Request for Advice on Selecting a University for My Bachelor's Degree

[bjcheung77]

Welcome to the board... With your tuition amount, I wouldn't necessarily go for UMPI as a first choice, I would go for a local institution instead... UMGC would be free, but will take a little longer for you! You can get the BAT by transferring 90 credits into the degree program and finishing off the rest of the requirements at UMGC. You're in state, it'll be $345/credit, you do 5K this year, 5K next year and you'll be done with those residency classes. BAT & BGS are the only two programs that allow flexibility in degree credit transfers, meaning you can transfer in upper level credits as well!

Since you have tuition assistance, use that up along with the Pell Grant!  Having said that, you need to switch your degree to something else, but re-use the exact same credits you will do if you're going the UMPI route. I would take classes that can go towards both degrees and map them in a spreadsheet, if you can't decide between a more Applied Tech (CS/IT) degree than a BABA (Business Admin) degree, you can decide when you're half way or closer to 90 credits that transfer to both.

Change your degree to the Bachelors of Science in Applied Technology instead of the BGS (general studies), your requirements for residency remains the same of 30 credits, but you get to chose what your remaining credits are (capstone is one of them of course). The only difference is that you need to choose your courses in addition to that and transfer all outstanding requirements entirely using alternative credit partners.

Your homework for today, is to get the academic evaluation done for Applied Technology, this degree is an awesome mix of your own CS, Development, IT, whatever mix you want really (it has to have a majority of Computer related courses), you need to find an alternative credit partner (I recommend Study.com as they're a partner)... Program Link: https://www.umgc.edu/online-degrees/bach...technology

Courses - Total Credits Required: 120, Required Major Courses: 30 Credits
Take 9 credits in a primary computing focus area; at least 3 of these credits must be upper level
Take 18 credits from any discipline area; you may take courses in multiple disciplines to fulfill this requirement
Applied Technology Capstone(3 Credits, APTC 495), taken as the last course in the major

Requirements - Overall requirements for a bachelor’s degree in applied technology differ slightly from the general bachelor’s degree requirements. You must meet the 30-credit requirement for coursework taken at UMGC, but those credits may be earned in any combination across major, general education, and elective courses.  Make sure you match all the Bachelors Degree Requirements: https://www.umgc.edu/online-degrees/bach...quirements

[Evoluvin]

Welcome to the board... With your tuition amount, I wouldn't necessarily go for UMPI as a first choice, I would go for a local institution instead...  UMGC would be free, but will take a little longer for you!  You can get the BAT by transferring 90 credits into the degree program and finishing off the rest of the requirements at UMGC.  You're in state, it'll be $345/credit, you do 5K this year, 5K next year and you'll be done with those residency classes.  BAT & BGS are the only two programs that allow flexibility in degree credit transfers, meaning you can transfer in upper level credits as well!

Since you have tuition assistance, use that up along with the Pell Grant!  Having said that, you need to switch your degree to something else, but re-use the exact same credits you will do if you're going the UMPI route.  I would take classes that can go towards both degrees and map them in a spreadsheet, if you can't decide between a more Applied Tech (CS/IT) degree than a BABA (Business Admin) degree, you can decide when you're half way or closer to 90 credits that transfer to both.

Change your degree to the Bachelors of Science in Applied Technology instead of the BGS (general studies), your requirements for residency remains the same of 30 credits, but you get to chose what your remaining credits are (capstone is one of them of course). The only difference is that you need to choose your courses in addition to that and transfer all outstanding requirements entirely using alternative credit partners.

Your homework for today, is to get the academic evaluation done for Applied Technology, this degree is an awesome mix of your own CS, Development, IT, whatever mix you want really (it has to have a majority of Computer related courses), you need to find an alternative credit partner (I recommend Study.com as they're a partner)... Program Link: https://www.umgc.edu/online-degrees/bach...technology

Courses - Total Credits Required: 120, Required Major Courses: 30 Credits
Take 9 credits in a primary computing focus area; at least 3 of these credits must be upper level
Take 18 credits from any discipline area; you may take courses in multiple disciplines to fulfill this requirement
Applied Technology Capstone(3 Credits, APTC 495), taken as the last course in the major

Requirements - Overall requirements for a bachelor’s degree in applied technology differ slightly from the general bachelor’s degree requirements. You must meet the 30-credit requirement for coursework taken at UMGC, but those credits may be earned in any combination across major, general education, and elective courses.  Make sure you match all the Bachelors Degree Requirements: https://www.umgc.edu/online-degrees/bach...quirements

Thank you very much for this very detailed post, along with taking a different perspective than the one I originally provided! 

I will take a deeper look into this and see if this is the best route to take! I have a good friend that went to UMGC as well.

[andersonsouzarj1]

For a CS Masters, they will usually look for certain classes to be done regardless of your major - you'll want to look at the admissions requirements for the de'sired masters.

For a mix of business and tech at UMPI, you could do the BBA Project Management or the BBA Management and Leadership, and add a minor in Cybersecurity, Computer Science or MIS (which is more of a business minor):

https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/UM...egree_Plan
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/UM...egree_Plan

You would need to transfer the bulk of the classes for the minors - here are the requirements:
CS minor http://catalog.umpi.edu/preview_program....turnto=260
Cybersecurity minor http://catalog.umpi.edu/preview_program....turnto=260
MIS minor http://catalog.umpi.edu/preview_program....turnto=260

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UMPI Minors Wiki link: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/UMPI_!Minors

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Computer Science Minor example

Required:
COS 101 - Introduction to Computer Science 3 credits - Sophia Intro to Networking
COS 120 - Introduction to Data Structures 3 credits - Study dot com Data Structure and Algorithms
MAT 253 - Discrete Mathematics 3 credits - Community college
COS 320 - Software Engineering I 3 credits - Study dot com Software Engineering

Pick 2 of the following:
COS 200 - Introduction to Web Design 3 credits - Sophia Intro to Web Development
COS 240 - Network Concepts 3 credits - Study dot com Network and System Security
COS 310 - Operating Systems 3 credits - Study dot com Operating Systems
COS 350 - Databases and Database Security 3 credits - Study dot com Database Management

Sorry Guy, but I’m interested in this minor in cybersecurity or/and CS minor. But checking the link for the
Minor Requirements in the wiki, why does says is nt possible? Then I have the above saying otherwise, so confusing…

[Jonathan Whatley]

Sorry Guy, but I’m interested in this minor in cybersecurity or/and CS minor. But checking the link for the
Minor Requirements in the wiki, why does says is nt possible? Then I have the above saying otherwise, so confusing…

The wiki is correct that those minors are not possible using typical alt-credit and YourPace courses. You'd have to search for courses elsewhere, which you're doing now. UMPI does plan to offer the Computer Science major on YourPace starting in Fall Session 2 2025. That should also make the courses necessary for the CS minor available on YourPace.