New Planned Degree Forward - Thoughts Please

[joshypauly]

Hello all, with light of SDC for BACS courses not being accepted anymore, I have added BS Tech Studies to my program.  As it stands now, I am dual, BACS and BS Tech Studies.  BACS I have 72 credits and with the BS Tech Studies I have 81.  I will move forward with Tech Studies first and complete it then back to BACS if time and money allow.  

If you all have a few minutes, please look at my attachment.  In yellow is what I still need.  In green is what I will still take at TESU and what I am currently taking along with the capstone and in red is a redo for history, maybe from sophia to up my GPA.  

I am looking at SDC and Sophia to finish my classes.  I cannot find anything except CLEP for Chemistry 1 and 2 but still need labs.  Will either have to go through TESU or CC for them.  It is either Physics or Chemistry.  I am horrible with math, but it is a necessity.  I would rather get a BALS and avoid the math but only 68 credits were accepted.  

What are your thoughts on what courses I should take and where?  Fastest is best.  My GI Bill expires next year, so trying to finish ASAP.  

Thank you all again...


  tesu bs tech studies 30 dec 2021.docx (Size: 149.02 KB / Downloads: 18)

[rachel83az]

Can you post your evaluations/what ifs for all three degrees? Comp Sci, Tech Studies, and BALS. Even if only 68 credits were accepted, the BALS may still be faster/easier if it works for your career goals. That said, most of what you have circled can be finished up at either InstantCert (American Government) or Sophia (Algebra, Stats, US History, Ethics). Chemistry w/ lab can be taken through NMJC at a cost of $89/credit. https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sources_of_Credit

[joshypauly]

Can you post your evaluations/what ifs for all three degrees? Comp Sci, Tech Studies, and BALS. Even if only 68 credits were accepted, the BALS may still be faster/easier if it works for your career goals. That said, most of what you have circled can be finished up at either InstantCert (American Government) or Sophia (Algebra, Stats, US History, Ethics). Chemistry w/ lab can be taken through NMJC at a cost of $89/credit. https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sources_of_Credit

Rachel,
Thank you...  

I have attached all as requested including the BALS Comp Sci

[LevelUP]

Well, first of all, you should at least get an Associate in Computer Science as this I think you already earned except for the GE stuff.

Your general ed, you could do these courses pretty quick.  That would be great for building some momentum and while you are thinking of which degree you are going to do.  

Sophia (watch vids 2x speed or don't watch at all and read text)
Environmental Science
Ethics
Psychology
College Algebra

Instant Cert
American Govt

If you have a technical studies degree, you need all the science stuff + extra higher-level math course. Unfortunately, all that stuff isn't easy to do, + some can't be done with alt credits.  This may take a similar amount of time as finishing up your computer science degree. 

You're almost better off sticking with computer science doing Computer Arch, Discrete Math at TESU, + also doing your Capstone.

Then you have Calculus, Intro Programming, MIS (UL), DB (UL), & Data Structures at Study.com to finish out your AOS.

[bjcheung77]

@OP, I have a few questions, do you already have an associates from any of the institutions you have attended? I see an associates capstone for January term, I assume you're going for an AAS in Applied Computer Studies or the Technical Studies in addition to your BS Technical Studies degree? You're a vet? How much do you have left on your GI Bill? When you took courses at TESU, did they charge you the $250/credit rate or the civilian rate?

You're the one who let us know about the changes at TESU for the CS courses coming from Study.com, since you haven't got the bulk of your CS courses completed using alternative methods, I would recommend you do the double degree. Get your Associates done first since you seem really close to them, but don't graduate as you can graduate the Bachelors at the same time. For your GI Bill, only take the remaining courses that can't be transferred in, up to the 16 credit requirement for residency waiver.

Get as much done with alternative credit for the remainder of your requirements, my recommendation is to do the Physics I & II with Study.com and the Labs at TESU. You can add the two capstones, this will be 8 credits added to your current residency list. You just need 16 credits total, it's fine if you have more credits if your GI Bill covers the entire costs... There's really not much planning left, it's actually completing the requirements. If the GI Bill will cover more, you can take the UL CS courses at TESU.

[joshypauly]

Well, first of all, you should at least get an Associate in Computer Science as this I think you already earned except for the GE stuff.

Your general ed, you could do these courses pretty quick.  That would be great for building some momentum and while you are thinking of which degree you are going to do.  

Sophia (watch vids 2x speed or don't watch at all and read text)
Environmental Science
Ethics
Psychology
College Algebra

Instant Cert
American Govt

If you have a technical studies degree, you need all the science stuff + extra higher-level math course. Unfortunately, all that stuff isn't easy to do, + some can't be done with alt credits.  This may take a similar amount of time as finishing up your computer science degree. 

You're almost better off sticking with computer science doing Computer Arch, Discrete Math at TESU, + also doing your Capstone.

Then you have Calculus, Intro Programming, MIS (UL), DB (UL), & Data Structures at Study.com to finish out your AOS.

Thanks Levelup.  As it stands now, I am finishing up AAS Comp Studies and Military Tech Leadership, Capstone starts in January.  

Where would the Instant Cert for American Govt play into?  Are you saying that this would replace the C I have in History now?

I have leaned towards the Tech Studies due to it not needing as much math.  It has been 22 plus years since I last played with math.  In my 22 years in the military and out in IT I have never needed anything from math beyond the basics.  I am not looking to be a programmer, not my forte.  I struggled with Mat-105 at TESU.  

I will hit my 16-credit residency waiver with the capstone in January.  

The math and science sides are why I was leaning towards the BALS Comp Sci or just a BALS to finish it.

[LevelUP]

Where would the Instant Cert for American Govt play into?  Are you saying that this would replace the C I have in History now?

That would go in civic engagement and awareness replacing the planned course POS-110.  Unless for some reason you are taking that at TESU then you wouldn't need it.

[joshypauly]

@OP, I have a few questions, do you already have an associates from any of the institutions you have attended?  I see an associates capstone for January term, I assume you're going for an AAS in Applied Computer Studies or the Technical Studies in addition to your BS Technical Studies degree?   You're a vet?  How much do you have left on your GI Bill?  When you took courses at TESU, did they charge you the $250/credit rate or the civilian rate?

You're the one who let us know about the changes at TESU for the CS courses coming from Study.com, since you haven't got the bulk of your CS courses completed using alternative methods, I would recommend you do the double degree.  Get your Associates done first since you seem really close to them, but don't graduate as you can graduate the Bachelors at the same time.  For your GI Bill, only take the remaining courses that can't be transferred in, up to the 16 credit requirement for residency waiver.

Get as much done with alternative credit for the remainder of your requirements, my recommendation is to do the Physics I & II with Study.com and the Labs at TESU.  You can add the two capstones, this will be 8 credits added to your current residency list.  You just need 16 credits total, it's fine if you have more credits if your GI Bill covers the entire costs...  There's really not much planning left, it's actually completing the requirements.  If the GI Bill will cover more, you can take the UL CS courses at TESU.

Bjcheung,
You are correct, I am working towards two AAS Comp Studies and Military Tech Leadership, my capstone and last class for those starts in January.  
As it stands now, I still have roughly 20 months left, however, the delimiting date in FEB 2022.  I fall into the gray area of when I got out.  I got out prior to 2013 when they made it a forever gi bill.  Of course, I thought I was on the forever Gi bill, hence why I am where I am.  I have already requested an extension three times through the VA, no joy.  
Which path you think?  BA CS and Tech Studies?  


My thoughts, if I can get enough classes to hit the 100 credit threshold to start the capstone for either a BA or the BS in Feb, the GI bill would cover those costs.  If not, I will work on it when I have finished the rest of the classes.

Isn't the 250-tuition rate only for Active Duty?  I am currently paying 1557 per class so 519 a credit.  

Yes, I found out about SDC from the advisor, and I didn't see anything on degreforum.net about it so I posted it asking.

With the associates capstone, I will hit the 16 credit waiver.

[rachel83az]

The BACS and the BALS - CS both have the same "problem": you need the computer architecture course. If the GI bill is covering everything, the solution is simple though: start that course at TESU ASAP. The soonest you could do that now would be in February. That should give you plenty of time to tackle the other necessary classes. The biggest problem is that you need both 100 credits AND most of your ULs complete to unlock the capstone.

Written Communication: English Comp II TECEP @ $150. The soonest you can take this is in February, but it's also a single exam and probably the easiest way to meet this requirement. Will not count toward your deadline & credit requirements.
Quantitative Literacy: Algebra @ Sophia OR CSM Learn. Time taken: 2-3 days. I would usually recommend Sophia, but CSM Learn can ease you into doing the math stuff if you prefer. +3 credits 
Ethical Leadership: Intro to Ethics @ Sophia (complete Greek Philosophers first) +3 credits
Social Sciences: Pick one - Microecon, Macroecon, Intro to Sociology, Intro to Psychology @ Sophia. The new Sociology has 2 assignments, so will take a while. Psych should be fine. Micro & Macro econ have no assignments. I recommend doing Micro before Macro. +3 credits
Social Sciences/History/Humanities: Ancient Greek Philosophers + choose one of the social sciences above OR choose one of: US History II, Art History I, Art History II, Visual Communications,  @ Sophia. Do NOT take: "US History: Learn from the Past, Prepare for the Future" or "Smarter Decisions Through Psychology". Too many assignments for those. +4 credits (Managerial Communications will go down to unused credits)
Scientific Knowledge: Take both Environmental Science & Human Biology @ Sophia +5 credits (EDP1106 will go down to unused credits)

Computer Science AOS:

• Computer Science 303: Database Management @ Study.com. The assignment is a bit ambiguous, but relatively easy, so long as you pay careful attention to the instructions. Do NOT skip ahead, which can be easy to do if you're not paying attention. You should be able to complete it in about a week. +3 credits
  
• Management Information Systems: Take @ Davar. You literally study some flash cards, then take an exam. Should be faster than completing exam + assignment(s) @ SDC. +3 credits
  
• Computer Science 302: Systems Analysis & Design @ SDC. This one has an assignment that may take a bit longer than CS 303 above. But it's not especially difficult, IMO. +3 credits
  

Get started on the SDC courses ASAP. The assignments can take a little while to get graded and transferred to TESU. Tackle Davar, get the UL credits out of the way. This leaves you with 16 credits left to get to 100. Scientific Knowledge can be completed in just a couple of days. You probably don't even need to read most of the text of Human Biology. 11 credits left. Ancient Greek Philosophers & Ethics. 5 credits left. Quantitative Literacy: 2 credits left. Social Sciences: 1 credit overage, you should be good to go for capstone.

https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/So...lency_List

Phew! It looks like a lot to do in a short time, but Sophia is actually pretty easy for mature students. The courses are essentially one long open-book exam. If you set aside a weekend to do literally NOTHING except Sophia, you should be able to get most/all of them done in that time. 

Now, TESU courses to take in one term:

• Capstone
  
• CIS-351 Software Engineering
  
• Discrete Math
  
• Computer Architecture
  

If you've got 20 months left on your GI bill, you may prefer to take the courses sequentially, though. Start Software Engineering in February, Discrete Math in March, Computer Architecture in April, Capstone in May. That would give you some overlap of deadlines, but you'd still be done before the 20 months were up.

To help make this easier on yourself: Software Engineering is pretty easy; you can probably complete most (if not all) of this in the first week or two. If you're taking everything at once, don't neglect the others. Take BOTH Statistics courses @ Sophia to help with the stats side of Discrete Math. Don't worry about transferring them to TESU; they won't count, but they'll still make the class marginally easier. Even though the SDC courses are no longer accepted, you can also use SDC to help you grasp concepts in both Discrete Math & Computer Architecture. Also, start reading the Saylor course. 

It's only $236 to extend the Capstone (or any other course) for 8 weeks. You will need to have completed at least 50% of the coursework to request an extension. https://tesu.smartcatalogiq.com/current/...Extensions https://www.tesu.edu/current-students/course-extension Take advantage of this as necessary. Even if you wind up having to pay for an extension for 3 out of 4 courses, that's not bad for being able to get a CS degree.

Once you've got the above TESU courses complete, you can complete everything else via alternate credits. I would recommend signing up for ASU's Precalculus course for free (no credit) to prepare you for Calculus. Take Calculus through StraighterLine, then follow the recommendations on https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...ts_Roadmap and https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...ience_Plan to fill in any leftover gaps in your degree. 

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For the Tech Studies degree, I'm not as familiar because it cannot easily be completed with alternate credit. However, you run into similar problems: packing difficult courses into a small amount of time. If you want to avoid math, taking Physics is probably the worst option. Chem should be marginally easier, but you're still trading one harder math class (Discrete Math) for two (chem or physics). Don't even bother taking Calculus in CS into consideration: you can pass SL's Calc before you even take the exam (making the exam just a formality). And you can use a graphing calculator on the exam. Very low pressure, in comparison to the other math courses. 

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You might want to consider Comp Sci + BSBA CIS. A lot of the CS and CIS courses overlap, so unlocking the business capstone shouldn't be any more difficult than unlocking the BA capstone. If you're not interested in an extra almost-free business degree, that's fine. Just putting it out there as something you could potentially do. I think at least one of the currently-unused technical courses (Microcomputer Software Apps, one/both Network System Admin) would come up and be used as AOS electives. If you went for the BSBA CIS, you'd only need a few extra courses from SDC and Sophia, beyond those needed for the CS degree.

[LevelUP]

If I'm reading the CS pdf correctly, then OP has operating systems as a UL course & Biz Systems UL course so there is no need to take software engineering at TESU.