Seeking Advice On Degree Options at TESC In The Liberal Studies Department

[Waldorfteacher]

Hello

I am new at Instantcert and have been completely focused on working toward a BA since I arrived here 3 weeks ago . The support and advice from the members has been very helpful as I gain credits toward a BA in the Liberal Arts at TESC.

I earned 42 B&M credits in the eighties along with 6 AP US History credits.
The AP credits are on my college transcript but so far the College Board team has not located my AP records

I have earned 39 credits through CLEP & DSST tests the past 2 weeks.

I am at the point now I need to be hyper-vigilant in what tests I study for and take so I do not waste any efforts toward a degree. I may have already duplicated course work from college with some CLEP tests. With 33 (or 39 credits, depending on whether ETS still has my AP US history credits on file) to go, I was hoping to get some advice about my next steps.

I have been a teacher in Waldorf schools for many years and now am looking to get a teaching credential so I can teach in either public or charter schools. My BA is from a non accredited college so although I have taught for almost 20 years I can not even substitute in public schools until I have a BA from a regionally accredited college. I had been accepted into a masters program that would have solved that BA problem by supplanting it with an MA but the $30k price tag was beyond my means. When I discovered credit through testing I knew that would be the path I would take as soon as I heard about it. First I found BA in 4 weeks, then free clep prep and then instantcert. That was June 20. On June 30 I took my first DSST, World Religions. and then 8 more CLEPs and DSSTs since. I am at the point now I have to choose a degree plan before I take any more tests.

My original plan was to test out of a History BA at TESC until I realized I would have to take a 12 week class at TESC in order to complete all the Upper level History degree requirements. Now I am considering the Psychology Major, the Social Studies area of concentration or the Liberal Studies BA. Right now, they appear to be the 3 best options because I can test out of all the required upper level courses. Time is the most critical factor as the teaching credential program I am applying to has a November 1 application deadline for Spring entry. A quick BA would also allow me to get an emergency teaching credential so I can start substitute teaching this Fall.

I would love to get a History BA after I complete one of these options as I would like to teach middle school & high school History. I called TESC today and they said I would be able to get a second BA in History after finishing a first BA in one of the above mentioned areas after earning 24 new credits. Some posts on the board indicate that this is not an option at TESC so I am still confused about this possibility.

What is the policy at TESC that prevents one from earning 2 BA's in the Liberal Studies department? When going through the new TESC catalog only the 24 new credit policy was clearly defined in the section that covered a second BA. Do they make you pay another enrollment fee if you try to earn another BA in the Liberal Arts Department in the same year that your first BA was conferred? I am still trying to sort through the seemingly contradictory posts here and hoped someone who has dealt with this issue could advise me.

I plan on sitting for both the multi-subject elementary CSET and the single subject k-12 Social Studies CSET, which are prerequisites for teaching and teaching credential programs here in Califorinia. The CLEP and DSST studies have been great preparation for the CSET. With that said, the Social Studies concentration or the Liberal Studies BA would have more carryover with regards to the CSET tests. The Psychology would be easier in some ways as I bought all the prep guides for the GRE in Psychology and started studying them before I realized Excelsior was no longer giving credit for GRE's

With all that (which is a lot to consider) in mind, what would be the fastest path to a BA? If I finish my tests and have my paperwork in at TESC by August 31 I would ostensibly have my degree conferred by November 1. Given my employment status (not), the sooner the better for my degree.


So far I have these credits:

3 AP US history I
3 US US History II

6

B&M
3 PSY 113 Gen Psych
3 SOC 202 Gen Sociology
3 PHL 103 Intro to Philosophy
3 PSC 113 American Politics
3 PSC 116 International Politics
3 PSC 375 Field Experience in Politics (Upper)
3 HIS 114 Western Civ since 1789
3 JOR 110 Intro to Mass Communications
3 JOR 212 News Writing&Reporting
3 ENG 103 Intro to Lit
3 ENG 242 American Literature
3 WRT102 Composition II
3 MTH109 Algebra & Trig
3 HPR 201A (Honors) Conservation,Biology & Culture

42

CLEP
6 College Math
6 A&I Lit
6 English Lit
6 Humanities
6 Social Studies & History
3 American Government

33

DSST
3 World Religions (U)
3 Rise&Fall of the USSR (U)

6

87 Total Including 9 Upper Level

Does the American Government CLEP duplicate American Politics 113?

Will I need another writing class or will the Composition and Journalism course cover the English composition requirement?

I understand these are questions only the TESC academic advisers can answer definitively but I am surmising others have faced similar situations and could advise me in the meantime as I continue my testing.

I am planning to take these 3 tests in the next week. I considered American Lit but that looks like an overlap with my B&M credits.

DSST Substance Abuse 3Upper
CLEP Educational Psychology 3(200level)
CLEP Human Growth & Development 3(200 level)

I would love to fit in the ECE Teaching Literacy in the elementary school for 6 Upper level credits If that would fit in any degree plan. This test has over a 90% pass rate and is right down my alley. I am not sure if EDU classes are accepted in the Liberal Studies degree though. I am going to start working on some excel spreadsheets of multiple plans so I look forward to hearing your input and incorporating it into my degree plan

Thank you for fielding these queries, I very much appreciate any input you can offer out of your experience with TESC.

[rebel100]

Hi,

Im not one of the TESC guru's so I will leave the specific answeres to someone else (I'm at the little big three, COSC)...but I wanted to say how incredible it is that you managed so many testing credits in such a short time...might be a record of some kind!!! Well done indeed!

Also as you plan don't forget the TECEPS that are now offered at just $99, don't know if anything there will help but thought I would bring it up. Thomas Edison State College/ All TECEP&reg Tests

Good Luck! And way to go !!!!!

Mike

[Waldorfteacher]

Hello
With the aid of an existing degree plan template here on the board I worked up a spreadsheet for a BA in Social Studies from TESC. I am not sure how many incarnations this template has gone through but thanks to all who worked to create it. Please take a look and offer any suggestions that might improve my plan.

I applied to TESC and will be sending off transcripts to them soon. It appears if I complete my testing by October 1, 2011 I will be able to graduate On December 1, 2011.

Thanks for any assistance you can offer.

[Waldorfteacher]

The excel template was too large to upload, here it is now.