Help with Degree Plan at TESU - Bachelor of Liberal Studies in Humanities

[embitca]

Hi gang, I'm back! This time I plan to actually take tests

I just got my degree evaluation from TESU today and I'm am looking for any help determining the cheapest, quickest and easiest ways to fulfill the requirements. I'm a pretty good test taker/crammer (except when it comes to Math). I only need 30 credits.

My current plans are to take the College Composition Clep for 6 credits. I'll be scheduling that within the next couple of weeks. They gave me credit for Eng 102, but won't waive the Eng 101 so I'm assuming if I take the 6 credit exam, the extra three credits will go to Electives. Can someone confirm?

As for Math, I plan to use Aleks for the Math credits. I would prefer not to take a test for math and plan on doing only the 3 math credits required. If you could let me know what you think the best Aleks option would be, it would be a big help.

My plan as well is to take the Capstone in October and I will pay the Non-Residency fee when I graduate so I will be skipping the Cornerstone (hooray!). I would love to finish everything by January if possible.

Let me know what you think! And thanks again for all your help.

S.H. S.H. Applied S.H. Comm Coll S.H to Overall TESU
Required to Degree Req Remaining S.H. Applied be Planned GPA Met GPA
120.00 90.00 30.00 0.00 30.00 YES

Source Institution
1 Univ of Massachusetts - Boston

BA General Education (60 SH)
Semester Hours Completed: 39.00
Complete all 5 subrequirements:
A: Intellectual Skills (In Progress)
> INTELLECTUAL AND PRACTICAL SKILLS (15)
> Complete 15 semester hours (SH) to include:
> *Written Communication (ENC-101 and ENC-102 w/grade of C or
> better), 6SH
> *Oral Communication, 3SH
> *Quantitative Literacy (College-Level Math), 3SH
> *Information Literacy, 3SH
Semester Hours Completed: 3.00
ENC-101 (DEGREE REQUIREMENT) (Not Started)
_____________________________________________________________________ 3 credits
ENC-102 (DEGREE REQUIREMENT) (Completed)
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESU # Notes
1.. ENGL102 Freshman English II...... 3.00 B ENC-102 *TE
Oral Communication (Not Started)
_____________________________________________________________________ 3 credits
Quantitative Literacy (Not Started)
_____________________________________________________________________ 3 credits
Information Literacy (Not Started)
_____________________________________________________________________ 3 credits

B: Civic Learning (In Progress)
> CIVIC AND GLOBAL LEARNING (9)
> Complete 9 semester hours (SH) to include:
> *Diversity, 3SH
> *Ethics, 3SH
> *Civic Engagement, 3SH
Semester Hours Completed: 3.00
Diversity (Completed)
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESU # Notes
1.. ANTH270 North Amer Indians....... 3.00 A- HIS-307 *TE
Ethics (Not Started)
_____________________________________________________________________ 3 credits
Civic Engagement (Not Started)
_____________________________________________________________________ 3 credits

C: Human Cultures (Completed)
> KNOWLEDGE OF HUMAN CULTURES (12)
> Complete 12 semester hours (SH) in Humanities and/or
> Social Sciences.
Semester Hours Completed: 12.00
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESU # Notes
1.. POLSCI123 20th Century Political Id 3.00 B+ POS-199 *TE
1.. WOST100 Women & Society.......... 3.00 B WMS-199 *TE
1.. ART199 Visual Thinking.......... 3.00 C ART-199 *TE
1.. PHIL100 Intro to Philosophy...... 3.00 A- PHI-101 *TE


D: Natural World (Not Started)
> UNDERSTANDING THE PHYSICAL AND NATURAL WORLD (4)
> Complete 4 semester hours in the Natural Sciences.
> Mathematics courses cannot be used to satisfy this
> requirement.
_____________________________________________________________________ 3 credits
_____________________________________________________________________ 1 credits

E: GE Electives (In Progress)
> GENERAL EDUCATION ELECTIVES (20)

> Complete 1 semester hour of TES-100 Cornerstone: Lifelong
> Learning Strategies, and an additional 19 semester
> hours(SH) in General Education Electives.
Semester Hours Completed: 21.00
Group 1 (Not Started)
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESU # Notes
___ TES-100___ _________________________ ______________________ 1 course needed
Group 2 (Completed)
Semester Hours Completed: 21.00
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESU # Notes
1.. CSTCOM220 Community Formation...... 3.00 A SOC-299 *TE
1.. CMTCOM220 Media & Cmmty Bldg....... 3.00 CR COM-299 *TE
1.. CORCOM130 Media Literacy........... 3.00 CR COM-200 *TE
1.. ENGL370 Amer Detective Fict...... 3.00 A- ENG-235 *TE
1.. GERMAN255 Pact W Devil Faust....... 3.00 A- GRM-299 *TE
1.. WOST240 Women & Folklore......... 3.00 B+ WMS-299 *TE
1.. WOST260 Womens Health Care....... 3.00 C- WMS-299 *TE
================================================================================
Liberal Studies-Humanities (18SH)
GPA Achieved/Needed: 2.900 / 2.000
> The Area of Study for this degree program consists of the
> 18 semester hour Concentration, the 12 semester hour
> Liberal Studies General Courses and the 3 semester hour
> Liberal Arts Capstone, for a total of 33 semester hours. A
> MAXIMUM of 6 semester hours within the entire Area of Study
> can be at the 100 level.
>
>
> Within the Concentration, complete 15 semester hours
> in the Humanities at the upper level (300/400) with a grade
> of C or better. Complete an additional 3 semester hours
> in the Humanities at any level with a grade of C or
> better.
Semester Hours Completed: 19.00
Group 1 (Completed)
Semester Hours Completed: 16.00
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESU # Notes
1.. ENGL481 Special Topics........... 3.00 B ENG-499 *TE
1.. ENGL369 Contemp Amer Fiction..... 3.00 A- ENG-387 *TE
1.. ENGL383 Shakespeare.............. 3.00 B+ LIT-321 *TE
1.. ENGL201 Five British Writers..... 3.00 B ENG-348 *TE
1.. ART295 Intro to Video........... 4.00 C ART-346 *TE
Group 2 (Completed)
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESU # Notes
1.. ENGL225 Intro to Shakespeare..... 3.00 B- LIT-320 *TE
================================================================================
Liberal Studies General Coursework (12SH)

> Complete 12 semester hours (SH) of Liberal Arts and
> Sciences coursework with a grade of C or better.
> A MAXIMUM of 6 semester hours within the entire Area of
> Study can be at the 100 level.
Semester Hours Completed: 12.00
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESU # Notes
1.. WOST480 Special Topics........... 3.00 B- WMS-499 *TE
1.. WOST480 Special Topics........... 3.00 B+ WMS-499 *TE
1.. AMST205 The Fifties.............. 3.00 B- HIS-432 *TE
1.. CORCOM310 Economic Distributn...... 3.00 CR ECO-312 *TE
================================================================================
Liberal Arts Capstone (3 SH)
> Complete course LIB-495 Liberal Arts Capstone for 3
> semester hours (SH). A grade of C or better is required in
> this course as well as within all courses that make up the
> Area of Study.

>
> This Capstone course must be taken at Thomas Edison State
> University or via an approved Thomas Edison State
> University Academic Program Review.
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESU # Notes
___ LIB-495___ _________________________ ______________________ 1 course needed
================================================================================
Electives (27SH)
> Complete 27 semester hours (SH) of college level coursework
> as Electives.
Semester Hours Completed: 20.00 Required: 27 Remaining: 7
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESU # Notes
1.. HIST230 Nationalism Mod.......... 3.00 A HIS-389 *TE
1.. ENGL302 Creat Writ Fiction....... 3.00 B ENG-231 *TE
1.. ENGL210 Intro to Creat Writ...... 3.00 B ENG-261 *TE
1.. ANTH367 Witchcraft & Sorcery..... 3.00 B ANT-321 *TE
1.. GERMAN245 Myth & Study of Myth..... 3.00 B- GRM-299 *TE
1.. ENGL325 Narr in Novel & Film..... 5.00 C ENG-399 *TE
_____________________________________________________________________ 3 credits
_____________________________________________________________________ 3 credits
_____________________________________________________________________ 1 credits

[dfrecore]

No, the extra English Credits won't count towards electives, because they are duplicates. But, since you don't need English II, I would take the easier College Composition Modular WITHOUT Essay. That's only 3cr and is ENC-101. It's a much better option for you.

ALEKS Intermediate Algebra is your easiest route there. The College Math CLEP is also supposed to be fairly easy, and it's 6cr, so 3 would carry over to Gen Ed or Free Electives.

Regarding the Cornerstone, I think you're still going to have to take it. There was just an update to the rule - if you're in the current (2016) catalog, it's required. It doesn't seem to be on anyone's evals as far as I can see, but it's still required.

Check out the free or super expensive courses we discuss on this forum for some things: Saylor Intro to Comparative Politics, Shmoop History, NFA courses (3 free credits), Insurance Ethics (2cr free).

[embitca]

No, the extra English Credits won't count towards electives, because they are duplicates. But, since you don't need English II, I would take the easier College Composition Modular WITHOUT Essay. That's only 3cr and is ENC-101. It's a much better option for you.

Oh that is very good to know! Thank you! I'll definitely do that test instead. Is it completely multiple choice? If so, I might just schedule it for next week and get it over with.

I am going to do the Insurance Institute test tomorrow night (too fried to do it tonight). I already signed up for the course and registered my ACE account. I used to have a Producer's license to sell Health Insurance so hopefully I can just take the test cold and pass it. I see most folks on the forum have done so. Luckily I already have an extra credit in Gen Ed electives.

I'll start Aleks Intermediate Algebra this weekend too.

That stinks about having to take the Cornerstone. Oh well.

I'll look into the other options you mentioned as well. Thanks very much!!

[embitca]

I lost out on the last available slot to take a Clep exam this Saturday so the earliest I can take one now is Sept 10th. I've scheduled the College Comp Modular for that date and I did the the Insurance Institute test over the weekend and scored an 88 on that so that will take care of Eng 101 and Ethics.

I'm planning on registering for the Capstone and Cornerstone for October as soon as registration opens up for it so that means I'll have a little over a month before I start the Capstone class and I'd like to knock out as many other requirements as possible by then so I'm going to do the Intro to Communications and Intro to Religion at Straighterline to take care of Oral Comm. and Informational Literacy. I'm holding off on Math for the moment because TESU just received a community college transcript from some classes I took 20 years ago and for the life of me I can't remember whether the algebra class I did was remedial or not so I will wait until I get the evaluation before plunging into Intermediate Algebra on Aleks just in case I don't need it.

That leaves me with Civic Engagement and Natural World requirements. Anyone have any recommendations for either of those? I'll be signing up for Straighterline anyway so if there's a third class (or even a fourth if that isn't too crazy) I could try and knock out in a month that would be great. Or maybe another Clep exam that I could take the day I am doing College Comp Modular? I have no testing centers nearby that do the DSST exams so those aren't an option.

Thanks for your help!

[alzee]

nevermind, I see now that you already have 102 completed.

[dfrecore]

You could do any science course at SL, they will all work for NatSci. You could also take Computers (CLEP) that will work. A better option might be the Study.com Intro to Computing course (it's the duplicate of the DSST exam, but from home). You need at least 4 credits, so if you're going to study for 1 computers course, you might want to also enroll in the Computer Concepts TECEP, which does not duplicate the CLEP/DSST computers course.

For Civic Engagement, you can take the Saylor Intro to Comparative Politics (look on this forum for study materials) or the American Government course/exam via CLEP, SL, or Study.com.

I personally might do the 2 courses through Study.com (if you're going to do 1, you might as well do 2 since the cost is the same).

Also, just to let you know, I think that you do not have to take the Cornerstone course since you're transferring in all 117 credits. I would not if I were you and didn't need the credits.

[embitca]

Also, just to let you know, I think that you do not have to take the Cornerstone course since you're transferring in all 117 credits. I would not if I were you and didn't need the credits.

It's actually listed on my Evaluation and I'm in the 2017 catalog, which as far as I can tell isn't even listed on the TESU website yet. So I think I will need to take it, but I will confirm with them before I sign up for it.

Thanks for the tips on the computers stuff. I didn't realize that counted as Natural World. That's bananas, but great news for me. I'll look at the Civic options you listed as well. Thanks again!

[embitca]

One more tweak! I've decided to take the CLEP Analyzing & Interpreting Literature for Info Literacy. I didn't realize previously I wouldn't need the essay. I scheduled both the College Comp Modular and Analyzing Literature CLEP exams for the same day since I'm strong in this area and won't need to study for either one of them. So I'll probably do Intro to Communications and American Govt on Straighterline.

I also went through the DSST testing location list again and found a location within an hour's drive that is actually open on Saturdays so I may just do the Intro to Computers DSST. Could I do the Management Information Systems DSST as well and not dupe? If so, I would just schedule them for the same day. If not, I'll probably do the Computer Concepts TECEP, but testing at a center is better than testing at home for me due to a non-peaceful home environment

[dfrecore]

I also went through the DSST testing location list again and found a location within an hour's drive that is actually open on Saturdays so I may just do the Intro to Computers DSST. Could I do the Management Information Systems DSST as well and not dupe? If so, I would just schedule them for the same day. If not, I'll probably do the Computer Concepts TECEP, but testing at a center is better than testing at home for me due to a non-peaceful home environment

The 2 computers DSST's don't duplicate, so you're good.

And, if it's easier for you to test at a center, by all means, do it. I don't necessarily have a peaceful home environment during the day, but after everyone else goes to bed, it's nice and quiet here. So that's when I've taken my home-based exams - after 10pm. I'm a night owl, but if I was a morning person, I'm sure I would take them early in the morning before everyone wakes up.

[embitca]

The 2 computers DSST's don't duplicate, so you're good.

And, if it's easier for you to test at a center, by all means, do it. I don't necessarily have a peaceful home environment during the day, but after everyone else goes to bed, it's nice and quiet here. So that's when I've taken my home-based exams - after 10pm. I'm a night owl, but if I was a morning person, I'm sure I would take them early in the morning before everyone wakes up.

If you can take them late at night, that might be an occasional option! Thanks for all your help with this stuff