Residency Requirement for Dual AOS (Second Degree)

[sarahmac]

Some background:

My partner has signed up for a second degree with TESU (he specifically needs a second degree, not a master's - he is trying to get into AFIT for a master's and is ineligible if he already has one). TESU enrolled him under the military plan because they said it is mandatory due to VA and TA reimbursement rules etc. This is dumb. You cannot use TA for a second degree. That issue aside: because they enrolled him under this plan, the residency requirement is 24 credits for a bachelor's (and 12 for an associate's). He also cannot access flat-rate term tuition. Literally, the only benefit to the military plan is that TECEPs can be used toward residency.

Specific question:

Do residency rules apply per AOS/concentration, or per overall degree?

- He can easily meet the 24 new credits in the core/AOS electives requirement. This is true for both AOS' (pretty much done already, other than the capstone).
- He can also satisfy the 18 UL requirements in each (and with max 9 credits of overlap) after taking the capstone (again, pretty much done already).

These other requirements are not an issue. The issue is just the residency rules to avoid the waiver fee.

Since the gen eds and electives are waived for second degrees (and the sections are blocked out on the evaluation), and he cannot access the flat rate term, we are left trying to fit as close to 21 credits worth of TECEPs as possible into the AOS to bring the cost down. The more TECEPS we can stuff in via a process of replacement, the lower the cost is - since tuition is 250 a credit out of pocket.

Obviously, since TECEPs are mostly lower-level gen eds this is impossible within a single AOS. There just isn't space for that many random lower-level classes. We have figured out how to do it by splitting TECEPs over both AOS'. 12 credits in one, 9 in the other, plus the capstone = 24.

But is this allowed? Do you have to fulfill the residency requirement for each AOS for a second degree, or can it be done for the BA overall by putting some TESU credits in one AOS and some in the other?

I know most people here probably aren't on the military plan. But the same rule should apply to those with a lower residency requirement. For second degrees, do people generally need 16(?) TESU credits in each AOS or is it per BA/BS/BSBA etc.?

--
Edit: please, please do not get hung up on the 24 new credits thing. I stated this requirement was already met deliberately to avoid these comments. The *only* thing we need to figure out is how the distribution of resident credits works since the gen ed and elective sections are closed off.

[allvia]

Keep in mind any existing TESU credits he has (TECEPs, Cornerstone, Capstone) from his first TESU degree do count towards the TESU residency total (and will count towards avoiding the residency waiver fee).    It is my understanding that for any 2nd degree (under any plan, not just military) at TESU requires the addition of 24 new credits (earned after the first TESU degree was conferred.)  It would probably help if we new what they had (current degree/credits) and what degree they are going for - and what credits they have earned since the first degree was conferred (regardless of where those 'new' credits were earned)

[sarahmac]

Keep in mind any existing TESU credits he has (TECEPs, Cornerstone, Capstone) from his first TESU degree do count towards the TESU residency total (and will count towards avoiding the residency waiver fee).    It is my understanding that for any 2nd degree (under any plan, not just military) at TESU requires the addition of 24 new credits (earned after the first TESU degree was conferred.)  It would probably help if we new what they had (current degree/credits) and what degree they are going for - and what credits they have earned since the first degree was conferred (regardless of where those 'new' credits were earned)

1. His first degree is not from TESU. He has no TESU credit (apart from the capstone he is about to take) and one TECEP.

2. To be honest, I think I already covered this question regarding new credit quite thoroughly? I stated that he has already fulfilled the requirements of 24 new credits after his first degree was conferred specifically to avoid people getting hung up on that point. This is true, it is a requirement. But it is a non-issue here. He has over a hundred new credits completed after his first degree and they fill out all the requirements of both AOS' with <9 credit overlap.

Literally, the *only* thing left to work out is the TESU residency. That is it. The residency requirement is higher for military, which seems unfair but it is what it is. If we were willing to pay the waiver he could apply for graduation right after taking the capstone next month. It is literally just a case of we'd rather pay for 6 TECEPS (18*50 = 900) than a residency waiver.

We just don't know if resident credit has to be within each AOS, or can be distributed over both. The gen eds and electives are blocked off for both AOS' because it is a second degree so we cannot fit them in there.

[carrythenothing]

Residency credits don't need to be in the area of study.

[allvia]

Keep in mind any existing TESU credits he has (TECEPs, Cornerstone, Capstone) from his first TESU degree do count towards the TESU residency total (and will count towards avoiding the residency waiver fee).    It is my understanding that for any 2nd degree (under any plan, not just military) at TESU requires the addition of 24 new credits (earned after the first TESU degree was conferred.)  It would probably help if we new what they had (current degree/credits) and what degree they are going for - and what credits they have earned since the first degree was conferred (regardless of where those 'new' credits were earned)

His first degree is not from TESU. He has no TESU credit (apart from the capstone he is about to take) and one TECEP.

To be honest, I think I already covered this question regarding new credit quite thoroughly? I stated that he has already fulfilled the requirements of 24 new credits after his first degree was conferred specifically to avoid people getting hung up on that point. This is true, it is a requirement. But it is a non-issue here. He has over a hundred new credits completed after his first degree and they fill out all the requirements of both AOS' with <9 credit overlap.

Literally, the only thing left to work out is the TESU residency. That is it. The residency requirement is higher for military, which seems unfair but it is what it is. If we were willing to pay the waiver he could apply for graduation right after taking the capstone next month.

We just don't know if resident credit has to be within each AOS, or can be distributed over both. The gen eds and electives are blocked off so we cannot fit them in there.

I read your statement of 'My partner has signed up for a second degree with TESU" as this would be his second degree from TESU specifically. I suspect I won't be the only one who reads it that way, but you have now cleared that up with your response to my post. I will let someone with a better understanding of the TESU military plan specific requirements comment further.

[sarahmac]

Residency credits don't need to be in the area of study.

If this is true this is perfect. He can literally sign up for six random TECEPs and be done.

Obviously, with a first degree, they'd just go in the electives and it would be fine. But with a second degree does this still work if the electives section etc is blocked off?

Right now the TECEP he signed up for is in the "other credits" section below the academic evaluation. Do TESU credits in this "others" section still count for residency even if they aren't actually being applied to a degree plan? So far it is showing 0 toward residency. If this is all a non-issue my day just got heck of a lot better.

[Ideas]

Yes, they don't need to be in the area of study.

They should work with the electives section blocked off.

[bjcheung77]

Residency credits don't need to be in the area of study.

Yes, they don't need to be in the area of study.

They should work with the electives section blocked off.

@sarahmac - That's right, basically, in short, these are the answers you're looking for. What would be easiest is to take the TECEPS that are lower level and that will duplicate credit the student already has, because of the familiarity of the subject, they an basically take the exams "cold" and pass.

Obviously you want to study a bit to remember everything, but because it may be fresh in their mind and they know the subject well enough, take a quick review of the TECEP and do the exam right away. Again, any TECEP to get you those residency credits, it doesn't matter if it's in a subject or course they have credit for already.

[dfrecore]

I'm going to be the outlier here: I do NOT think that random TECEP's can count towards residency. I think they have to be used in your degree plan. As far as I know, anything that's bumped down to "other credits" doesn't count towards anything.

I do think that the TECEP's can be used in the separate AOS's.

If not, then you have to weigh 2 options: 1) how much will it be to do any TECEP's that will count towards your AoS, plus any courses that you will have to take at $750/course; vs. 2) how much will it cost to insist that TESU takes you OUT of the military plan and that you switch to the FT/FR term and do 16cr there if possible (I'm not sure if you'd pay in-state or out-of-state).

[sarahmac]

I'm going to be the outlier here: I do NOT think that random TECEP's can count towards residency.  I think they have to be used in your degree plan.  As far as I know, anything that's bumped down to "other credits" doesn't count towards anything.

I do think that the TECEP's can be used in the separate AOS's.

If not, then you have to weigh 2 options: 1) how much will it be to do any TECEP's that will count towards your AoS, plus any courses that you will have to take at $750/course; vs. 2) how much will it cost to insist that TESU takes you OUT of the military plan and that you switch to the FT/FR term and do 16cr there if possible (I'm not sure if you'd pay in-state or out-of-state).

To be honest, I was surprised to see people say that about it not mattering where the credits go. I know that is how it works for first degrees, but with the electives section blocked off I didn't expect it to work for a second degree. Great if it does, not the end of the world if it doesn't.

Our issue here was whether we need to cram 21 TESU credits into each AOS (not feasible, there just isn't room) or whether we can do a 12/9 split between two AOS' for one BA (technically much more feasible).

Aside from the higher residency credit requirement, there is no difference between the mil and non-mil programs on this. Whatever other second-degree folks have been able to do in terms of fitting TESU credits in should also apply here.

This is probably the point at which I find out everyone getting a second degree has just been paying the residency waiver..