3hr Physics for Non-Majors Options

[rebel100]

Take a look at the U of Idaho Independent Studies options Physics-Independent Study in Idaho-University of Idaho

They are self paced (I believe 6 weeks is the minimum) and you can start most courses anytime. Only about $300/3 credits

[JohnnyHeck]

IrishJohn also directed me here. Lots of good stuff. But do you know how any of the Big 3 evaluate and transcript them? From looking at the Idaho catalog, it seems that the ISI course appears on a regular transcript of a "sponsoring" U of Idaho school. This would seem to me to be similar to the Ohio University eCampus fare which TESC and I believe COSC take directly into their system - grades and all - but don't know for sure. I guess I'll call the TESC registrar to check this out.

[rebel100]

Id be shocked if the Big 3 had trouble accepting anything suggested here, grade and all, including UofI. Of course, you need to be sure your specific requirements are being met.

[JohnnyHeck]

Well I'd be shocked too. But just think at $100/credit, no one would ever take an "equivelent" guided study or online course at the Big 3 again. Standby and I'll try to find out.

[IrishJohn]

These schools are both great finds! Never heard of them before.

There are more options you can find for a number of courses here.

With KCTS having on demand (self paced I presume?) courses and being fully accredited, their offerings could come in handy for a lot of programs.

There is a time limit of 15 weeks for full courses which should be plenty. As far as transferring credits to TESC, I doubt you'll have a problem with courses from the Kentucky Community & Technical College System, since all its schools are regionally accredited. See this discussion for more.

The self paced Physics 1100 at ISI looks like the right course and is very reasonably priced at $100/credit. Not sure I really understand the credit transfer method for these. Have you transferred ISI credits to TESC? How?

Call TESC to be sure, but again I doubt you'll have a problem transferring ISI credits.

[sanantone]

Both ECEs and UExcel exams are graded and will appear so on an Excelsior transcript. While the grade will not pass over to TESC to affect my TESC GPA, the grade will be used off the Excelsior transcript by Admissions at my target Grad School to calculate my composite cumulative GPA. Also, I don't need nor want to put in the extra effort for the Physics II credit that would come with a successful passing grade for the UExcel test.

After reading the syllabus for TESC's guided study Physics I w/o lab, this is beginning to look like the best option at the moment for ease and speed. It seems much more limited in scope than all the others so far. It's only algebra and trig based. And as it's available as guided study vs. online, I can pjrobably work ahead to finish as quick as I can handle to get a good grade.

I forgot that Uexcels are graded.

[Reservist]

I just finished the U. Of Idaho Physics II independent study, which TESC approved for credit. I hadn't taken physics I or any math in 7 years, so it was difficult for me to say the least. I ended up miraculously with a B for the course.

My complaints with the course are that everything is snail mailed to the instructor. There's 4 tests that need to be proctored in person, and before each test there's 3-4 homework assignments that need to be mailed into the instructor. If you do everything as suggested in the course syllabus and wait for your homework grades before taking the tests, it will take you forever to finish the course, and forget about waiting for the tests to get graded before starting the next set of homework assignments. The tests are mailed back to U of I via business reply mail which takes forever. I finally ended up bringing a pre-paid priority mail envelope with me for the final and having them mail it in that instead.

After taking the course there is definite strategy that I developed that I wish someone had told me about. When studying for the tests, ignore the homework assignments, and don't study from the book. Just do the practice exams they give within the syllabus, some of the test questions are taken directly from the practice exams. Also the course is heavily curved so a 60-70% on the practice exams means your probably going to get a B on the test. The last thing is make sure you get 100% on all the homework assignments because they count as an entire test. And don't wait for any grades just continue to take tests and mail in assignments until your finished, if you wait for grades before proceeding you'll sit around for 2 weeks without doing anything.

[JohnnyHeck]

Great Info Reservist! Detailed experienced insight like yours helps us all so much. Thanks!