EC Depth (Arts & Sciences) - What did you choose?

[alix]

I'm curious to find out what other people have done for their depth requirement (the one that has to be Arts & Sciences) at Excelsior College. Specifically, I'm interested in a depth that can be completely or mostly completed with exams.

Does everyone do History, or are there other combos that work?

The challenge is, of course, finding an upper-level exam or course that completes the depth, and history makes that easier, but I'm hoping there are other possibilities.

[barbara2bba]

I did enough to get a "focus" in both psychology and admin/management and is listed on my transcript. Lots of upper and lower psych and admin/mgmt classes.

[knucyt]

Great question Alix!

barbara2bba - have you already posted or would you be willing to post what classes you did for that combo? I'm really interested in what you did as it sounds right up my alley. I'm currently finishing up a Biz Mgmt focus, but am thinking about seeing if one of the Big 3 would allow me to use the classes I already have and extending it to a psych focus for a second degree. I've just started to think about this, so I don't even know if it is possible or even an intelligent way to do it.

Thanks!

[alix]

For non-TECEP exams (ECEs, DSSTs, and CLEPs), it seems that if you want to go with psychology or history, you can fulfill a depth easily. I keep looking at my master list of exams to see if there are other possibilities.

My major is in psychology, so I need to choose outside of that and, because I have a major, my depth can't be applied professional. Even though I have always been good at history, I'm just not inspired in that direction right now and so I'm resisting it with all the energy of a toddler!

Barbara2bba, I'm sure what I really need to do is follow your earlier advice and call EC. I just always like to OVER-PREPARE for these conversations in case I get an unimaginative advisor on the phone. (Oh, and the flaw in my Criminal Justice plan--perhaps not the only flaw--is that Intro to Law Enforcement is applied professional. Oops.)

[alix]

Oops, I meant to add that I think it might be possible to do a Sociology depth if you work it out with EC, because I think Cultural Diversity COULD fall under that, as could Criminal Justice.

Unfortunately, I took Intro to Sociology ages ago at a quarter-system college, so it was converted to 2.67 units and that would leave me .33 units short in whatever combo I've been able to come up with. Don't get me started on quarter-to-semester conversion casualties.

[gcalvin]

My major is in psychology, so I need to choose outside of that and, because I have a major, my depth can't be applied professional.

Your signature indicates you are pursuing a B.S. and not a B.A. -- therefore your secondary depth requirement can indeed be in an applied professional discipline (and a depth in business would be pretty easy to satisfy with exams). Check out pages 20 and 26 of the catalog. If you wanted a B.A. then the secondary depth would have to be in the arts and sciences.

-Gary-

[alix]

Hi Gary,

I had hoped I could do a depth in applied professional, but from the B.S. degree requirements chart, it looks like if you have a major as I do (as opposed to two depths) the depth has to be Arts & Sciences. I will check with Excelsior to see if that's true, since I could have a computer science depth completed with just one upper-level exam (given my transfer credits).

When I enrolled, they nudged me toward a B.S. because of my programming transfer credits, and at the time I couldn't see why since I was declaring a major, but maybe that means they will allow a depth in that category.

[gcalvin]

Are we looking at the same chart? According to the chart on page 26, your major has to be in an arts and sciences discipline, but "Depth Requirement 2" clearly says "applied professional or arts and sciences discipline" -- so 30 credits in your major, which must be arts and sciences, and 12 credits in Depth 2, which can be applied professional.

The similar chart on page 24 is for the B.A. degree.

-Gary-

[alix]

Gary, you're right. Uh....don't ask me what I was seeing, because I don't know! Color me red, at any rate. :o

I'm glad you corrected me, because this is great news for me! I just need to take the DSST MIS exam and I am DONE with my depth. Yay!

[pmc2009]

I am thinking about pursuing the BSLS. I keep going back and forth between TESC and Excelsior, but EX is in the lead as it would be about $1200 cheaper.

For my 2 depth requirements I am thinking of

History-
Clep SS & Hist - 6 LL Credits (I don't know if this one is concentrated enough)
Dantes Civil War- 6 UL Credits
Dantes Rise and fall of the Soviet Union- 3 UL Credits

and

Business-
Dantes Principles of Finance - 3 UL
Dantes MIS- 3 UL
Clep Business Law- 3 LL
Dantes BL II - 3 UL
(I also have a ton of other business credits if these will not work)

I am still waiting for my evaluation so I do not know for sure yet if these depth requirements will work, but those are what I am shooting for.