Help for a New Guy (Degree Planning)

[cknapp78]

Hi All,

Brand new member referred to you guys by the folks over at techexams.net. Backstory first...

I'm 36 and just moved to Louisiana about 7 months ago. I have been an IT Consultant for the past 5 years specializing in Microsoft Messaging Architecture. I make a pretty decent living and the move to Louisiana from New Jersey definitely helped with the much lower cost of living. I've decided that it's finally time to get my degree.

Like a lot of us, I went to college right after High School. Difference is I was only 16 at the time. Got burned out very quickly and came home after 2 semesters where I didn't do very well. Went to DeVry Online for a semester about 13 years ago for a semester as well. Don't really have that many credits to transfer so I am basically starting from scratch. I am debating on whether I should get a degree in IT (WGU, etc...) or a degree in History. IT is what I am great at but history is what I love. Having worked for almost 18 years in IT I am getting kind of burned out so I am leaning more towards History. Figure it would be easier and more fun to get a degree in something I love. Plus I have always had an interest in teaching. Might want to keep working IT for a couple of years, save some money, and then start teaching when it is more financially viable for me.

For either degree, I have absolutely no idea on where to start. I have looked at all the Big 3 schools plus WGU. I need to keep my costs down to an absolute minimum so I am looking at testing out of as many classes as possible. I will also have access to in-state rates to schools here in Louisiana in 5 months. I have looked at all the degree plan templates and just feel lost. Any help you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated. I guess since I have never had to create a degree plan and haven't really looked at college seriously since 1995, I am just out of practice. Task me to migrate 400,000 users from one email domain to another and build 50 servers to support it, no problem. Ask me to write a degree plan....not so much.

Thanks in advance.

Corey

[sanantone]

WGU offers online bachelor's programs that prepare you for teacher licensure. The problem is that any traditional licensure program will require you to spend at least a semester doing a teaching practicum. You may even have to pay the school for the supervision. WGU offers the traditional route, only. An alternative teacher certification program would be much more flexible, because after you complete the coursework online or in person, you only have to worry about a brief observation period. Then, you can work for a year on a provisional license. During that time, you are paid the same as a regular teacher. Your alternative teacher certification program will deduct the fees from your paychecks. However, many school districts don't like to hire those with temporary certifications/licenses. Where I live, pretty much only the worst school districts are completely open to hiring those in alternative teacher certification programs. The desirable districts will only hire them if they are certified in shortage fields: math, science, special education, family and consumer sciences, foreign languages, technology and other vocational programs, health science, and English as a second language. There are more than enough people certified to teach history and social studies. So, you have to think about that. Where you want to teach, do they really need more history teachers. Are you willing to work in an inner-city, problem school because will often be the only ones looking for history teachers?

If you're still interested in completing an alternative teacher certification program, all you will need to do is complete your bachelor's first. I do have test out plans for TESC.
Sanantone's BA in Social Science - Degree Forum Wiki
Sanantone's BA in History - Degree Forum Wiki
Sanantone's General Education Options - Degree Forum Wiki

If you decide to go with IT, WGU is a great option, especially if you're looking for more IT certifications. However, I do have a test out plan for TESC's BSBA in Computer Information Systems.
Sanantone's BSBA in Computer Information Systems - Degree Forum Wiki

Unless you can finish WGU in one 6-month period, the absolute cheapest option will be for you to attend TESC under the Per Credit Tuition Plan and complete the residency requirement with TECEPs.

[KayV]

To add to sanantone's excellent advice, TESC transfers in all classes as CR for credit instead of using the letter grades. Also, TESC will accept D grades for many classes, with the exceptions being English Composition and major courses, for which you need a C or better. If you have 3 semesters of work with *any* salvageable grades, it would be a time- and money-saver to use them.

[cknapp78]

The other thing I have thought about is possibly going with History and pursuing Foreign Languages as a side to that. I took 3 semesters of Japanese back in the day and did very well. Not sure how I could parlay that into a career after IT though I know that the intelligence community is definitely looking for people fluent in other languages especially those in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Worth considering?

Corey

[Leebo]

Worth considering?

はい、それをしてください。

It sounds like a good idea at least!