AUABC too general?

[Sorbik]

I'm active duty enlisted AF right now and plan to retire (been in 6 1/2 years). I'm one class away from my CCAF (awaiting retake on speach Dantes) and am already enrolled in the Thomas Edison AU-ABC program (Technical Studies). What I'm unsure about is if the Technical Studies BSAST degree plan would be worse to have than an electronics engineering degree. The difference is that I would finish the Technical Studies degree plan sooner than I would an Electronics Engineering one (don't have to take Calculus in Technical Studies). However, I am planning on going on an getting a Master's Degree after I complete w/e BS I get.

It would be easier to know exactly what job I would want in 18 years when I get out but I don't and google isn't really helping find coverage on this topic. Should I switch to Electronics Engineering just to say I have an Engineering degree or should I just stay with the AU-ABC track. The end result is probably going to be the same though (TESC only offers a MSAST in Technical Studies so it'd either be BS in Technical Studies and MS in Technical Studies or BS in Electronics Engineering and MS in Technical Studies).

BTW, I'm PMEL technician (Calibration Technician) and will probably stay with this job when I get out since I'd already have about 20 years experience with it.

[dcan]

It would be easier to know exactly what job I would want in 18 years when I get out but I don't and google isn't really helping find coverage on this topic.

Meh. I've been in almost that long and feel the same way. Don't stress too much on that aspect. Doing the math it sounds like you plan to make master to stay in 24. Personally I found that making master made a huge difference (cannot stress that enough) in how I see things and what I really enjoy doing, which is far different from what I enjoyed doing 12 years ago. Back then it was "head down, write code, avoid people" and now it's "find a problem and build a team to fix it." I also strongly commend your desire now to pursue through a master's degree. I didn't really start my undergrad until I made master and suddenly realized that in order to perform at the level I really believed I should be performing at I should have an understanding of graduate level work. I actually feel held back in my job without it so I'm doubling up to get to it.

Keep in mind that you don't have to get a master's at TESC, you can get one anywhere. In fact it is often frowned upon and called "educational incest" because it can be a sign that you are pipelined in the school because of low standards, i.e. you can't hack it anywhere else and they are more interested in milking your money than broadening your education. Personally, I plan to move on after I get my TESC undergrad because I'm just not very impressed with their grad degrees; UMUC looks better to me but there are so many more options available too. Just be aware that each school has its own admissions pre-requisites for their programs. Some will have tougher standards than others. I would think it would be hard to find a very technical grad degree that does not require calculus. From what I understand even some MBA programs require calculus. Of course there are certainly some that don't require it, so you just have to do the research yourself. If a grad school requires something that you didn't take as an undergrad then you will have to take a foundational pre-req course or test prior to formally enrolling.

That said, I took the AU-ABC route for my TESC BSBA CIS specifically because it doesn't require calculus. I knocked my math out using ALEKS and finished up late last month. I have a few really good calculus books, but that would take another couple of months to get the credit so I'll study it on my own later.

BTW did you see the new HYT changes to bring down end strength? SSgt is now capped at 15 years! Things are about to get a LOT more competitive.

[Sorbik]

Yeah, I've heard of the new HYT caps but 15 years for SSgt is still a good cap I think as long as you're getting 5's on your EPR's (which 90 percent of the AF does as shown from an earlier commander brief on base).

I think I'm going to stick with the Au-ABC program and, if necessary, take calculus if needed for enrolling in a graduate program.

Now I just need to find a good graduate school that will accept my credits and thanks for the info about changing schools. So much for riding the TESC train til the end. UMUC looks good but It doesn't look like they have a graduate degree track based around engineering. I'll look into them later.

[scorched]

Hey sorbik, i just need to clarify something. BS EE is Electrical/Electronic Engineering, TESC and Excelsior offer BSEET, Electronic Engineering Technology. There is a quite a difference between the two, but just needed you to know in case it wasn't understood. Now with that said I left the AF as 2A352 and I am just now getting my BS going again, and I am pursuing the EET degree. Also understand one more thing, excelsior in my opinion is a little better for military, and offers and ABET accredited BS EET degree that TESC does not have. Now here in Virginia just having an EET qualifies you to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and then later the Professional Engineering exam. Something that if acquired, regardless of BSEE or BSEET is at the top of the heap as far as engineering goes.

You failed to mention what kind of masters program you might want? As mentioned I choose the EET degree over the technical studies simply because it allows me to pursue one of many Masters degrees. MS Sys Engineering, Master of Engineering in Management plus a few others. So what I did was reach out to those schools and find out if the degree I was pursuing would allow me access, Georgia Tech not only said no, but hell no! Purdue said sure, as they offer MS EET, and Old Dominion said hell yes as they offer EET's as well. So for me the fact that yes I have to take calc II, but to have a degree that gets me the masters i want and allows me to sit for the PE exam at some time is what set me on the path.

PM me your contact info and I can explain all the programs I reviewed.

Cheers,
HM

[scorched]

One more thing.. if you want the real BSEE online, look to UND.
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering | Online & Distance Education

Stony Brook is starting one in 2012 as well.
Stony Brook University - Electrical Engineering Online