Old lady needs degree :)

[mel0one]

I'm new on the forum and have read a lot of great information, however, I'm still a little confused. I have over 30 years professional experience and non-traditional education in my field. Many of the courses I have taken over the years are college credit worthy, and I have a certification that Columbus Southern University claims after earning a bachelors from their school, you can sit for this test and earn the cert! LOL!! (I have over 90 certifications in my field).
Anyway, I need a degree to be promoted. The branch of the federal government I am in will not allow you to be senior management without a degree, it can be any degree, as long as it is a degree and preferably a bachelors.
  I work full time and am an older adult, (not 30, more like 50) and would like to earn the most money possible before retirement. The testing out would be perfect for me. My background is in Occupational Safety and Emergency Management. I haven't seen any of these colleges that offer a degree that you can test out of in my field. Does anyone have any idea if there is one? And can you really test out of all the classes? Thank you!

[Ideas]

You can consider the free BOG AAS degree if you actually have 12 or more credits from a Regionally Accredited school already.

Otherwise, the easiest one for most people is the BALS from TESU. You cannot test out of the capstone course, but you can test out of the rest.

Given your experience, you may want to do PLA to get a bunch of credits. If you don't mind writing. However most people find it simpler to take a test or online course than doing PLA. PLA would be if you really want a specific degree.

There are degrees in similar fields, but a degree like that can't be tested out of as much as something like the BALS which is very flexible.

[bjcheung77]

You can get the BOG AAS at Pierpont, if you have 15 credits in a specialty field, they can place that into an Area of Emphasis. They require at minimum 12 credits from an RA community college. If you do not have those credits, that's fine, get an AA or AS en route - you can go for an BALS or a BSBA by laddering into a degree of choice, the only course required would be the capstone, the rest can be transferred.

Your first step is to get your credits evaluated if you have any, you can reply to this thread with any previous credits and use it for reference/tracking purposes. If you have further questions, you can ask them here - furthermore, use this as your accountability thread! The degree that you're looking for (cheap/easy/fast) the BALS/BSBA will be your ticket. You can have "two concentrations/area of studies".

Since you're into so many certifications, you can go for an BSBA or BALS, get a certificate and associates en route by taking the required courses at the ACE/NCCRS providers (exams/assignments - score 70%+ to pass) or by doing CLEP/DSST tests (one test determines pass/fail). See below of an example/plan of attack to get the Undergrad Cert/Associates en route to the Bachelors.

1) Create a spreadsheet of your required courses for the BSBA or the BALS of your choice (or use the one in the Beginners Guide).
2) Find out what courses you have that can be evaluated for credit, get everything evaluated at the Big3 - Excelsior, TESU or COSC.
3) If you're far from a testing center/don't have time to drive back+forth, then go for ACE/NCCRS credits vs CLEP/DSST
4) Cert: Operations Management (6 courses/18 credits): https://www.tesu.edu/academics/Undergrad...icates.cfm
5) Associates of Arts: 20 courses (18-20 credits are free electives): https://www.tesu.edu/heavin/AA/
6) BA - 40 courses (27 credits are free electives): https://www.tesu.edu/heavin/ba/

As long as you take the required general education requirements, area of study requirements and capstone, your cert/degrees are done. Just make sure the courses from the Cert can be transferred to the AA free elective credits, it will transfer into your bachelors as well. And that my friend is paying for one Bachelors degree, but getting an additional undergraduate certificate and associates degree free! Take your time, review the info on the Beginners Guide/Wiki and the spreadsheets.

[originalamyj]

I take great offense that you say 50 is "old".

[mel0one]

Thank you so much!! I have 29 credits from an RA college, they have been evaluated by TESU. I am considering going there, I haven't sent them my certifications for evaluation yet. The BOG sounds like a perfect start!! I truly appreciate all of the input.
Amy - You're right, 50 isn't so old!! LOL!

[dfrecore]

Post your credits, and we can help you find a degree plan. Include whether it's a semester or quarter system, number of credits, course number, and course name.

Also, list the certs you have, and when you got them. We may be able to find a degree where those will count as well.

[Ideas]

If you want a degree in the field, this seems close enough. You may be able to PLA 12 or 15 credits and test out of the rest. https://www.tesu.edu/watson/bs/Homeland-Security.cfm

This seems much harder to complete overall, but maybe with PLA. https://www.charteroak.edu/public-safety...istration/