COSC BA in Liberal Studies

[KAnn]

Hello!
I plan to enroll in COSC to earn a BA in Liberal Studies. Does anyone have the essay(s) they wrote to explain their rationale for the concentrations they chose? Would you be willing to post them? There are no examples out there that I can find.
Thanks!
Kerry

[rebel100]

I'd share mine, but its getting kinda old now and I can't put my hands on it.

They really just want you to relate what you plan to study back to your work/life. How will this degree help you or make you a better person? As I recall, they wanted me to pick a few classes and really hone in on why I chose to pursue that particular course, how it related to the grand scheme.

I didn't find it hard, but I sort of like writing that sort of thing.

[KayV]

Welcome! Do you already have any college credit? Liberal Studies can be a nice degree for "checking the box" if you have several credits already. If you are starting from scratch, though, choosing a more focused major might better impress a future employer.

If you would like to list the credits you have, many of us love to help fit credits to degree plans.

[KAnn]

Thank you!

I have the following credits:
From 25+ years ago—
Legal Research 3
Intro to Legal Tech 3
Legal Env of Business 3
Law Office Mmt 3
Keyboarding 1
Eng Comp 101 3
American Government 3
Logic 3
From 19 years ago—
Intro to Psych 3
Eng Comp 102 3
Criminology 3
Intro to CJ 3
From 3 years ago—
CNA 7

I’m thinking a lot of those credits are not applicable now and might not work into a degree plan.
I’ve homeschooled my kids for the last 11 years and enjoy putting together my own curriculum and plans, so creating a Liberal Studies degree is very attractive to me. I don’t have it all worked out yet but I’d be very happy with a concentration in Social Sciences/Humanities, both of which seem too broad to be considered “concentrations” though. I plan to earn most of my credits with CLEP and DSST, ALEKS for math, and also some specific college courses.
Once I hit 60 credits I will apply for paraprofessional certification and be able to work in a public school. Once I have my bachelor’s I will be eligible to work as a substitute teacher, and may think about getting a teaching certificate. The main goal though, is to become TESOL certified and go abroad. With that in mind, my degree plan in progress includes courses in psychology, sociology, history, and some anthropology, art, and religion.
I would appreciate any help and direction you have!

[rebel100]

Think I would pick up an AA or AS by using what you have and concentrating on the general eds. You can see what you need in my Signature along with ideas on how to get that. The associates won't require you to write a rationale.

I think everything you have will count at least as free electives. Not sure about the CNA. You only need about 30 credits for the ASsociates. Only one course, the cornerstone has to be taken as a class, the rest are available as exams, Aleks straighterline....

[rebel100]

The tough thing about a Bachelors at COSC is finding enough upper level credits to put together a concentration....know that a double concentration will expand your options. Look at the charter oak master list of exams to fund UL via DSST, TECEP, EC. Consider courses through Penn Foster, CSU Pueblo, U of Idaho etc to cobble that concentration together.

[KayV]

If you are interested in teaching as a career, you might be able to use something like this for your concentration. Combine it with the general ed requirements listed in Rebel100's signature and use the legal studies credits you have for free electives.

COSC Individualized Studies in Education/ Sociology/ Psychology
36 credits, 18 upper level

Upper Level
1. UExcel Cultural Diversity 3
2. UExcel Juvenile Delinquency 3
3. UExcel Social Psychology 3
4. UExcel Abnormal Psychology 3
5. Uexcel Literacy Instruction in the Elementary School 6

Lower Level
7. CLEP etc. Intro to Psychology 3
8. DSST Lifespan Developmental Psych 3
9. CLEP Intro to Educational Psych 3
10. DSST Fundamentals of Counseling 3
11. DSST Foundations of Education 3
12. CLEP etc. Intro to Sociology 3

[KayV]

To make this clearer, and since we have a lot of people looking for a bachelor's degree ASAP so they can do alternate certification for teaching, here is the whole list of credits combined. The general ed list is what Rebel100 has in his signature, so look there for full details. I also added some classes that states often want to see for teacher certification, so check with your state to see what they say. I added the Capstone to the above concentration area, but left everything else the same because you need 30 upper level credits. Your paralegal credits are now free electives.

Hope this helps!

COSC Individualized Studies in Education/ Sociology/ Psychology

General Education Requirements (40-43 hours)
1. (a) CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature 3
2. (b,g,n) DSST Human Cultural Geography 3
3. (d) DSST Business Ethics 3UL
4. (y) COSC Cornerstone 3
5. © CLEP College Composition 6 AND SL Intro to Communication 3
6. (u) DSST Civil War and Reconstruction 3UL
7. (q) CLEP College Mathematics 6 OR ALEKS Beg/ Int/ College Algebra 9- check your state requirements for teacher certification because some require College Algebra
8. (s) SL etc. Science with Lab 4 plus another Science 3
9. One More UL: DSST Substance Abuse 3UL

“Teaching” Requirements- states often require for certification (18 hours)
10. American Government 3
11. American History I 3
12. American History II 3
13. Western Civilization I 3
14. Western Civilization II 3
15. Intro to Computing 3

II. Area of Concentration: Individualized Studies in Education/ Sociology/ Psychology
39 credits, 21 upper level

Upper Level
1. UExcel Cultural Diversity 3
2. UExcel Juvenile Delinquency 3
3. UExcel Social Psychology 3
4. UExcel Abnormal Psychology 3
5. UExcel Literacy Instruction in the Elementary School 6
6. COSC Capstone 3

Lower Level
7. CLEP etc. Intro to Psychology 3
8. DSST Lifespan Developmental Psych 3
9. CLEP Intro to Educational Psych 3
10. DSST Fundamentals of Counseling 3
11. DSST Foundations of Education 3
12. CLEP etc. Intro to Sociology 3

III. Free electives
Legal Research 3
Intro to Legal Tech 3
Legal Env of Business 3
Law Office Mmt 3
Keyboarding 1
Logic 3
Criminology 3
Intro to CJ 3
CNA 7

[KAnn]

Thanks so much for all the information! It certainly helps to see everything laid out.

[SuzanneD]

cosc degreePLAN