BS Computer Science

[bollwegfam]

After exiting from my traditional 4 year university where I have a bit more than 2 years of credit (between university, CLEP and community college credit), I've decided to complete my degree online.  I have completed quite a bit of advanced math (including Calc 1 and 2).  I'm an excellent test taker (especially if there is online test prep available).   I also have quite a bit of computer work experience.  

I need help deciding which school and how to plan which courses to take.  I want to take at least one class this fall.  I could use degree plans and 'starter' advice.  It's important to use a university that will attract future employers.  

I'd love to have at least one 'quick victory' course that I can test out of but feel confident will apply to an online degree program (give the course work I already have done).

Thanks, in advance, for any assistance.  If I should post my completed coursework in order to garner better advice, please advise.

[Ideas]

There are some free credits that can be done in less than a day

Do you have any IT certifications?

[dfrecore]

Yes, posting your credits will be helpful.

Also, it's really difficult for us to tell you which university will attract future employers, given that we don't know where you live, or what type of job you want to do.

Check out WGU, they have some of the best options for IT degrees.

[Ideas]

Unfortunately there is a recent thread where a few posters say their TESU degree was looked down upon for being done online, although some TESU graduates have no problems.

Do you definitely want Computer Sci, or are you thinking IT? CS would involve more advanced math.

[davewill]

Yes, please post your credits. Here is a list of programs you may want to consider.

WGU Software Development
Fort Hayes State University - Computer Science
Thomas Edison State University - BA Computer Science

TESU is the only one of the Big3 to offer computer science and is undoubtedly the easiest and quickest one to complete, but it is probably the least impressive to employers. A good choice for established professionals who need to check the "bachelor's degree" box. We have a good bit of experience here with it.

Fort Hayes is organized as a traditional school with semester-based course schedules. We don't have a lot of direct experience here with it.

WGU is a competency-based program that will let you move at your own pace. There are a number of WGU students here, but none I'm aware of in the software development program.

[ajs1976]

just read the OPs very similar post from 4 years ago.

"I have completed quite a bit of advanced math (including Calc 1 and 2)." --> Have you completed Discrete Math and/or Linear Algebra? Either of those along with Calc 1 & 2, will complete the Math requirement for the BA CS at TESU. Linear Algebra will count as UL.

"I need help deciding which school and how to plan which courses to take. I want to take at least one class this fall. I could use degree plans and 'starter' advice." --> Please post your courses include course code, number and type (CC, 4 year school, CLEP).

"attract future employers" --> I don't know that any of the big 3 or related schools will do that. While they are regionally accreditied, none of them have name recognition of other schools and are not known in the field. WGU probably has the most of the ones that usually come up in this discussion.

"I'd love to have at least one 'quick victory' course that I can test out of but feel confident will apply to an online degree program (give the course work I already have done)." --> Again, we need to your courses and you need to pick your program, but if I make a couple of assumptions, then DSST MIS. Easy, counts towards AOS in BA CS at TESU, and usually a 3rd or 4th year class for everyone but MIS majors.

Ideas mentioned certs and I see from your post from 2013 that you have the A+. Do you have any others? If so, when did you complete them? COSC goes by what ACE had them evaluated as at the time you took them. WGU has a 5 year cut off.

What are your goals for the degree? Trying to get a certain type of job? Transition to a new field or specialty? Trying to check the box for HR? Do you plan to get a graduate degree? If so where and in what?

[bollwegfam]

Thanks for the help.  Here are the courses and tests I've accomplished.  Given this information, any other thoughts on any programs that might be a good fit.  I'm working at computer programming company in Texas but would like to find a new job (and command a higher salary).

From Traditional schools:
STAT 211 PRIN OF STATISTICS I - 3 credits
ENGR 470 ENGR PROJ IN COMM SERV - 2 credit
ENGL 210 SCNTFIC & TECH WRTNG - 3 credits
TRNS XXX MATH2312-ELEM FUNCTIONS - 3 credits
HIST 105 HISTORY OF THE U S - 3 credits
CSCE 113 INTERMED PROG & DESIGN - 2 credits
CSCE 121 INTRO PGM DESIGN CONCEPT - 4 credits
CSCE 181 INTRO TO COMPUTING - 1 credit
POLS 207 STATE & LOCAL GOVT - 3 credits
ART HISTORY SURVEY II - 3 credits
CSCE 221 DATA STRUC & ALGORITHM - 4 credits
CSCE 222 DISCRETE STRUC COMPUTING - 3 credits
MATH 302 DISCRETE MATHEMATICS - 3 credits
ENGR 470 ENGR PROJ IN COMM SERV - 1 credit
COMM 203 PUBLIC SPEAKING - 3 credits
CHEM 101 FUND OF CHEMISTRY I - 3 credits
CHEM 102 FUND OF CHEMISTRY II TA 3 credits
CHEM 111 FUND OF CHEM LAB I - 1 credit
CHEM 112 FUND OF CHEM LAB II - 1 credit
KINE 199 RACQUETBALL-BEGINNING - 1 credit
KINE 199 FENCING-INTERMEDIATE - 1 credit

Received a D in following classes (not sure if they will transfer?):
MATH 151 ENGINEERING MATH I 4 credits
PHYS 218 MECHANICS - 4 credits
HIST 106 HISTORY OF THE U S - 3 credits
SOCI 207 INTRO GENDER & SOCIETY - 3 credits
MATH 152 ENGINEERING MATH II - 4 credits

SAT II:

Physics

CLEP:
West Civil II
Micro Econ
Info Systems & Computer Appl
History of the US 1
History of the US 2



 

just read the OPs very similar post from 4 years ago.

"I have completed quite a bit of advanced math (including Calc 1 and 2)." --> Have you completed Discrete Math and/or Linear Algebra?  Either of those along with Calc 1 & 2, will complete the Math requirement for the BA CS at TESU.  Linear Algebra will count as UL.

"I need help deciding which school and how to plan which courses to take.  I want to take at least one class this fall.  I could use degree plans and 'starter' advice." -->  Please post your courses include course code, number and type (CC, 4 year school, CLEP).

"attract future employers" --> I don't know that any of the big 3 or related schools will do that.  While they are regionally accreditied, none of them have name recognition of other schools and are not known in the field.  WGU probably has the most of the ones that usually come up in this discussion.

"I'd love to have at least one 'quick victory' course that I can test out of but feel confident will apply to an online degree program (give the course work I already have done)."  --> Again, we need to your courses and you need to pick your program, but if I make a couple of assumptions, then DSST MIS.  Easy, counts towards AOS in BA CS at TESU, and usually a 3rd or 4th year class for everyone but MIS majors.

Ideas mentioned certs and I see from your post from 2013 that you have the A+.  Do you have any others?  If so, when did you complete them?  COSC goes by what ACE had them evaluated as at the time you took them.  WGU has a 5 year cut off.

What are your goals for the degree?  Trying to get a certain type of job?  Transition to a new field or specialty?  Trying to check the box for HR?  Do you plan to get a graduate degree?  If so where and in what?

---

Here is a little more info: 

Besides A+ cert back around 2012, I don't have any other IT certs. 

I want to work in computer programming but have an interest in possibly owning my own business someday (so the Fort Hays was interesting since it was a BSCS and had a business track - thx Davewill).

I want the degree to get a higher salary and currently do not plan to go to grad school.

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Sorry for all the responses. 

I left off one AP credit: 
 Eng Lang Comp

I have not yet completed Linear Algebra

[dfrecore]

You did not post on here where you got credit for Calc I & II, so if you took those somewhere, you should include it.

Also, for TESU, you have almost all of the requirements for the Gen Ed - you just need Ethics (free Insurance Ethics course) and American Government/Comparative Politics.

For the CLEP exams, it looks like you took the US History courses at college, so those will duplicate and you won't get anything for them at ANY school you go to.

For TESU, it looks like you're bringing over 84cr, and they can all be utilized in some way. It could cost as much as $5800 to finish depending on which courses you take.

For WGU, they utilize fewer credits because they require many fewer Gen Ed courses.  But, it could cost a lot less if you took all of the available courses that you could transfer over, and then took the remaining courses at WGU in a single term (meaning you would have to take 7 courses in 6 months).  But it would be under $4000 if you could pull that off.

[sanantone]

Yes, please post your credits. Here is a list of programs you may want to consider.

WGU Software Development
Fort Hayes State University - Computer Science
Thomas Edison State University - BA Computer Science

TESU is the only one of the Big3 to offer computer science and is undoubtedly the easiest and quickest one to complete, but it is probably the least impressive to employers. A good choice for established professionals who need to check the "bachelor's degree" box. We have a good bit of experience here with it.

Fort Hayes is organized as a traditional school with semester-based course schedules. We don't have a lot of direct experience here with it.

WGU is a competency-based program that will let you move at your own pace. There are a number of WGU students here, but none I'm aware of in the software development program.

I doubt it. Computer Science, in general, is more impressive than software development. WGU's software development program is really a web development program. Also, WGU is becoming quite well-known as an online, extremely non-traditional school, which is not always a good thing. I don't like bring up the school with college instructors because they usually know someone who was a mentor at WGU and had mostly bad things to say. I'm not saying that WGU has a horrible reputation with employers, but I doubt it would be better than the reputation of a little-known, state university.

[ajs1976]

I don't see Calc 1 & 2 on your list.

I would suggest you look at the BA in CS at TESU, and the IT and IT software development tracks at WGU. I'm not a developer/programer, but I know a Computer Science degree is more important in that specialty then it is in Server/Infrastructure Engineering and in Info Sec.

For the BACS at TESU, it looks like you would have a good amount of the Gen Ed requirements covered and could use free and cheap alternate credit requirements to finish them off cheap and quickly. For the AOS, assuming you left of the Calc classes, it looks like you completed the general AOS requirements. You need 12 UL AOS electives. 3 can come from DSST MIS and 3 more from DSST Cybersecurity. One of the TEEX courses come in to AOS as an electives, but even if it is UL it is only 2 credits, so you end up taking another course to fill in. You would then need 6 more UL credits. Those would need to be from TESU or another 4 year school. they need to be CS (abbreviated COS at TESU) or CIS. CMP classes, such as the Network TECEP, will not count towards the BACS AOS. Some LL can be used in the AOS of study. Some of your current credits may go there. Programming at Straighterline may be an option depending on how your other courses transfer. Not sure if Software Engineering at Saylor is transferring as LL or UL. PLA may also be an option. Look at davewill's signature for more info. Capstone will need to be taken at TESU.

WGU will evaluate your credits, but once you start the program, you can not transfer in outside credit. Enroll, get the eval, and then take some more and get them transferred in and add them to the eval.


I guess I took to long to replay. Two more showed up while I was typing

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[quote pid='240486' dateline='1503222797']
Also, WGU is becoming quite well-known as an online, extremely non-traditional school, which is not always a good thing. I don't like bring up the school with college instructors because they usually know someone who was a mentor at WGU and had mostly bad things to say.

[/quote]

Do they not like it because of the perceived low quality and issues with how people accelerate through the competency based model or is t because WGU is disruptor and threatening the current paradigm of higher education?