How to accomplish 30 credit hours of science for job promotion

[rachel83az]

Pierpont doesn't really take NCCRS. At least, not easily. So, I wouldn't recommend LawShelf or Davar. It would be a pretty big waste of money to take those classes and then not be able to transcript them at Pierpont.

Is taking a TECEP still an option for getting a TESU transcript?

Yes. However, looking at the list in the linked doc, I don't see any legal/business topics; it's all science-type topics. Without those, there is no reason to even consider LawShelf or Davar. Maybe there is another list with different topics?

[sanantone]

Pierpont doesn't really take NCCRS. At least, not easily. So, I wouldn't recommend LawShelf or Davar. It would be a pretty big waste of money to take those classes and then not be able to transcript them at Pierpont.

Is taking a TECEP still an option for getting a TESU transcript?

Yes. However, looking at the list in the linked doc, I don't see any legal/business topics; it's all science-type topics. Without those, there is no reason to even consider LawShelf or Davar. Maybe there is another list with different topics?

That document is from 1999. I'd look at what's listed on current job ads.

[Dale2023]

However, other continuing education classes, while job-related and reimbursable, will be creditable only if they have been evaluated and given college credit by an accredited college or university and are in one of the scientific fields that qualify for the GS-696 series

I am 99% certain that this means that ACE credit is acceptable - especially as part of a Pierpont degree. This is great for you.

Biology: 

• Human Biology @ Sophia
  
• Study.com: 
  • Biology 101: Intro to Biology (I don't think you need 101L - Biology with lab; labs at SDC are an additional fee)
    
  • Biology 102: Basic Genetics
    
  • Biology 103: Microbiology
    
  • Biology 105: Anatomy & Physiology
    
  • Biology 106: Pathophysiology
    
  • Biology 107L: Clinical Microbiology w/ Lab
    
  • Genetics 101: Intro to Genetics (Pierpont might or might not count this the same as Biology 102)
    
• Arizona State University Universal Learner ($25 + $400 transcription fee per class):
  • BIO-100 The Living World
    
• StraighterLine:
  • Anatomy & Physiology I (likely overlap with Biology 105 @ SDC)
    
  • Anatomy & Physiology II
    
  • Microbiology (likely overlap with Biology 103 @ SDC)
    

For the Pierpont degree, you need 5 classes (15 credits) in a subject for you to be able to get an Area of Emphasis. You also only need a single graded RA credit, which you can get at ASU for $25. And/or you could take BIO-100 from ASU for Biology credit.

Additional ACE science credits:

Chemistry: Chemistry @ Sophia (lab is included for free); Chemistry 101: General Chemistry @ SDC. May be overlapping @ Pierpont. Chemistry 112L: Chemistry II with Lab @ SDC.
Environmental Science: Environmental Science @ Sophia. BIO-130 Introduction to Environmental Science @ ASU UL. May overlap @ Pierpont.
Microbiology: See biology above
Nutrition: Introduction to Nutrition @ Sophia
Pharmacology: Pharmacology @ Straighterline

Sophia is $99/mo. Until the end of the year, first month is $79 with code AMBASSADOR20.
Study.com is $199/mo. Includes 2 exams. Additional exams are $70. Can purchase up to 3 additional exams per month.
StraighterLine is $99/mo. + cost of course itself. Example: Anatomy & Physiology II would be $59 to "purchase", plus $99/mo. until you finished the course. 

I would suggest starting at Sophia, getting as much as you can there, then doing Study.com. Round off with ASU's BIO-100 for $425 or CIS-194 for $25. If still not at 30 science credits, add StraighterLine and/or more ASU courses.

Thanks, as you have provided so much enlighten information for me to consider... I really appreciate your response.

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It looks like you technically don't need 30 science credits; you need 30 credits from what's on that list, and not all of those subjects are sciences. The cheapest and fastest way to get those credits would probably be through LawShelf. CLEP/DSST would probably be second fastest/cheapest, especially if you're in Texas because some of the community colleges here give 4 to 8 credits for science exams. I don't know which state you're in, but I saw that you mentioned TAMU. While not the cheapest, Coopersmith would also be pretty fast.

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There are also three science exams at Davar. They're $70 each.

Thank you so much appreciate the feedback.

[dfrecore]

Biology: 

• Human Biology @ Sophia
  
• Study.com: 
  • Biology 101: Intro to Biology (I don't think you need 101L - Biology with lab; labs at SDC are an additional fee)
    
  • Biology 102: Basic Genetics
    
  • Biology 103: Microbiology
    
  • Biology 105: Anatomy & Physiology
    
  • Biology 106: Pathophysiology
    
  • Biology 107L: Clinical Microbiology w/ Lab
    
  • Genetics 101: Intro to Genetics (Pierpont might or might not count this the same as Biology 102)
    
• Arizona State University Universal Learner ($25 + $400 transcription fee per class):
  • BIO-100 The Living World
    
• StraighterLine:
  • Anatomy & Physiology I (likely overlap with Biology 105 @ SDC)
    
  • Anatomy & Physiology II
    
  • Microbiology (likely overlap with Biology 103 @ SDC)
    

Chemistry: Chemistry @ Sophia (lab is included for free); Chemistry 101: General Chemistry @ SDC. May be overlapping @ Pierpont. Chemistry 112L: Chemistry II with Lab @ SDC.
Environmental Science: Environmental Science @ Sophia. BIO-130 Introduction to Environmental Science @ ASU UL. May overlap @ Pierpont.
Microbiology: See biology above
Nutrition: Introduction to Nutrition @ Sophia
Pharmacology: Pharmacology @ Straighterline

Sophia is $99/mo. Until the end of the year, first month is $79 with code AMBASSADOR20.
Study.com is $199/mo. Includes 2 exams. Additional exams are $70. Can purchase up to 3 additional exams per month.
StraighterLine is $99/mo. + cost of course itself. Example: Anatomy & Physiology II would be $59 to "purchase", plus $99/mo. until you finished the course. 

I would suggest starting at Sophia, getting as much as you can there, then doing Study.com. Round off with ASU's BIO-100 for $425 or CIS-194 for $25. If still not at 30 science credits, add StraighterLine and/or more ASU courses.

Just be careful which you choose, and there will be a lot of overlap (meaning a school may consider several of these courses the same, and only give credit for one or the other).

[learningruss]

I'll offer another vote for study.com. In your particular case, it would be a strategic choice because the platform recycles many lessons from related courses. So because all your credits need to be in the science field, you'll take 10 science courses. Try to select courses which are as closely related as possible and you'll find that after you complete one or two of them, you'll already be showing 20% or 30% completion on related courses which recycle some of the lessons, so that's a time saver. Also, it doesn't sound like you have any upper level requirement, so stick to 100-level courses. You can get through the 100 levels on study.com very quickly. They tend to be around 100 chapter quizzes (5-7 questions each and each chapter is usually just a 5-7 minute video) and then the 70 question final. I find i can knock out a 100 level in about 10 hours if it's a topic I'm already familiar with. You can get some savings by completing more than two finals in a month (you get two finals for your $199 monthly subscription, but additional are only $70 each).