OK, so based on some further research, here is where I am with my two major options - though I am adding a third option for now.
NCSU:
As a reminder, I have been readmitted for the third time, in a BA in English Literature program, which is my original program from the early 90s. To complete this, I need one class in British Renaissance literature, one class in World Literature, one class in Rhetoric, one math class, 5 hours (basically two classes) of Interdisciplinary, and one Diversity. Also a 1-credit-hour physical fitness class. NCSU has a Rhetoric class that doubles as Interdisciplinary. So if I can find another Interdisciplinary that doubles as Diversity, I would need five classes (plus the physical fitness class, so that is six, but the physical fitness is just one hour).
The issue I am facing here is that the Brit Ren class, in particular, has very limited options, and I've had difficulty finding anything that would transfer in, available online anywhere. The courses that count for this are very picky and specific. I have found some classes listed elsewhere, for example, UNC-Greensboro has a class that would count, but it's a class that they offer rarely and as far as I can tell, it's in-person only. The World Lit and Rhetoric classes are also hard to find, but not quite as hard. I have not found any of them available as self-paced classes, though perhaps I could find those in an online format somewhere other than NCSU. The good news is that math and interdisciplinary courses are readily available online at NCSU.
For those accustomed to finding classes that will transfer in and fulfill requirements at UMPI, TESU, etc, I think NCSU is a different kettle of fish, especially with upper level English Literature classes.
My NCSU advisor said yesterday that I should "just accept" that I will need to take two or three of the classes on campus at NCSU. But that is easier said than done due to other obligations I have. Also, these are classes that are going to have very limited course availability, so we're probably talking like, an hour and a half in the mornings every Tuesday and Thursday or something like that. I could do it if my life depended on it, but I think about this and I just don't feel iike this is giving myself the best chance to succeed.
It is very frustrating, because I feel so close yet so far. So, that's where I am with NCSU.
UMPI:
I completed my application today.
I have ~120 NCSU credits. Of course, any UMPI degree program would require a 30-credit-hour residency at UMPI, so for practical purposes, I have at most 90 credits. And, the BABA program requires, what, about 60 credit hours or a bit more.
I have no prior business classes at all right now. So at UMPI, I am looking at ~20+ classes I would need to take.
From another thread and a wiki list, it looks like I could complete around half a dozen of my UMPI business requirements via Sophia.org. I also see five Study.com classes that should transfer for concentration requirements. That is theoretically 11 classes, but I am not sure if it's worth doing both Sophia and Study. I am thinking about just doing the Sophia classes and doing the rest at UMPI, based on what I've read about Study.com's format and pricing relative to UMPI's format and pricing; also simplifying my life by dealing with two online class systems instead of three. So, I would bring in not 11, but a maximum of 6, business classes, and would need the remaining ~14+ at UMPI. But I'm open to advice here, if Study.com has practical advantages over UMPI.
Third option (probably the easy route):
I'm also going to look at what I would need to complete a BLS at UMPI, plus a Management minor. The advantage of this is obvious in my situation: I would bring in enough credits that I would only have the residency requirement and the minor requirements to worry about. This will probably be the fastest, easiest path of these three to bachelor's completion in my case. The minor requirement is six classes (18 hours), so I'd probably only need four other classes to get to 30 hours at UMPI, and most of those four should have no requirement at all except residency so I can pick whatever looks easiest for those. This would check the "has bachelor's degree" box and it would put at l least a business minor on my resume.
Of course, I worry whether a BLS would be as beneficial for job applications. I do sometimes see job listings of interest to me that specify that a business degree is required. With my experience plus a minor, I think I could make a case for equivalence, but avoiding weed-outs (especially AI keyword weed-outs before a human even looks at the application) is always a plus. I could add a master's of some sort down the road, though.
I am waiting for the UMPI analysis of my transcript. I will know more details then, and I plan to discuss these options with my UMPI academic advisor at that point.
I am posting this here because, again, I really do not have any disinterested party in my personal life to discuss this with or bounce things off of. My NCSU advisor thinks I should be walking around NCSU with a Jansport on my back. The UMPI guy is helping me complete the UMPI admission process and nothing else.
Thanks. I appreciate this board a lot.
NCSU:
As a reminder, I have been readmitted for the third time, in a BA in English Literature program, which is my original program from the early 90s. To complete this, I need one class in British Renaissance literature, one class in World Literature, one class in Rhetoric, one math class, 5 hours (basically two classes) of Interdisciplinary, and one Diversity. Also a 1-credit-hour physical fitness class. NCSU has a Rhetoric class that doubles as Interdisciplinary. So if I can find another Interdisciplinary that doubles as Diversity, I would need five classes (plus the physical fitness class, so that is six, but the physical fitness is just one hour).
The issue I am facing here is that the Brit Ren class, in particular, has very limited options, and I've had difficulty finding anything that would transfer in, available online anywhere. The courses that count for this are very picky and specific. I have found some classes listed elsewhere, for example, UNC-Greensboro has a class that would count, but it's a class that they offer rarely and as far as I can tell, it's in-person only. The World Lit and Rhetoric classes are also hard to find, but not quite as hard. I have not found any of them available as self-paced classes, though perhaps I could find those in an online format somewhere other than NCSU. The good news is that math and interdisciplinary courses are readily available online at NCSU.
For those accustomed to finding classes that will transfer in and fulfill requirements at UMPI, TESU, etc, I think NCSU is a different kettle of fish, especially with upper level English Literature classes.
My NCSU advisor said yesterday that I should "just accept" that I will need to take two or three of the classes on campus at NCSU. But that is easier said than done due to other obligations I have. Also, these are classes that are going to have very limited course availability, so we're probably talking like, an hour and a half in the mornings every Tuesday and Thursday or something like that. I could do it if my life depended on it, but I think about this and I just don't feel iike this is giving myself the best chance to succeed.
It is very frustrating, because I feel so close yet so far. So, that's where I am with NCSU.
UMPI:
I completed my application today.
I have ~120 NCSU credits. Of course, any UMPI degree program would require a 30-credit-hour residency at UMPI, so for practical purposes, I have at most 90 credits. And, the BABA program requires, what, about 60 credit hours or a bit more.
I have no prior business classes at all right now. So at UMPI, I am looking at ~20+ classes I would need to take.
From another thread and a wiki list, it looks like I could complete around half a dozen of my UMPI business requirements via Sophia.org. I also see five Study.com classes that should transfer for concentration requirements. That is theoretically 11 classes, but I am not sure if it's worth doing both Sophia and Study. I am thinking about just doing the Sophia classes and doing the rest at UMPI, based on what I've read about Study.com's format and pricing relative to UMPI's format and pricing; also simplifying my life by dealing with two online class systems instead of three. So, I would bring in not 11, but a maximum of 6, business classes, and would need the remaining ~14+ at UMPI. But I'm open to advice here, if Study.com has practical advantages over UMPI.
Third option (probably the easy route):
I'm also going to look at what I would need to complete a BLS at UMPI, plus a Management minor. The advantage of this is obvious in my situation: I would bring in enough credits that I would only have the residency requirement and the minor requirements to worry about. This will probably be the fastest, easiest path of these three to bachelor's completion in my case. The minor requirement is six classes (18 hours), so I'd probably only need four other classes to get to 30 hours at UMPI, and most of those four should have no requirement at all except residency so I can pick whatever looks easiest for those. This would check the "has bachelor's degree" box and it would put at l least a business minor on my resume.
Of course, I worry whether a BLS would be as beneficial for job applications. I do sometimes see job listings of interest to me that specify that a business degree is required. With my experience plus a minor, I think I could make a case for equivalence, but avoiding weed-outs (especially AI keyword weed-outs before a human even looks at the application) is always a plus. I could add a master's of some sort down the road, though.
I am waiting for the UMPI analysis of my transcript. I will know more details then, and I plan to discuss these options with my UMPI academic advisor at that point.
I am posting this here because, again, I really do not have any disinterested party in my personal life to discuss this with or bounce things off of. My NCSU advisor thinks I should be walking around NCSU with a Jansport on my back. The UMPI guy is helping me complete the UMPI admission process and nothing else.
Thanks. I appreciate this board a lot.
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