Decision time: BABA/Leadership vs BLS/Management

[colonelcamp]

I should have mentioned that you'll also need a minimum of 40 technical credits for the BAS at UMPI as well as 15 at Pierpont for the BOG AAS. I got mine from a mix of Sophia, TEEX and Coursera.

[bjcheung77]

If you have the energy, time, to get through a few Coursera, Sophia.org, TEEX cheapies and freebies, you can get the UMPI BAS.

[Kjnova]

Would it actually be faster or easier for me, at this point, than BABA, though? Are the BAS requirements posted somewhere? Thanks!

[bjcheung77]

Here's the Pierpont to UMPI BAS sticky thread, plus within the thread, the link to the WIKI plan:
https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...one-it-yet

[Kjnova]

Thanks - probably not a fit for me, but may be for others reading this.

Looks like what I would need to do is:

1 - Get an associate's degree in Applied Sciences.
2 - Get another 40 credits in technical classes.

Right now, my only credits that might be relevant are Biology, Geology, and depending how it is defined, maybe Nutrition or one or two others.

So, I think it would be a similar effort for me in terms of class numbers as BABA, and for me, they might be more difficult classes. I am a former English Literature major who has practical experience in business - nothing highly technical.

Let me know if I'm looking at it the wrong way. I'm glad the topic came up just in case it was a fit, even if it's not. Better to know the options now than find out too late. Thanks!

I'll also mention that I looked into the UMPI English degree, since my prior major was English Literature. Not that an English degree is especially marketable, but I've thought of myself as an English major for most of my life now. And, "BA - English" seems a bit more traditional to me than BLS (but maybe that is just me). Unfortunately for my purposes, the UMPI English degree has only one concentration option, which is mandatory, and it's in writing rather than in literature. Because of that, I would need 12 classes to complete it. If I added a business minor, that would be 18 classes.

[allvia]

Would it actually be faster or easier for me, at this point, than BABA, though? Are the BAS requirements posted somewhere? Thanks!

It would be better (and quicker/cheaper) for you to go for the BABA at UMPI than backtrack to gain (40) technical credits required for an associates degree with an AOS you're not interested in, all so you could get a better sounding but still generic bachelor degree. The BAS makes great sense for some, such as colonelcamp, because they already have, or are interested in, a technical based career field.

I'll add that whichever you decide, BLS or BABA, you should max out what you can at Sophia (you should not be doing any Gen Eds at UMPI - other than maybe Comp I or Comp II, and even then probably not). You want to keep UMPI to as close to 10 courses (30 credits) as possible to keep things quick and low cost; even if that means a few Study.com courses as well for UL business courses.

[Kjnova]

Thanks - if I do BLS with minor in Management, I only have 9 specific classes I need and need to take one random elective to meet residency requirement, so for any I do via Sophia, I would need to add an additional UMPI elective to compensate for the lost residency hours.

I won't do BAS. I wish it was a fit for me, but it's not.

I am looking at BLS/Management (3 GEP classes, 6 Business classes, 1 elective of any type); BABA (3 GEP classes, 20 Business classes), and English (3 GEP classes, 9 English/PCJ classes).

My advisor just told me that in her experience, people majoring in English move slower than in some other programs. She does not know the reason - maybe people who choose English aren't trying to rush as much? Maybe the classes intrinsically are more time-gated somehow? Any UMPI English majors here with a perspective on that?

I will say that PCJ 396 looks like it might be a non-starter for a working adult (it is written as if it's a literal internship). The capstone also could be annoying.

Unless anybody has done PCJ 396 and says it's not as bad as it sounds, I think I will have to drop English from consideration due to that class alone.


As for maxing out Sophia and Study.com, the session begins in less than two weeks. I have a lot of time on my hands, but even so, I'm not sure what is feasible as far as speed completing any of these. I haven't done for-credit academic classes in many years.

Thanks!

[allvia]

Thanks - if I do BLS with minor in Management, I only have 9 specific classes I need and need to take one random elective to meet residency requirement, so for any I do via Sophia, I would need to add an additional UMPI elective to compensate for the lost residency hours.

I won't do BAS. I wish it was a fit for me, but it's not.

I am looking at BLS/Management (3 GEP classes, 6 Business classes, 1 elective of any type); BABA (3 GEP classes, 20 Business classes), and English (3 GEP classes, 9 English/PCJ classes).

My advisor just told me that in her experience, people majoring in English move slower than in some other programs. She does not know the reason - maybe people who choose English aren't trying to rush as much? Maybe the classes intrinsically are more time-gated somehow? Any UMPI English majors here with a perspective on that?

I will say that PCJ 396 looks like it might be a non-starter for a working adult (it is written as if it's a literal internship). The capstone also could be annoying.

Unless anybody has done PCJ 396 and says it's not as bad as it sounds, I think I will have to drop English from consideration due to that class alone.


As for maxing out Sophia and Study.com, the session begins in less than two weeks. I have a lot of time on my hands, but even so, I'm not sure what is feasible as far as speed completing any of these. I haven't done for-credit academic classes in many years.

Thanks!

I'm going to point out to you that your objection to the BLS vs BABA was that the BLS doesn't really meet the (perceived) need of a business degree to apply for some jobs. Although with a Management minor I'd argue that point some (plus most job postings state preferred vs required); the English degree is even less so. The English degree is you holding onto your 20'somethings plan, not your now older and wiser professional self. This is how people get degree paralysis here and never complete a bachelor. If you had graduated back when you started you'd be here asking for the quickest and lowest cost MBA, so you could get the business degree on your resume because you 'only' had an English bachelor degree. If speed is your concern, the BLS-Management will read business based, along with your existing resume experience and certifications.  And if you want 'more business' for the resume/CV we do have low cost (even some quick) MBAs we can recommend for you to move on to after the BLS if you wish.

Let's do a visual your new resume (I suspect it looks better than you 'think' it sounds, it is the 'bachelor' that is missing from your current resume)

'University of Maine at Presque Isle, Bachelor of Liberal Studies - Management'

[Kjnova]

Great insight! Thanks.

Is that how you list a minor on a resume?

I think I will do the BLS, unless I get into the term and find things are going extremely quickly. In that case, I might revisit the BABA.

I am going to mark English off the list. Also, BAS isn't a fit for me.

My advisor says I can switch majors at basically any time with no issues. Right now, I'm officially in BABA, and might leave it that way for the start of the term, but most likely switching to BLS soon after.

Given that, I don't think it makes sense to do any Sophia classes, unless one or more of the UMPI classes are notoriously slow. I'm also open to suggestions about which class to choose, in cases where I have multiple options (the original post in this thread has that list).

Thanks again!

[Kjnova]

If I do the BLS w/Management minor, right now I am thinking I will use these classes.

This is based partly on the class review thread stickied to the top of this page, and partly on my own preferences and guesses about how well the classes will work for me.

My three GEP classes (I can pick each from a short list):
ENG 211
PHI 152
HTY 116

My six minor classes (the first five are mandatory, the sixth is chosen from an approved list):
BUS 141
BUS 260
BUS 321
BUS 415
PCJ 215
BUS 240

And then I can use any UMPI 3-credit class for the last three credits I need for residency. I am thinking I'd use this one:
BUS 350

The one that worries me the most is PCJ 215, which is about doing real-world professional communications for a non-profit. That's a cool idea, but I worry about it being inflexible or otherwise taking a lot of time. I can't avoid it, though, it's one of the required classes for the minor.