My degree plan/progress

[irnbru]

Following the lead of other members here, I am putting together this plan/progress thread. This is open to critique by those that have gone before me and hopefully to inform anyone who may have had similar questions.

I am currently aiming at an Associates in Arts at Excelsior (EC), potentially leading on to a Bachelors in Arts/Science. Both of these majoring in the Liberal Arts, but let's not get ahead of ourselves

Update edit: Currently looking at the possibilities involved with skipping straight into a BSBA with TESC.

[irnbru]

Current completed exam/courses:

[SIZE="1"]UEXCEL
Calculus - B - 03/10/2008
Introduction to Psychology - B - 03/10/2008
ALEKS
Beginning Algebra - Pass - 27/01/2009
Intermediate Algebra - Pass - 28/01/2009
College Algebra - Pass - 31/01/2009
Trigonometry - Pass - 02/02/2009
College Algebra with Trigonometry - Pass - 23/02/2009
Precalculus - Pass - 23/02/2009
Introduction to Statistics - Pass - 15/03/2009
Business Statistics - Pass - 19/03/2009
Statistics for the Behavioural Sciences - Pass - 22/03/2009
CLEP
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature - 74 - 24/03/2009
Introductory Sociology - 72 - 24/03/2009
Information Systems and Computer Applications - 67 - 24/03/2009
Humanities - 70 - 29/07/2010
English Literature - 65 - 29/07/2010
Principles of Management - 65 - 30/07/2010
Principles of Marketing - 71 - 30/07/2010
American Literature - 51 :willynilly: - 30/07/2010
Straighterline
English Composition I - 86% - 30/06/2010
English Composition II - 88% - 18/07/2010
Macroeconomics - 83% - 09/08/2010[/SIZE]

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Current plan for Associates in Arts:

Written English Requirement (3cr):
[SIZE="1"]English Composition I - 3cr - Straighterline[/SIZE]

Humanities (12cr):
[SIZE="1"]Humanities - 6cr - CLEP
Analysing and Interpreting Literature - 6cr - CLEP[/SIZE]

Social Sciences/History (9cr):
[SIZE="1"]Introduction to Psychology - 3cr - UEXCEL
Introductory Sociology - 3cr - CLEP
Statistics for Behavioural Sciences* - 3cr - ALEKS[/SIZE]

Natural Sciences/Mathematics (12cr):
[SIZE="1"]Trigonometry - 3cr - ALEKS
College Algebra - 3cr - ALEKS
Precalculus - 3cr - ALEKS
Calculus - 4cr - UEXCEL[/SIZE]

Arts and Sciences Electives (12cr):
[SIZE="1"]English Literature - 6cr - CLEP
American Literature - 6cr - CLEP[/SIZE]

Free Electives (11cr):
[SIZE="1"]Principles of Management - 3cr - CLEP
Pinciples of Marketing - 3cr - CLEP
Information Systems and Computer Applications - 3cr - CLEP
English Composition II - 3cr - Straighterline[/SIZE]

Information Literacy (1cr):
TODO - [SIZE="1"]Information Literacy - 1cr - ECE[/SIZE]

*Macroeconomics now available for substitution

Comments and suggestions welcome.

[TMW2010]

Just remember that you'll only get credit for 3 out of your 6 ALEKs Math classes, and 1 of the 3 ALEKs statistics.

Nice action on the Uexcel Calculus, too...

[irnbru]

Thanks for the quick reply, TMW; you got in before I could post my plan

The plan currently acknowledges the 'Three courses under Calculus' rule with EC. It specifically uses the three courses that are named in the current handbook to reduce any chance of resistance.

It might be jumping the gun a bit, trying to use the behavioural stats course to fill the Social Sci/History requirement. I'm just conscious that policies are always changing and if the opportunity to convert to an AA now exists, putting it off might come back to bite me later.

[NAP]

I am so happy to see your wonderful news! I noticed that you had earned a lot of credits recently.

Your plan looks great. The only thing I am not sure about is Stats counting as a Social Science. (I know it counts toward a depth in psychology, but ....???) Your MacroEconomics course will count there, if Stats doesn't.

If you count the Stats as Math, you should have an Area of Focus (which is optional and is awarded with 15 credits in a single Arts and Sciences discipline for an AA) in Math. (I'm kinda jealous about this!)

I'm looking forward to welcoming you to the Class of 2010!

[irnbru]

Hi NAP, thanks for having a look and taking the time to comment.

Yes, Macroeconomics is the best fit. As EC are waiting on the CLEP transcript, the social sciences requirement will be addressed in the next week or so.

Regarding the AA/AS AoF choices, it's probably going to be an AA with AoF in Literature.

Why?

Well, now that I'm in the fortunate position of having choices, the AA is a personal preference. It's primarily a vanity thing; I'm trying to distance myself from the hard sciences and business, as the qualification is something I'm doing for myself. The humanities courses were by far and away the most satisfying subjects to study for and fit in well with the overall impression of a 'Liberal Arts' Associates (in my personal opinion). If the Associates can reflect that, all the better. I won't have this much of a choice with a Bachelors due to the limitation of available credit.

Additionally, while an Area of Focus is not anywhere near a major, I don't want to misrepresent the qualification. As you no doubt know yourself, the maths requirements for a major are much higher than anything available through CLEPs. On this basis, representing a degree as focusing in maths when the transcript shows the equivalent of tough high school courses would potentially cheapen the qualification for me.

Appreciate your input, I've been following your progress and when work commitments took me away from the pursuit of credits, checking in and seeing your AS was a strong reminder to get back on track

Cheers

[BurnieGirl]

WER-3
ENG 101 3

Humanities-6
Humanities-CLEP 6

SS and History-9
Lifespan Dev.-DSST 3
Need 6 upper level

NS/Math-9
College Math-CLEP 6
Intro to Math- NVCC 3 (1999)

Arts and Science Electives-12
College Comp Mod-CLEP 3
Freshman Comp- CLEP 6
Principles of Public Speaking-DSST 3

Upper Level Arts and Science-21
[COLOR="Magenta"]Business Ethics and Society-DSST 3
Business Law II-DSST 3
Management Information Systems-DSST 3
Money and Banking-DSST
Principles of Finance-DSST 3
The Civil War and Reconstruction-DSST 3
Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union-DSST 3[/COLOR]

Info Lit-1
Taking it at UMUC (August)

Area of Focus Upper Level-6
HRM-ECE 3
Need three more

Upper level electives-3
HTYH-DSST 3

Lower Level-9
IS&CA-CLEP 3
Intro to Business-NVCC 3(1999)
Intro to Micro Software-NVCC 3(1999) Not sure

Lower Level-41
-Hopefully my 54 military credits will cover these.:patriot:
I doubt it! I need help with these.


Red-Not completed
Green-Completed
Purple-Planning on taking these exams
Blue-AF credits


I am open to ALL advices!

[irnbru]

Hi Burnie,

Concentrating on the Bachelors requirements for depths and/or Areas of Focus(AoF) at EC:

Two depths (12 cr, including 3 upper level) are required for a Bachelors at EC. Your post seems to have an Aof in there, is this the plan? An AoF is 21 cr, of which 6 must be upper level. With the upper level credits you are aiming at, it looks like you can certainly get a depth in business.

Area of Focus and Depth requirements are described on page 22 of EC's School of Liberal Arts Catalog.

A second depth, based on the other UL credits you plan to do, could be history?

A discussion on depths is the thrust of this thread.

[BurnieGirl]

I gotta find upper level Humanties. At least 6, up to 21?

[irnbru]

I gotta find upper level Humanties. At least 6, up to 21?

Hmm, why do you think this; are you looking at an Area of Focus in Humanities? I think we are getting confused between the requirements.

The School of Liberal Arts Catalog is a very useful reference. I strongly recommend you get a copy and read it, if you are planning on spending time and money matriculating with EC

The minimum requirement for a Bachelor of Science degree at EC is presented on page 27 of the catalog. In addition to the General Education requirements, any 60 of the total 120 credits must be in the arts and sciences, 30 upper level credits are required and two depths.

A minimum 21 of the 30 upper level credits must be in the arts and sciences (upper level psychology and history DSSTs are useful here). The remaining 9 upper level credits can be from applied professional courses (upper level business DSSTs).

The Bachelor of Arts degree limits the 30 upper level credits to the arts and sciences, which is why it's trickier to test out of. This is in addition to requiring any 90 of the total 120 credits to be in the arts and sciences, and tighter general education requirements.

Do you know how your military credits will factor in to your degree plan? Any chance of any upper level credits there? If they are all evaluated as applied professional credits, then you will need to look at concentrating on testing through arts and science courses to achieve the 60/60 balance.