Nearing the Finish Line - Need Advice / Help

[Not_A_Real_Person]

Hi everyone,

First-time poster here! I started my degree journey back in 2021 and am finally (thankfully) nearing the finish line. It’s been a long road, but due to time and financial constraints, I really need to wrap things up soon.

My original goal was to complete the BA in Computer Science and the BS in Computer Information Systems as a double degree, and that’s what I’ve been working toward.
Here’s where I currently stand:

BA Computer Science: 112/121 credits completed

• Still need: SOS-1100, LIB-4970, and 1 upper-level CS AOS course
  

BS Computer Information Systems: 108/120 credits completed

• Still need: SOS-1100, BUS-4210, and 2 upper-level CIS AOS courses
  

In total, that’s 6 remaining courses.

For context, here’s a quick breakdown of where my credits came from:

• ~167 ACE credits (mainly Study.com, Sophia.org) - credit evaluation
  
• ~48.50 Foreign Credits (Regional Accreditation Equivalent) - credit evaluation
  

After meeting with my academic advisor, I was told that my CIS degree has already reached the 90-credit ACE transfer limit, while my CS degree currently sits at 79 ACE credits. This means I can’t use any more ACE credits toward the CIS degree, so I’d have to take the remaining upper-level CIS courses directly at TESU or find an equivalent from another university that TESU would accept (though I’m not sure which schools would offer eligible courses).

My main challenges are time and cost; I need to be completely finished by February 2026. That means registering no later than the November or December term, and I’m limited to 5 courses per term.

Another note: when I first planned this, the CIS degree was still part of the BSBA with a CIS specialization. Now that it’s its own standalone degree, I’m not sure I really want two degrees that overlap this much (CS and CIS feel too similar; I originally liked that one was a CS and the other a BSBA).

I’d really appreciate help or insight on these three points:

1. Transfer options:
   Is there any way I could complete the 3 upper-level courses (2 CIS, 1 CS) through another school or platform that TESU would still accept as transfer credit and something I could finish relatively quickly?
   
2. Dropping CIS:
   Would it make more sense to finish only the BA in Computer Science for now (just 3 more courses) and possibly return later for the CIS degree once I have more time and money?
   (If anyone knows how long TESU credits typically remain valid for, I’d love to hear.. I’m assuming at least 5 years?)
   
3. Alternative degree options:
   Are there any other TESU degrees that could fit my existing credits without requiring all 6 remaining courses? For instance, something like a BA in Liberal Studies or General Studies, so I could still graduate with two degrees this cycle but with a lighter load.
   Ideally, I’d like to avoid taking 2 capstones and multiple upper-level courses in one term since I also work full-time.
   

Let me know if it would be helpful for me to share my credit evaluation sheet, especially in relation to point 3.

My long-term plan is to move abroad (Canada or the U.S.) and work in data/business analysis, possibly pursuing a postgraduate diploma or master’s later on. So I’m mainly trying to figure out which path is the smartest financially and academically.  I work full-time in a senior analyst role, so I’m limited to evenings and weekends for study. That’s why I’m cautious about taking a full 5-course load or overlapping capstones.

Any advice, suggestions, or personal experiences with similar paths would mean a lot. Thanks so much in advance!


Thank you for your help!

[wow]

They won't let you use more of your regional-equivalent courses as gen eds/electives for CIS?

[Not_A_Real_Person]

They won't let you use more of your regional-equivalent courses as gen eds/electives for CIS?

The academic advisor mentioned that it wouldn’t be possible, but I’m fairly certain it actually is, especially if some credits could be shifted within my electives section. I might just send an email explaining how I’d like the credits to be redistributed.

That said, does anyone know of any ACE-approved upper-level CIS courses that would still transfer into TESU? I’m not aware of any additional ones currently available through Study.com or Sophia, but I could be missing something.

[wow]

I would do just as you described with the email. I personally don't know much about these majors, but I know there are upper levels available through Coursera and ASU (ASU has the added advantage of being traditional credit).

Have you checked the wiki (the CIS plan is out of date as the BSBA CIS but some ideas may still apply)?:

https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Ca...gree_Plans
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Coursera
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Ar...k_Students

[Not_A_Real_Person]

I would do just as you described with the email. I personally don't know much about these majors, but I know there are upper levels available through Coursera and ASU (ASU has the added advantage of being traditional credit).

Have you checked the wiki (the CIS plan is out of date as the BSBA CIS but some ideas may still apply)?:

https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Ca...gree_Plans
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Coursera
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Ar...k_Students

Does anyone know if there’s a link or resource where I can view a list of TESU courses alongside the alternative credit options that exist through other platforms (like Study.com, Sophia, Coursera, etc.)? I’d like to compare my remaining courses and see where I could possibly complete them through self-paced alternatives.

My academic advisor also mentioned that, because my AOS areas for both degrees are very similar, I can only have three overlapping courses. This means that even though a course like CIS-3510 (Software Engineering) could apply to both degrees, I’ve already reached my overlap limit, so it would only count toward one, not both.

According to MyEdison, here are my remaining options:

For the BS in Computer Information Systems (I need to complete 2):

• CIS-3510: Software Engineering – I’m not aware of any valid alternative. (Study.com’s version doesn’t transfer in as upper level.)
  
• CMP-3540: Network Technology – I only know of the TECEP alternative for this one.
  
• CYB-4210: Cybersecurity Risk Analysis & Management – It looks like the Google Cloud Cybersecurity Professional Certificate (Coursera) could fulfill this requirement.
  
• MKT-4410: Marketing, Digital & Social Media – I haven’t found any alternatives yet.
  

For the BA in Computer Science (I only need one more upper-level elective):

• MAT-3210: Linear Algebra I – No known alternative, but I’d prefer to take this since my job is heavily math-focused.
  
• CIS-3510: Software Engineering – Same notes as above.
  
• CMP-3540: Network Technology – Same as above.
  
• CLD-4100: Developing Software for Cloud – No known alternative.
  
• CLD-4200: Architecting Cloud Solutions – No known alternative.
  
• CLD-4300: AI, Machine Learning, and Big Data – No known alternative.
  
• COS-4510: Artificial Intelligence – No known alternative (Study.com’s AI course doesn’t transfer into TESU).
  

Does anyone know of a list or database where I could check for approved or ACE-recommended equivalents for these specific subjects, ideally something self-paced?

Also, does anyone know how long the Google Cloud Cybersecurity Professional Certificate typically takes to complete in practice?

Thanks so much for your help and guidance!

[jg_nuy]

Coursera:

• Google's Cloud Data Analytics might be a good one. It comes in as CIS-3110 Database Management, CLD-4300 AI, Machine Learning, and Big Data in the Cloud, and CYB-4500 Cloud Computing.
  
• IBM's Full Stack Developer has an upper level item: CLD-4200 Architecting Cloud Solutions, along with the following lower level - CLD-1100 Intro to Cloud Computing, ITS-2310 Database Programming, ITS-2999 Special Topics in Information Technology, COS-2050 Python Programming.
  
• You can also check the SAS Advanced Programmer, as that comes in as STA-3999 and may be applicable to the CS portion of your degree.
  

From ASU Universal Learner (RA, $425 per 3 credit class)

• CIS-394 Cloud Architecture comes in as CLD-4100 for the BA CS. 
  
• You can also check for Cloud Analytics to see where it comes in for the BA CS, not sure on that one.
  

[Jonathan Whatley]

2. Dropping CIS:
Would it make more sense to finish only the BA in Computer Science for now (just 3 more courses) and possibly return later for the CIS degree once I have more time and money?
(If anyone knows how long TESU credits typically remain valid for, I’d love to hear.. I’m assuming at least 5 years?)

How long credits remain valid for varies by program at TESU. The BSCIS recently split off from the BSBA. The BSCIS might have inherited the rule from the BSBA that no more than 50% of the Area of Study credits can be more than ten years old.

Since the BSCIS is relatively new website documentation might not have fully caught up, so you should ask TESU what credit recency policies if any apply to the BSCIS.

Note that if you graduate from the BACS then return, you’ll then be a Second Baccalaureate student under the Award of Degrees Policy. That means you will have to complete a minimum 24 semester hours in the BSCIS major after the date of your BACS graduation. That would mean redoing credits you hold today.