branch campus though.</p>
<p>I would love to hear some input from you guys on if this can affect my professional career post-graduation.</p>
<p>After this year, I don’t think USF will accept any more students for studies at the Lakeland campus if USF Poly splits off. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to go to Lakeland with all the uncertainty now about the split making Lakeland branch an independent 12th university in the state university system. You should at least wait the next few weeks until Florida governor Scott signs or vetos the legislative bill spinning off USF Poly. New students enrolling at the new independent Florida Poly university (unaffiliated with USF) might end up in a university which is not even accredited and which might not be offering any of the programs USF Poly is currently. I would think a lot more students would want to transfer now from Lakeland to Tampa than Tampa to Lakeland with the proposed split hanging of USF Poly from the USF System. Personally I think Lakeland is toxic right now and I’d stay away from there at all costs. Good Luck!</p>
<p>lizard is right. don’t get me wrong, I LOVE USF, but I would transfer to a different university (hypothetically speaking… i’m still in high school, lol) before I would transfer to Poly these days. too risky.</p>
<p>What is going to finally happen with USF Poly is still very much up in the air. I’d stay away from Lakeland now and in the near future until the dust settles from all the present uncertainty. </p>
<p>This is seriously causing me to panic now. I heard about all these possibilities of USF Poly splitting from USF, but I recall reading that Judy Genshaft said that all students at USF Poly would still graduate with a USF diploma. Would that diploma not hold any water if USF split later on? Would I still be a USF graduate from an accredited institution?</p>
<p>I don’t believe I want to continue with Computer Science. My only other alternate route (besides IT) is taking up a Management Info Systems degree, but that would require me to take 60-65 credits as opposed to 47 for the IT major at USF Poly.</p>
<p>I don’t know what my job prospects would be like for an MIS degree which is less technical than the IT degree. I have no idea what to do right now and I am running out of time (have to decide by this semesters end).</p>
<p>I talked to multiple advisors at USF Poly and they all ensured me that I WOULD receive a USF diploma since I am currently a USF student. They have a “teach-out” plan in place in which all current students would still graduate from USF with a USF diploma. Would this diploma still be respected if the split does indeed happen in the future? That is my only worry.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t really worry about that. I’m going into the Comp Sci major at USF, and for our industry, the place you graduate from does not matter very much unless say, you were graduating from John Hopkins or such. They really care about internships and experience though, so that is what you have to work on. I talked to a few employers in the IT/Software engineering industry, and they told me that they ask for any form of Bachelors in CS or CE or IT major and some years of experience. They told me that as long as you know what you’re doing and your core GPA is good, you don’t have to worry what school is on your diploma.</p>
<p>Thank you so much hacker4life! You made me feel a bit more at ease! :)</p>
<p>My current GPA is pretty good (3.6). I definitely need to work on some internships/experience though. The IT program has a senior project which is frequently an internship so that should definitely help too. I am going to try to get an internship for this summer too.</p>
<p>Adam, you should be fine as long as you stay under the USF System umbrella. USF president Genshaft has publically pledged that current USF Poly students will be able to get USF degrees with the transition if it comes to be. If a split does occur, the brand new 12th university, Florida Poly, could be in business as early as July 1st. I definitely wouldn’t transfer to Florida Poly from USF. I wouldn’t go near Florida Folly with a 10 foot pole. If it comes to be, Florida Poly probably won’t be accredited for years–good luck with that!</p>
<p>There is NO way I would leave the USF Umbrella and graduate from Florida Polytechnic (instead of USF Poly). Not only because of accredation, but also for the fact that it really wouldn’t be reputable being a brand new school.</p>
<p>I was assured that I would graduate with a USF diploma from USF because even if the split does occur there will be a teach out program which would graduate all current USF Poly students as USF students with a USF diploma.</p>
<p>Is that what you were meaning? I should be fine, right? I definitely wouldn’t opt for a Florida Polytechnic diploma if they gave me the choice.</p>
<p>Exactly Adam, if you stay under the USF System umbrella you should be fine. </p>
<p>Governor Scott was finally presented the bill for the USF Lakeland split Friday; he has two weeks to sign, veto or do nothing and let bill automatically become law. Even if he vetoes the bill, the legislature can vote again on the bill and override the governor if they want. This whole deal stinks to high heaven, and with so much stuff going on in the background out of public eye, there is no telling how this thing will finally shakeout. The matter may even end up in court with the state being sued!</p>