Excelsior Capstone Requirements

[EWCTest]

I just got an email from my admissions counselor at Excelsior. According to her, you need to have completed 117 credits of your degree in order to take the capstone: this includes the two month information literacy requirement (INL*102) that you're required to take at Excelsior. Strangely, what she said contradicts the strategic management capstone (BUS*499) course listing, which says the only prerequisite is completion of the business core. I was planning to take the capstone and information literacy requirement in the upcoming term, but this throws a wrench in that plan. Has anybody who's doing/done a bachelor's at Excelsior know if what my counselor said is correct?

[TheMaskedMutant]

I just got an email from my admissions counselor at Excelsior. According to her, you need to have completed 117 credits of your degree in order to take the capstone: this includes the two month information literacy requirement (INL*102) that you're required to take at Excelsior. Strangely, what she said contradicts the strategic management capstone (BUS*499) course listing, which says the only prerequisite is completion of the business core. I was planning to take the capstone and information literacy requirement in the upcoming term, but this throws a wrench in that plan. Has anybody who's doing/done a bachelor's at Excelsior know if what my counselor said is correct?

The information literacy class (INL 102) takes all of a few hours to complete in its entirety; I think I finished it in 7 hours or less on a weekend (I did it in August 2018.  I assume it hasn't changed).  I had to write like a 200-word essay capturing writing proficiency and understanding of the results of a survey you take in the course.  You can easily combine INL 102 with whatever other course you plan to take. I t's self-paced and feels like a waste of money if you have extensive experience with online learning and research.

As far as the Capstone, I'm in my second to last class to complete my degree at Excelsior, but I intentionally placed the Capstone as my last class.  So I'm not sure if it's an actual requirement to have exactly 117.  Generally speaking, in order to ensure success in the Capstone course, the academic advising team probably doesn't want students to jump straight to it without having the experience in the Upper Division classes.

According to the Course Catalog entry for BUS499:

"Prerequisite: This course requires prior completion of all core business courses. As you start this integrative course in business, you are expected to already possess an understanding of accounting, finance, marketing, economics, management, strategy, and ethics. You should be familiar with computer applications and quantitative analysis."

Do you already have the business core, accounting, finance, marketing, economic, management, strategy, ethics, computer applicants, and quantitative analysis knowledge and experience reflected on your transfer transcripts?  If you do, I think you'd be able to make a strong argument to be able to take the Capstone sooner.  I also wonder if your transfer credits make it to where the only classes you need are the Business Core classes (and INL 102), of which completion of those would happen to put you at the 117 credits the counselor is referencing?

[EWCTest]

I just got an email from my admissions counselor at Excelsior. According to her, you need to have completed 117 credits of your degree in order to take the capstone: this includes the two month information literacy requirement (INL*102) that you're required to take at Excelsior. Strangely, what she said contradicts the strategic management capstone (BUS*499) course listing, which says the only prerequisite is completion of the business core. I was planning to take the capstone and information literacy requirement in the upcoming term, but this throws a wrench in that plan. Has anybody who's doing/done a bachelor's at Excelsior know if what my counselor said is correct?

The information literacy class (INL 102) takes all of a few hours to complete in its entirety; I think I finished it in 7 hours or less on a weekend (I did it in August 2018.  I assume it hasn't changed).  I had to write like a 200-word essay capturing writing proficiency and understanding of the results of a survey you take in the course.  You can easily combine INL 102 with whatever other course you plan to take. I t's self-paced and feels like a waste of money if you have extensive experience with online learning and research.

As far as the Capstone, I'm in my second to last class to complete my degree at Excelsior, but I intentionally placed the Capstone as my last class.  So I'm not sure if it's an actual requirement to have exactly 117.  Generally speaking, in order to ensure success in the Capstone course, the academic advising team probably doesn't want students to jump straight to it without having the experience in the Upper Division classes.

According to the Course Catalog entry for BUS499:

"Prerequisite: This course requires prior completion of all core business courses. As you start this integrative course in business, you are expected to already possess an understanding of accounting, finance, marketing, economics, management, strategy, and ethics. You should be familiar with computer applications and quantitative analysis."

Do you already have the business core, accounting, finance, marketing, economic, management, strategy, ethics, computer applicants, and quantitative analysis knowledge and experience reflected on your transfer transcripts?  If you do, I think you'd be able to make a strong argument to be able to take the Capstone sooner.  I also wonder if your transfer credits make it to where the only classes you need are the Business Core classes (and INL 102), of which completion of those would happen to put you at the 117 credits the counselor is referencing?

That's the thing, I transferred in around 90 credits, including the business core. I've been working on my last upper-level requirements right now and will be wrapping them up sooner rather than later. I feel like it's just absurd to require somebody to complete every single class before being allowed to enroll in their capstone, is all. Either way, thanks for the information; it's nice to hear from someone who's actually made it out the other side.

[TheMaskedMutant]

That's the thing, I transferred in around 90 credits, including the business core. I've been working on my last upper-level requirements right now and will be wrapping them up sooner rather than later. I feel like it's just absurd to require somebody to complete every single class before being allowed to enroll in their capstone, is all. Either way, thanks for the information; it's nice to hear from someone who's actually made it out the other side.

I guess I understand both yours and the school's perspective on this; I start my capstone in July, but it has zero prerequisites.