Excelsior BS in Business Degree Plan

[jackbanta]

What follows is my advisor approved degree plan for a Bachelor of Science in Business with a concentration in general business. I'm posting this to help anyone who might just be starting out on the path to a degree by testing out. Of course, one should always consult their own academic advisors for specifics, but I'm hoping this can serve as motivating roadmap. I know that if I had found something like this, I might have gotten more into it a few years ago.

It should be noted that one cannot test out of the degree entirely, there are three courses (two, if you take the TESC Productions/Operations Management test instead of the CSU Pueblo course) which you have to take in order to satisfy the degree requirements. They are all online though, so you can accomplish this degree without having to set foot inside of a classroom.

Also, this plan is slightly modified, as I had 9 credits from my ill-fated, just out of high school college experience. I replaced the courses with the equivalent tests, to aide someone who might be starting from scratch.

This plan is also, I believe, the most cost-effective way to a degree, as I've foregone taking the more expensive Excelsior tests in favor of more CLEPs and DSSTs. As such, this degree plan might be able to be easily modified for one of the other big three. Also, I realize that the Chemistry CLEP might be more than some are willing to tackle... you could substitute any six degree credits for this test, as it's not a required test, it just rounds out my arts and sciences and electives.

I hope this helps!

Arts and Science – 60 Needed
CLEP History of the United States I 3
CLEP History of the United States II 3
CLEP College Composition 3
CLEP Humanities 6
CLEP Biology 6
CLEP College Mathematics 6
CLEP Introductory Psychology 3
CLEP American Government 3
CLEP Social Sciences and History 6
CLEP Microeconomics 3
CLEP Macroeconomics 3
CLEP Chemistry 6 (3) - extra credits applied towards electives
CLEP American Literature 6
CLEP College Algebra 3
DSST Principles of Statistics 3

Career Component – 45 Needed (12 Upper)
CLEP Financial Accounting 3
CLEP Intro to Business Law 3
CLEP Information Systems 3
CLEP Principles of Management 3
CLEP Principles of Marketing 3
DSST Principles of Finance 3
DSST Business Ethics 3 U
DSST Business Law II 3 U
DSST Management Information Systems 3 U
DSST Substance Abuse 3 U
DSST Principles of Supervision 3
DSST Organizational Behavior 3
Managerial Accounting (Accounting II, straighterline) 3
Production/Operations Management (311 MGMT at CSU Pueblo) 3
BUS 495 Business Strategy 3

Electives – 15 Needed
Information Literacy 1
CLEP Chemistry 6 (3)
CLEP Natural Sciences 6
CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature 6

[ryoder]

Cost-wise I would throw ALEKs in there. At 20 dollars a month you can usually pickup 9-12 credits with ALEks.
Good luck and don't forget Penn Foster classes for general business and financial management. They are not that cheap at 300 dollars but they come with books and can be completed quickly in most cases at your own pace.

[skyfall123]

Great job!

It's been a couple of years since I finished that one. One question - how is DSST Substance Abuse part of the 45 credit business component? If so great, if not DSST Money and Banking works and is UL as well.

I agree with the Production/Operations Management (311 MGMT at CSU Pueblo) 3 instead of trying to test out of the TECEP. I was one who did test out (barely) by taking the TECEP and can say it was one of the most difficult, convoluted exams I've ever taken. To me the CSU Pueblo course is a much safer bet.

[jackbanta]

Hah, I've somehow managed to avoid hearing about ALEKS before now. It's amazing how many great higher education options are available that the average person knows nothing about!

So, if I'm understanding correctly, I could take ALEKS College Algebra instead of the CLEP, Introduction to Statistics instead of DSST Principles of Statistics, and Business Statistics in place of one of my optional upper level business tests?

One question - how is DSST Substance Abuse part of the 45 credit business component? If so great, if not DSST Money and Banking works and is UL as well.

It's not a required component, I only had it in there as an upper level option.

[skyfall123]

You raised my curiosity....

http://www.excelsior.edu/c/document_libr...upId=78666

Page 50 shows applicable CLEPS/DSST's. Unless things have changed at Excelsior, they don't grant credit for both Principles of Management and DSST Intro to Supervision. Double check that. If I'm correct then you can't use Intro to Supervision for the 45 credit business component. You can use DSST Intro to Business instead.

Also the 45 credit is a business component. The 12 UL credits must come from business, so DSST Substance Abuse is out...but DSST Money and Banking will work (p30 same link). Also its a little more $$$ but you could take the ECE Organizational Behavior and get UL credit.

Everything else looks good.

[Yenisei]

You may want to double check that Excelsior would accept both ALEKS Intro to Statistics and Business Statistics, because those two courses' material generally overlaps.

[jackbanta]

Also the 45 credit is a business component. The 12 UL credits must come from business, so DSST Substance Abuse is out...but DSST Money and Banking will work (p30 same link). Also its a little more $$$ but you could take the ECE Organizational Behavior and get UL credit.

Ah. I think I misunderstood in my last conversation with my advisor then. Thanks for the clarification!

As for the Principles of Management and Intro to Supervision, that was just a plain mistake on my part. I HAD intended to put DSST Intro to Business there instead.

I'll check on whether the ALEKS Intro to Statistics and ALEKS Business Statistics are both accepted as well and post my findings.

[Mechanix26]

Business Statistics will be counted as lower level if used for a business degree. This I know for a fact, so I would only take one of them.

[Tasman]

If I recall, EC only accepts 9 credits through aleks.

[derek10rr3]

Do you know which 9 credits those are? College algebra, intermediate algebra and stats perhaps?

If I recall, EC only accepts 9 credits through aleks.