Need Degree Advice and Plan

[ax571]

Hello fellow degree Gurus.

I am seeking advice in pursuing a degree that makes use of my previous credits and my work experience for higher pay positions in
the company and/or be ready for future opportunities. Open to all suggestions from here as to what is the best option. 
I've heard of Universities using work experience for credit, but don't know which, who or how to go about this.  Information overload.

About Me: 
I graduated High School in NYC.  After I attended 1 year or so at CUNY City College of NY and did some general
Ed classes there.  After I moved to Florida where I attended MDC College and Started to pursue an AS Electronics Degree which
I did not finish due to change of Degree to Graphic Design.  I currently Hold an AS in Graphic Design from MDC.

Work:  As crazy as it may be my current job has nothing to do with my Degree,  I am a Senior Manufacturing Technician at a well known 
Biomedical Instrument Manufacturer for over 19 Years. So most of my experience is the Mix of Biomedical/Electronics/Manufacturing

Your Location:  Miami, FL
Your Age: 50
What kind of degree do you want?:  Need a degree to continue moving in the company. Fastest low cost degree where most of my credits
and work experience are recognized. Was looking at TESU Biomedical Electronics. Not sure where to get the Biiomedical Transf Req. Credits they want.

Current Regional Accredited Credits: 

MDC College -- SACSCOC accredited

Electronics Courses
EET 1015C Direct Current Circ     4.00 B    
EET 1025C Alter Current Circ       4.00 B
EET 1082 Intro To Electronics      3.00 C
EET 1141C Semiconductor Fund   4.00 B

Graphic Design Courses
ART 1300C Drawing                    4.00 B
GRA 1541C Copy Preparation       4.00 C
GRA 1543C Graphic Design 1        4.00 B
GRA 1544C Graphic Design 2        4.00 A
GRA 1706 Graphic Art Estim 1       2.00 C
GRA 1949 Co-Op Wrk Exp 1: Gra    3.00 A
GRA 2540C Advanced Electronic Publishing   4.00 A
GRA 2545C Adv Graphic Design 1   4.00 B
GRA 2546C Adv Graphic Design 2   4.00 C
GRA 2550C Compp Assist Grap De  4.00 A
MKA 1511 Prin/Ad & Copywritin      3.00 C

General Ed Courses
ENC 1100 Intro/English Comp          3.00 C
ENC 1101 English Comp 1               3.00 C
MAT 0024 College Prep Algebra        4.00 S
MAT 1033 Intermediate Algebra       3.00 C
ISS 1120 Social Environment           3.00 C
PSC 1515 Energy/Nat Environ          3.00 B
PSY 1000 Indiv In Transition            3.00 C


CUNY City College of NY -- MSCHE accredited

General Ed Courses
PSY 16 Psych of Parenting              3.00 S
CSK 1 College Skills Sem Lab 1        1.00 S
CSK 2 College Skills Sem Lab 2        1.00 A
FO 100 Freshman Orientation          1.00 S
ENGL 1 Basic Writing 2                   2.00 S
ENGL 2 Basic Writing 3                    2.00 B
MATH 71 Arith & Intro Algebra         3.00 -
MATH 72 Elementary Algebra           4.00 B
WHUM 101 World Humanities 1       1.50 C
WHUM 101B World Humanities 1     1.50 B

Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits: None - Open for suggestions on which courses or roadmap to take here.

Any certifications or military experience? None

[MNomadic]

The TESU Biomedical degree is not going to be fast, easy, or cheap since there's many classes that aren't easy to transfer in from alt. Sources. If you just want the fastest/easiest degree, you could look into a liberal studies degree that would allow lots of free electives like the UMPI Your Pace program. You could easily get a concentration/minor in something slightly relevant to your profession like management or MIS.

[bjcheung77]

@ax571, Welcome to the board, that degree you're looking at from TESU isn't as alternative credit friendly as you think... I highly recommend completing the missed addendum to that template. With more details on your budget, commitments, study habits, etc, we'll know more info and can advise you with recommendations on what degrees may be more suitable for you... https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Area-works

[ax571]

@ax571, Welcome to the board, that degree you're looking at from TESU isn't as alternative credit friendly as you think... I highly recommend completing the missed addendum to that template.  With more details on your budget, commitments, study habits, etc, we'll know more info and can advise you with recommendations on what degrees may be more suitable for you... https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Area-works

Thanks for the quick replies @Mnomadic and @bjcheung77


Budget:  Below 4k
Commitments: Currently work full time and can work on courses weekdays evenings/weekends.
Dedicated time to study: 3 hours weekday evenings and 5 hours Weekends. 25 Hours Per Week.
Timeline: Finishing the courses required for the degree as fast as possible would be ideal.  I would like to finish within 6 months or so
Tuition assistance/reimbursement: N/A

Did not know TESU Biomedical was difficult for transferring courses.  Is that the same for the AS Electronics Engineering Tech from them.
@Mnomadic I can consider your option. Depends how fast is attainable  

[bjcheung77]

Great updated addendum, with that info, I also suggest you do the UMPI degree as that's the only degree that would fit your current budget. TESU, WGU would be slightly out of that budget just a little bit... You may want to have them in the 'running' as well... The degree you can go for is the BLS as your previous associates degree was an AS and not an AAS.

I suggest you to do three things, the trifecta of certs, degree, experience. You've got the experience covered, you can take the free Coursera/TADA offerings that grant ACE credit, then Sophia.org for your remaining general education & electives. Note: If you want, you can also sign up for the extra Coursera Plus for $1 the first month and cancel it, this is to get the AWIT and SAS ACE credits...

Coursera Plus Thread, expires soon: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...pt-21-2023
Coursera TADA WIKI, expires soon also is within the link above...

[allvia]

Do you need 'a bachelor degree' (to check the box) or do you need a bachelor degree in a specific subject area?  Are you looking to move into management? If not, what is the professional goal?

[LevelUP]

The TESU Biomedical Electronics degree isn't an online degree, meaning they don't offer all the courses needed for the degree online.
https://www.tesu.edu/ast/programs/bs/bio...lectronics

Online Degrees
https://www.tesu.edu/academics/online-degrees

Some electronics degrees require lots of TESU courses, making them hard to get. Doing a flat-rate term of 5 technical courses would be hard to do.

[ax571]

Do you need 'a bachelor degree' (to check the box) or do you need a bachelor degree in a specific subject area?  Are you looking to move into management? If not, what is the professional goal?

Hi @allvia, since I have worked so long in the same field without a true degree of my profession, I need a degree to move along in the company. But Not necessarily through Management.  But it is considered along maybe with an AS in my field.  TESU AS Electronics Engineering and UMPI BLS.   Can the many TESU  electronic degree courses also be
used in the UMPI BLS.  Is that too much time.

Thanks

---

The TESU Biomedical Electronics degree isn't an online degree, meaning they don't offer all the courses needed for the degree online.
https://www.tesu.edu/ast/programs/bs/bio...lectronics

Online Degrees
https://www.tesu.edu/academics/online-degrees

Some electronics degrees require lots of TESU courses, making them hard to get. Doing a flat-rate term of 5 technical courses would be hard to do.

hi @LevelUP,  Just found out that Biomedical Electronics is not possible.  The AS Electronics Engineering is my only option there since I have 4 of the 6 electronic classes needed.
Then follow up with an UMPI BLS.  Any suggestions.

[bjcheung77]

Yes, the TESU Electronics Degree can go towards the UMPI BLS... however, you answered your own query, it is going to take the extra energy or time to get the credits and transfer them in, plus it will exceed your budget (a big increase as the capstone for the associates is already $1600), that's 1 term of all you can take at UMPI...  Here's the kicker and what you would most likely follow as it's the most ROI/Value, and the cheapest, easiest, fastest, option to your Bachelors, see below for more details...

Even though you have an Associates, we have reports that individuals who have an associates or higher (up to Masters) were able to obtain an Associates at Pierpont, you can get the Pierpont BOG AAS now for just $130+transcript fees (just make sure to send your MDC, CUNY, and hopefully it doesn't indicate you've been awarded the degree, just the courses/transcripts of classes completed)... With this Pierpont BOG AAS, you can get an emphasis of Electric Utility Technology OR Energy, maybe have an Info Systems emphasis instead.

You can then ladder this with the Coursera Plus/TADA offerings I mentioned in my previous post above, this will get you the technical credits required for a BAS (Applied Science) at UMPI instead of a BLS (Liberal Studies), the name of the degree sounds better and also the requirements are slightly easier to complete.  You will then take the two sessions to complete the degree requirements at UMPI after you complete the Sophia.org courses I mentioned again in the previous post, that's just $3K at UMPI.

This is what you would end up with, your current AS from MDC, Pierpont BOG AAS, UMPI BAS (Applied Science) with a minor or two (MIS, Management) or three if you want to add Project Management as well because of overlapping credits and you need the Upper Level credits to fulfill at UMPI, plus residency purposes.  You can also add the UMPI AALS by adding it to your program list and forgetting it.  So, 3 Associates, Bachelors of Applied Science with minors of your choice, and under your budget of $4K.

Link for Pierpont Emphasis in one of the sticky threads: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid399937
Thread for the new/updated Pierpont Pricing: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...BOG-Degree
UMPI BAS WIKI: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/UM...egree_Plan

[ax571]

Yes, the TESU Electronics Degree can go towards the UMPI BLS... however, you answered your own query, it is going to take the extra energy or time to get the credits and transfer them in, plus it will exceed your budget (a big increase as the capstone for the associates is already $1600), that's 1 term of all you can take at UMPI...  Here's the kicker and what you would most likely follow as it's the most ROI/Value, and the cheapest, easiest, fastest, option to your Bachelors, see below for more details...

Even though you have an Associates, we have reports that individuals who have an associates or higher (up to Masters) were able to obtain an Associates at Pierpont, you can get the Pierpont BOG AAS now for just $130+transcript fees (just make sure to send your MDC, CUNY, and hopefully it doesn't indicate you've been awarded the degree, just the courses/transcripts of classes completed)... With this Pierpont BOG AAS, you can get an emphasis of Electric Utility Technology OR Energy, maybe have an Info Systems emphasis instead.

You can then ladder this with the Coursera Plus/TADA offerings I mentioned in my previous post above, this will get you the technical credits required for a BAS (Applied Science) at UMPI instead of a BLS (Liberal Studies), the name of the degree sounds better and also the requirements are slightly easier to complete.  You will then take the two sessions to complete the degree requirements at UMPI after you complete the Sophia.org courses I mentioned again in the previous post, that's just $3K at UMPI.

This is what you would end up with, your current AS from MDC, Pierpont BOG AAS, UMPI BAS (Applied Science) with a minor or two (MIS, Management) or three if you want to add Project Management as well because of overlapping credits and you need the Upper Level credits to fulfill at UMPI, plus residency purposes.  You can also add the UMPI AALS by adding it to your program list and forgetting it.  So, 3 Associates, Bachelors of Applied Science with minors of your choice, and under your budget of $4K.

Link for Pierpont Emphasis in one of the sticky threads: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid399937
Thread for the new/updated Pierpont Pricing: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...BOG-Degree
UMPI BAS WIKI: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/UM...egree_Plan

@bjcheung77, Sounds like a good plan I can use.  Thanks for taking the time in helping me out.