I want a CS degree and I need help please.

[gamebradie]

Hello everyone,
I've been using this site on and off since 2018. I've just returned so there's likely many changes I'm not aware of. I thought the traditional college route would be better for me, but I'm better off taking online self paced courses. I haven't taking a math class since HS. The classes I say that are my strengths are: Algebra Math, Science, History, and Government. Weaknesses are classes with essays and papers. I know they're inevitable in certain classes, but I avoid them when I can. I want a Bachelor's CS degree, even though I have little programming experience. I want to become a Web Developer one day. If possible, I'm open to obtaining a second degree in order to become a manager after job experience in the future.

Location: Texas, United States
Age: 25
Desired Degree: Computer Science
Current Regional Accredited Credits: Yes, I've attended 2 CC's and I'll list each class below:
Academic Success Seminar B
English Comp 1 C
Music Appreciation B
Fund of Speech Communication B
Art Appreciation A
U.S. History 1 and 2 A in both classes
U.S. Government B
Intro to Computing B
Beginning Spanish A
Macroeconomics A
Intro to Physical Science Fitness/Wellness A. It's a 1 credit class every student in Texas must take. I know it likely won't transfer to the Big 3.
Intro to Philosophy, I'm currently taking this class.

 Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits: I have credits from Study and SL, which I will list below.
Study
English Comp 2 B 87%
Information Literacy C 73%

SL
Cultural Anthropology B 83%
Intro to Religion C 77%


Budget: I'd prefer to take a cheaper route, but I'll pay more for easy and fast. 50k salary
Commitments: I work a FT job.
Dedicated Time to Study: I work during the day, so I can study in the evening. And I have 3 days off work every week.
Timeline: I do like my current job, so I'm not in a rush. I do want to use my time wisely.
Tuition Assistance/Reimbursement: My employer reimburses $5,250 per year.
Military Experience or Certifications: None

[jg_nuy]

You have a lot of options, especially given that you have tuition reimbursement.

TESU might be a good fit for you. They have a BA in Computer Science (BACS), which you could do concurrently with a BS in Computer Information System (BS CIS). You could do the bulk of the remaining credits via a combination of Sophia, Study dot com and possibly some Coursera certificates, wrapping up with a single term of 15 credits to get the flat-rate tuition ($4299). That gives you both the CS degree and the business degree. TESU has also a number of certificates that you can get along with the degrees (e.g. Organizational Leadership) that can be completed primarily with alt-credit too.

TESU overview: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Th...University

Here are 2 plans with the TESU dual degrees:
LevelUP: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan
Rachel83az: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...z_version)

You can also add on some freebie associates (e.g. Math, Business Administration) if you wish:
Associates Add-On: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...gree_Plans
Certificates: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...cate_Plans

You could also consider the South Texas College competency-based degrees, which go for $900 per 7-week turn, though you mentioned that you don't have a CS background: https://www.southtexascollege.edu/academics/cbe/

I'm sure others will chime with additional options.

[gamebradie]

You have a lot of options, especially given that you have tuition reimbursement.

TESU might be a good fit for you. They have a BA in Computer Science (BACS), which you could do concurrently with a BS in Computer Information System (BS CIS). You could do the bulk of the remaining credits via a combination of Sophia, Study dot com and possibly some Coursera certificates, wrapping up with a single term of 15 credits to get the flat-rate tuition ($4299). That gives you both the CS degree and the business degree. TESU has also a number of certificates that you can get along with the degrees (e.g. Organizational Leadership) that can be completed primarily with alt-credit too.

TESU overview: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Th...University

Here are 2 plans with the TESU dual degrees:
LevelUP: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan
Rachel83az: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...z_version)

You can also add on some freebie associates (e.g. Math, Business Administration) if you wish:
Associates Add-On: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...gree_Plans
Certificates: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...cate_Plans

You could also consider the South Texas College competency-based degrees, which go for $900 per 7-week turn, though you mentioned that you don't have a CS background: https://www.southtexascollege.edu/academics/cbe/

I'm sure others will chime with additional options.

Thanks for your response!
I'd like to also obtain an Associate's degree since it probably won't require that many more classes. What certificates from Coursera transfer to TESU? It may be a good idea for me to do those since I don't have much programming experience.

[jg_nuy]

You have a lot of options, especially given that you have tuition reimbursement.

TESU might be a good fit for you. They have a BA in Computer Science (BACS), which you could do concurrently with a BS in Computer Information System (BS CIS). You could do the bulk of the remaining credits via a combination of Sophia, Study dot com and possibly some Coursera certificates, wrapping up with a single term of 15 credits to get the flat-rate tuition ($4299). That gives you both the CS degree and the business degree. TESU has also a number of certificates that you can get along with the degrees (e.g. Organizational Leadership) that can be completed primarily with alt-credit too.

TESU overview: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Th...University

Here are 2 plans with the TESU dual degrees:
LevelUP: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan
Rachel83az: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...z_version)

You can also add on some freebie associates (e.g. Math, Business Administration) if you wish:
Associates Add-On: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...gree_Plans
Certificates: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...cate_Plans

You could also consider the South Texas College competency-based degrees, which go for $900 per 7-week turn, though you mentioned that you don't have a CS background: https://www.southtexascollege.edu/academics/cbe/

I'm sure others will chime with additional options.

Thanks for your response!
I'd like to also obtain an Associate's degree since it probably won't require that many more classes. What certificates from Coursera transfer to TESU? It may be a good idea for me to do those since I don't have much programming experience.

This page has the list of Coursera certificates and the TESU equivalent transfer credits:
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Coursera

[ItsNeverTheLionsYear]

If it's strictly fast and cheap you're looking for, trying to accelerate the BS CS at WGU might be a good fit. If you max out transfer credits prior to enrollment and accelerate the remaining 13 or so classes, you might be able to get a degree in a single sixth month term. It would be hard, but it's possible. Since your goal is primarily to eventually get into management the degree would also check more boxes for you (a BS and not a BA, WGU CS is ABET accredited where TESU isn't).

Here's the degree plan: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/WG...egree_Plan

[bjcheung77]

https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid414769

Hello,
I posted above my thread. So to clarify, the whole RA credit thing works from CC's too? I saw a thread you commented on before addressing this, but I want to be sure. So if I understand this correctly, I don't need anymore RA credits besides the 2 classes at TESU? I'm going to pursue a double major in CS and CIS.

Thanks for reading this if you do.

@gamebradie, Welcome to the board, great intro post with addendum and template, along with your details... you may have read a few of my threads on TESU and transfer credits.  Yes, CC's are RA, you just need 30 RA total at TESU, you can transfer in many credits, but they'll only take up to 90 from CC towards the degree (you can transfer more than that) and you need at minimum 30 RA credits within the degree.  If you're doing a double degree, you need 3 classes at TESU, Cornerstone, BA Capstone, BSBA Capstone.

You're young, you've got energy, money, time to get things done... There are many ways to get to your goal, for the last few months, I've recommended a balanced mix/match trifecta of certs, degree, experience.  As mentioned, you have tuition assistance and with that, you've got many more doors open and at a very inexpensive route to go with such as South Texas, TAMUC, TESU, UMPI or PUG, WGU, and other choices available for you.  TESU is a very good choice, it depends... Some options above have been presented.

You mentioned a second degree is another option, you shouldn't just focus on your undergrad, you may want to ladder upwards to a Masters instead. If you like your current job, you'll most likely stay there for a few years, thus continually getting that $5K+/year reimbursement.  You can swing it in your favor and use that for your Masters, something like this, a 2+2+2 = 2 Associates, Bachelors, Masters and call it a day.  Decide where the degrees/institutions you want are from, then work upwards from that, examples below...

While you're getting credits towards the associates, bachelors, masters, you'll be getting certs/experience along the way, some cheapies and freebie options mentioned on the WIKI that grant you ACE credit, and then the non-credit professional certs.  I usually recommend public/state institutions over exclusively online private, nonprofit options unless the private/non-profit has degrees not available at the public/state institution of choice.

You don't need a specific degree to get into IT/Web Development, you can get all the cheapies/freebies from a balanced combo of Coursera/TEEX/Sophia.org and EdX professional certs. You can do a mix/match of the associates, bachelors, masters of your choice, you should have a public/state institution first and then you can end with any masters of your choice, you can get two of each by following an example set below, there are many other options other than this...

Option 1: TESU double associates, double bachelors you mentioned above, HAU or WGU MBA & WGU MS (in a different field).
Option 2: Pierpont BOG AAS, UMPI AALS, UMPI BAS double minor MIS & PM plus 3-4 classes towards MAOL, BABA with a concentration, then HAU or WGU MBA
Option 3: Pierpont BOG AAS, UMPI AALS, UMPI BAS double minor MIS & PM plus 3-4 classes towards MAOL, South Texas Bachelors IT, then HAU or WGU MBA

[gamebradie]

@bjcheung77 thanks for your response. So that means I already have enough RA credits? I already have a mixture of ACE and CC credits. I plan on using Sophia and Study to get most of the remaining credits. And what 15 credits are best to get at TESU to avoid the residency fee?

[bjcheung77]

WIKI for TESU, it'll have examples: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Th...University
Courses vs Residency Waiver #1: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...ng-Courses
16 Credits vs Residency Waiver #2: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Waiver-Fee
ACTFL/Foreign Credits: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...r-to-Big-3
Transfer Policy: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...-Explained

[davewill]

@bjcheung77 thanks for your response. So that means I already have enough RA credits? I already have a mixture of ACE and CC credits. I plan on using Sophia and Study to get most of the remaining credits. And what 15 credits are best to get at TESU to avoid the residency fee?

Yes, you do. The only credits you need that you can't get from ACE providers are the cornerstone and capstone. If you're only doing the BACS, you can even get the cornerstone from EdX, leaving only the capstone to be taken at TESU. Now, some people go ahead and take 15cr in a single term so that they don't have to pay the residency waiver fee. It turns out that paying for a "Fixed Price Full Term" is cheaper than paying for the cornerstone/capstone+residency waiver. It's even cheaper than the EdX option. However, if you're more interested in speed and ease than cost, the residency waiver is the way to go.

In your case, tuition reimbursement will almost certainly pay for the Full Term option, but probably not the residency waiver. It also probably won't pay for ACE providers or EdX. However, 15cr is a lot to get through in 12 weeks, especially if you're trying to do CS area of study courses and not just picking the courses for ease of effort, like a lot of folks do. One thing to remember is that you can extend the term for a course for a couple hundred bucks. I recommend keeping that in mind for the capstone if you find that you're getting overwhelmed. It's better to to let the schedule slip (with instructor approval) than let your grade slip.

My recommendation is that you do the Full Term option, taking the corner/capstone and three "easy" ePack courses. E-Pack are self-study courses you work through on your own time. These will be courses that fulfill either GenEds or electives. Take everything else at Sophia and Study.com. If you feel that your CS knowledge will let you easily handle taking one or more CS courses instead of the easy ones, you can do that, instead.

BTW, your PE class will totally transfer. There is a limit, but my electives included Racquetball.

[gamebradie]

I'm likely going to pick either WGU CS or TESU CS, but I'm now looking at UofPeople. Is their Ace credit transfer policy as good as TESU?