History Degree

[ammandaajk]

So i finally decided on studying history and i am torn between Excelsior and TESU.
I had a look at the TESU  plan and it seams like you can get almost everything done, while i could not find any kind of plan for Excelsior, and i think i would prefer to do my degree there since i could have all transfer credits nontraditional, as opposed to TESU where you need 30 RA credits from what i understand.
I should also mention that i am an international student so CLEP and some other tests are unfortunately not an option.

I would greatly appreciate it if someone could help me make a degree plan.

[rachel83az]

Excelsior's History degree cannot be completed fully with alternate credits. IIRC, you would need to take 4 or 5 classes at Excelsior or else bring in History credits from another RA institution. It could wind up costing more than the TESU history degree.

There is a more affordable option than either, however. UMPI offers a History degree. You can get all of your gen ed credits from Sophia.org, InstantCert, and Study.com. You would then finish your degree at UMPI itself. This can work out to be considerably cheaper than either TESU or EC.

Some things that you need to know about UMPI:
For the History degree, they require 2 classes of either French or Spanish
You will need a science-with-a-lab (easiest way is through Study.com)
You must take at least 30 credits from them. But, because this is a competency-based degree, this can potentially cost less than taking 7 credits at Excelsior. UMPI charges a flat fee no matter how many credits you take with them during a term.

https://online.umpi.edu/programs/ba-hist...ience.aspx
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Un...esque_Isle

UMPI currently has the easiest degree plan of all of the schools.

If you are still set on Excelsior for some reason, in spite of the drawbacks mentioned, I'm sure that we can help you with a plan. But it may not be as easy or as affordable as you were hoping.

[dfrecore]

You can definitely do the EC History degree via alternative credits, but opt for the "Excelsior Course option." That means that in addition to the 7cr you have to take there (Info Lit, Cornerstone, and Capstone), you take 2 UL history courses through EC (HIS 350: WWI to fulfill the European History requirement; and either HIS 354: Transatlantic Slave Trade or HIS356: The Global Cold War for the Non-Western/Global requirement).

1 course in US History I or II can be fulfilled in multiple ways
1 course in World History I or II can be fulfilled in multiple ways (including Western Civ I or II)
2 courses in US History 200-Level or above can be fulfilled in multiple ways
2 courses in European History - one can be done via Study.com: HIS 311: The Holocaust and WWII; the other WWI at EC
2 courses in Non-Western/Global History - one can be done via HISx340: World Conflicts Since 1900 UExcel exam, the other through EC
1 UL History elective - multiple ways
1 LL History elective - multiple ways

Prices:
EC w/7cr $5,300
EC w/13cr $5,850 (so those 2 extra UL courses end up costing $225 each)

---

You can definitely do the EC History degree via alternative credits, but opt for the "Excelsior Course option."  That means that in addition to the 7cr you have to take there (Info Lit, Cornerstone, and Capstone), you take 2 UL history courses through EC (HIS 350: WWI to fulfill the European History requirement; and either HIS 354: Transatlantic Slave Trade or HIS356: The Global Cold War for the Non-Western/Global requirement).

1 course in US History I or II can be fulfilled in multiple ways
1 course in World History I or II can be fulfilled in multiple ways (including Western Civ I or II)
2 courses in US History 200-Level or above can be fulfilled in multiple ways
2 courses in European History - one can be done via Study.com: HIS 311: The Holocaust and WWII; the other WWI at EC
2 courses in Non-Western/Global History - one can be done via HISx340: World Conflicts Since 1900 UExcel exam, the other through EC
1 UL History elective - multiple ways
1 LL History elective - multiple ways

Prices:
EC w/7cr $5,300
EC w/13cr $5,850 (so those 2 extra UL courses end up costing $225 each)

Forgot to mention ONU's HIS 379 - Latin American History and Politics (UL) at $50/cr.

[bjcheung77]

<LOL> I'll help you decide! Neither! Go for UMPI's Bachelors degree instead! I think that degree from UMPI might be cheap/easy/fast for you. Hmm, you may want to check the requirements for all three degrees and see for yourself which would be best for you in your situation.

[ammandaajk]

Thanks for all your feedback!

I had a look at UMPIs degree and it seams alright, but i guess i will have to do more research on all three unis before i make my final decision.

[Alpha]

This is a bit outside the scope of your original question but sometimes, people who get Bachelors degrees in History have an eye toward grad school.  If there's any truth to that in your case then I'd only advise that you be sure to get in as many upper level History credits as possible as some grad programs count these as an admission criteria.  You might get the minimum for BA graduation but not a sufficient number for grad admissions.  This probably doesn't apply to MEd admissions (if you're thinking about a K-12 teaching job).  Best of luck

[freeloader]

This is a bit outside the scope of your original question but sometimes, people who get Bachelors degrees in History have an eye toward grad school.  If there's any truth to that in your case then I'd only advise that you be sure to get in as many upper level History credits as possible as some grad programs count these as an admission criteria.  You might get the minimum for BA graduation but not a sufficient number for grad admissions.  This probably doesn't apply to MEd admissions (if you're thinking about a K-12 teaching job).  Best of luck

I find that advice a little odd. I have gone through the grad school admissions process for history twice, had multiple grad school interviews, and been admitted to some fairly prestigious graduate programs in history. I have never heard this. In fact, a fair number of people at both of the universities I attended for grad school didn’t even have history degrees. 

If you want to go to grad school in history, I would say make sure you take at least one class that is related to your graduate level research interest (assuming you are doing a thesis-option MA or a PhD). I would also say take courses that require you to do a lot of writing, because that’s what you will do in grad school.  With the the exception of 2 grad-level history classes (out of around 20), the expectation was that you write a substantial research or historiographical paper, 15-30 pages was typical. Multiply that by 3 courses, and you can see that you will be doing a lot of writing.  Taking a bunch of undergrad courses that only require an exam, especially if the exam is mainly multiple choice/fill in the blank/short answer, will not prepare you at all for a history grad program. 

Now, if you need more history courses to prepare you, get your writing up to snuff, etc, then take more!  But don’t feel like you need to take extra courses just for the sake of it, particularly if they aren’t relevant to your research interests, graduate course of study, etc.

[Chirp]

Hello there! I'm a current Excelsior student, Getting my BS in History, about to begin my Capstone in June!
I can verify that you absolutely CAN get all you need via alternative methods without needing to CLEP anything.
Here is exactly what I have done this year:
For Starters, you only need 33 credits in history, so 11 classes. and only 6 need to be UL. You need 10 TOTAL UL including electives

From Sophia
1: US history 1 LL
2:US history 2 LL

From SDC
3: Western Civ 2 LL
4: History 308 Causes and effects of the Vietnam war UL
5: History 306 American Civil war era UL
6: History 301 Historiography UL

7: DSST History of the Soviet Union ( this one you cannot take, However I wouldn't worry, while I need this because I need it for UL, you might not. As you'll see at the end, my list has more than 6 UL in history because I personally didn't bring in any UL transfer credits ).

8: UExcel World Conflicts UL ( you might not need this, because this is a " 7th " UL , again, I just didn't have any to begin with )

9: One UL American history from Excelsior
10: One UL European history from Excelsior
11: History Capstone from Excelsior

I'm doing the Excelsior partnership where you take the 13 credits instead of the 5.

So as you can see, it works just fine, and as for the rest, including the other few UL classes you may or may not need, Sophia or SDC the HECK out of them! I only needed to take one UL elective from SDC because I transfered in more than 60 credits, so was able to take Cornerstone B, which is UL, instead of A from Excelsior. Which brought me to my 10 total UL classes

Good luck, and let me know If I can answer any other questions!

[dfrecore]

Hello there! I'm a current Excelsior student, Getting my BS in History, about to begin my Capstone in June!
 I can verify that you absolutely CAN get all you need via alternative methods without needing to CLEP anything.
Here is exactly what I have done this year:
For Starters, you only need 33 credits in history, so 11 classes. and only 6 need to be UL. You need 10 TOTAL UL including electives

From Sophia
1: US history 1 LL
2:US history 2 LL

From SDC
3: Western Civ 2  LL
4: History 308 Causes and effects of the Vietnam war UL
5: History 306 American Civil war era UL
6: History 301 Historiography UL

7: DSST History of the Soviet Union ( this one you cannot take, However I wouldn't worry, while I need this because I need it for UL, you might not. As you'll see at the end, my list has more than 6 UL in history because I personally didn't bring in any UL transfer credits ).

8: UExcel World Conflicts UL ( you might not need this, because this is a " 7th " UL , again, I just didn't have any to begin with )

9: One UL American history from Excelsior
10: One UL European history from Excelsior
11: History Capstone from Excelsior

I'm doing the Excelsior partnership where you take the 13 credits instead of the 5.

So as you can see, it works just fine, and as for the rest, including the other few UL classes you may or may not need, Sophia or SDC the HECK out of them! I only needed to take one UL elective from SDC because I transfered in more than 60 credits, so was able to take Cornerstone B, which is UL, instead of A from Excelsior. Which brought me to my 10 total UL classes

Good luck, and let me know If I can answer any other questions!

EC has recently changed the course equivalencies, and none of Study.com's history courses are UL any longer.  So you are going to have a difficult time finding enough UL history courses to complete the degree at UExcel.

[Chirp]

Hello there! I'm a current Excelsior student, Getting my BS in History, about to begin my Capstone in June!
 I can verify that you absolutely CAN get all you need via alternative methods without needing to CLEP anything.
Here is exactly what I have done this year:
For Starters, you only need 33 credits in history, so 11 classes. and only 6 need to be UL. You need 10 TOTAL UL including electives

From Sophia
1: US history 1 LL
2:US history 2 LL

From SDC
3: Western Civ 2  LL
4: History 308 Causes and effects of the Vietnam war UL
5: History 306 American Civil war era UL
6: History 301 Historiography UL

7: DSST History of the Soviet Union ( this one you cannot take, However I wouldn't worry, while I need this because I need it for UL, you might not. As you'll see at the end, my list has more than 6 UL in history because I personally didn't bring in any UL transfer credits ).

8: UExcel World Conflicts UL ( you might not need this, because this is a " 7th " UL , again, I just didn't have any to begin with )

9: One UL American history from Excelsior
10: One UL European history from Excelsior
11: History Capstone from Excelsior

I'm doing the Excelsior partnership where you take the 13 credits instead of the 5.

So as you can see, it works just fine, and as for the rest, including the other few UL classes you may or may not need, Sophia or SDC the HECK out of them! I only needed to take one UL elective from SDC because I transfered in more than 60 credits, so was able to take Cornerstone B, which is UL, instead of A from Excelsior. Which brought me to my 10 total UL classes

Good luck, and let me know If I can answer any other questions!

EC has recently changed the course equivalencies, and none of Study.com's history courses are UL any longer.  So you are going to have a difficult time finding enough UL history courses to complete the degree at UExcel.

I'm aware! However my advisor at Excelsior approved them, and I did them just this month! When I spoke to her, she said on her end they still show up as UL. Heck, Historiography doesn't even show up as a class option at SDC for EC! And yet is was approved. Lets just say for arguments sake though, that they cease to come in as UL for anyone after me, which we all know is a possibility! These schools seem to changer the rules all the time after all. I still think that a student can still find the alternative credit, since they only need 6 UL history classes, and those can still be obtained! Without SDC , and assuming they do the partnership, it would look like 3 from EC, 1 UExcel, 2 from Coopersmith ( also approved as UL history electives )