Capstones and Residency Waivers

[rlw74]

I checked with advising today about the possibility of getting a second bachelors. The information I received is the opposite of what I was told six months ago so I'm wondering if anyone else can confirmed this. They said I do not need to take a second capstone but I do need to pay the residency waiver a second time (even though it's been less than a year since I paid the fee). I assumed they would tell me I had to do both, because that is what they told me last year. I was hoping I wouldn't have to pay the residency waiver since it's higher, but I'm glad to hear I don't have to take the capstone again. I'm not sure I'm going to do this at all but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask in the event study.com does add a couple of courses that aren't cheap to test out of. Another deciding factor of course would be what the residency waiver fee is after study.com discounts change.

[dfrecore]

That's interesting. I'm not sure I've heard that you don't have to take a 2nd capstone before.

But, the having to pay the RW again in less than a year, I have heard - although not consistently.

[Ideas]

Yes, about the RW having to be paid again.

What you were told about the capstone doesn't make sense to me. Say someone did a History degree and now they're doing English, why would they not have to do an English capstone? I feel like that would be a really crazy policy, although nice on the wallet. Unless the degrees are rather similar (which most degrees are not) or your capstone happened to be interdisciplinary?

I would say you definitely have to do another if you're going to a different school/dept. I was told I would have to.

[dfrecore]

Yes, about the RW having to be paid again.

What you were told about the capstone doesn't make sense to me. Say someone did a History degree and now they're doing English, why would they not have to do an English capstone? I feel like that would be a really crazy policy, although nice on the wallet. Unless the degrees are rather similar (which most degrees are not) or your capstone happened to be interdisciplinary?

I would say you definitely have to do another if you're going to a different school/dept. I was told I would have to.

History and English are both from the same school - the Heavin School of Arts & Sciences.  So maybe that's why?

[rlw74]

And your LIB495 capstone paper can be on anything - doesn't matter whether you are English, History, or Lib Studies. I personally had the social science concentration but wrote on a topic about morphological development in linguistics - not related at all considering I mostly took psychology courses, not English.

[Ideas]

And your LIB495 capstone paper can be on anything - doesn't matter whether you are English, History, or Lib Studies. I personally had the social science concentration but wrote on a topic about morphological development in linguistics - not related at all considering I mostly took psychology courses, not English.

Hm, that's a surprise to me, but that makes sense that you can do English without another capstone!

[davewill]

And your LIB495 capstone paper can be on anything - doesn't matter whether you are English, History, or Lib Studies. I personally had the social science concentration but wrote on a topic about morphological development in linguistics - not related at all considering I mostly took psychology courses, not English.

Hm, that's a surprise to me, but that makes sense that you can do English without another capstone!

The BACS uses the same LIB-495 Liberal Arts Capstone. I was working alongside all the English, History and Liberal Studies students. This is the first I've heard the suggestion that the capstone didn't need to be repeated. The TESU page doesn't say you have to, just that you have 24 new credits and fulfill the degree requirements. Technically, if you've already taken the correct capstone course, I suppose there's no reason you'd have to do it again.

https://www.tesu.edu/academics/catalog/A...egrees.cfm

Second Baccalaureate Degree
Students who have received one baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and wish to earn a second baccalaureate degree must:

• Complete a minimum of 24 credits. These credits must be in the area of study and/or core of the degree. These credits must be earned after the date the most recent degree, regardless of academic level, was conferred.
  
• Additionally, students must complete all other degree requirements as listed in the current Thomas Edison State University Catalog.
  

[Flying-Ace]

I checked with advising today about the possibility of getting a second bachelors. The information I received is the opposite of what I was told six months ago so I'm wondering if anyone else can confirmed this. They said I do not need to take a second capstone but I do need to pay the residency waiver a second time (even though it's been less than a year since I paid the fee). I assumed they would tell me I had to do both, because that is what they told me last year. I was hoping I wouldn't have to pay the residency waiver since it's higher, but I'm glad to hear I don't have to take the capstone again. I'm not sure I'm going to do this at all but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask in the event study.com does add a couple of courses that aren't cheap to test out of. Another deciding factor of course would be what the residency waiver fee is after study.com discounts change.

Once you have taken a Capstone, say LIB-495, then it applies to the first and/or second degree equally - as long as it is the correct class. TESU also counts it as one of the *new* credits. If, however, your two degrees are not related and the 2nd degree has a different Capstone course requirement, then you will need to take the correct class to fill those requirements and credits. If your first degree is a BA and your second is a BSBA, then you would need to take the Business Capstone course. There is no fee to apply as a 2nd degree seeker for TESU grads. (There is a coupon code that must be entered.) But some of your questions would be answered by getting that 2nd degree plan in place. Just make sure that it states it is a 2nd degree in order to keep things straight.

About the Residency Waiver fee, some of the confusion is because the fee itself is good for one year from the date that you pay it. If you do not graduate before the 1-yr is up, then you would have to repay the fee. However, once you matriculate, you technically use that fee. It *can* apply to multiple degrees - as long as you apply for graduation for the degrees at the *same* time. The fee does not apply to future degrees - even if you complete them within a year of your previous degree.

[Ideas]

It *can* apply to multiple degrees - as long as you apply for graduation for the degrees at the *same* time. The fee does not apply to future degrees - even if you complete them within a year of your previous degree.

It seems like many of TESU's Advisors are unclear about this, and may tell students wrong. 

I think it's bad if a TESU student can't get their Associates in advance of the Bachelor's. I've heard they do allow a student to do that for one waiver (but 2 grad fees) if it's within a year, but it's confusing and uncertain.

Do you know how it works for certificates?

[rlw74]

I was told last year the capstone had to be repeated for a second degree by multiple advisors - even if in the same school It was confirmed several times in the forum here too. So if they aren't requiring it, either it's new or the advisors are/were confused.

I've always heard the residency waiver only covers degrees earned at the same time. That is why we tell everyone to get the Associates at the same time as the Bachelor degree. I don't know about certificates. I would think in those cases you aren't graduating, just earning a certificate. Do you have to apply and pay a graduation fee for a certificate?