TESC BA Liberal Studies Roadmap assistance

[xoom]

Hello All,

I've been reading over the board for a few weeks now and I've decided on getting a BA Liberal Studies at TESC. I don't want to mess with the capstone and I'd like to complete this degree as soon as I can.

I've attempted to match up my previous college credits with the credit distribution from TESC but I'm not sure if I did it correctly and I have a few courses I can't place.

The courses I can't place are:
IST 250 New Media and the Web 3
Introduction to C++ Programming 3
IST 220 Networking And Telecommunications 3
IST 210 Organization of Data 3
BI SC 004 Human Body: Form and Function 3
MAT 100 Beginning Algebra 3
Intermediate Algebra 3
IDS 105 Thinking, Problem Solving, and Team Building 3
Principles of Microeconomics 3
Photography I 3
College Experience 1


I filled in what I could from the list TESC provides below:

I. General Education Requirements 60
A. English Composition 6 of 6
ENG 105 College English 3
ENG 107 Technical Reporting 3

B. Humanities 6 of 12
Comparative Religions 3
Speech 3
College Spanish 1 3
C. Social Sciences 6 of 12
Introduction to Psychology 3
Introduction to Sociology 3
D. Natural Sciences and Mathematics 9 of 12
*College Math Needed*
Nutrition 3
Intro to Computer and Apps (CIS 105) 3
World Geography 3
*
E. General Education Electives 18

II. Area of Study: Liberal Studies 33

III. Free Electives 27
FEMA(?)
Total 120

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[frogmc]

I’m sorry, I can’t help you with how your credits will count at TESC but since I am also working towards the TESC BALS, we could probably help each other there! I am one class (algebra!) away from my AA degree and hope to complete by BALS within the year.
I’m also working on my roadmap...let me know if you want to work together!

[skyfall123]

Micro is Social Science
The two maths are Nat Science
Photography Humanities

You can look up course equivalents for the IST courses here: Thomas Edison State College/ Dec 2010 - Natural Science and Mathematics

If exact matches not found look here: Thomas Edison State College/ Standard Prior Learning Assessment

then do a search here: Thomas Edison State College/ Search the Prior Learning Assessment Description Database

If you go that route I would try and get at least the Networking course classified as UL Computer Science (at 300 or above if possible). You will probably have to put in an appeal. Find the PLA database equivalent, match that to the Penn State course description and submit to advising. Be polite but firm, they typically don't know the content, it is up to you to provide the explanation (through course descriptions) of why your PSU course should be added as UL TESC courses.

I know you didn't ask for the advice that I'm about to give, so please indulge me.

Your IT course descriptions were from a Penn State catalog circa 2005. Based on that you are young and smart.

With a little more effort you could complete either a BA Computer Science, BA Nat Science/Math or a BSBA Computer Information Systems. The BSBA would help with management advancement down the road, the BA CS could get you into a fully funded Masters. See here http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...er+science

Just a thought...

[xoom]

frogmc, I'll take all the help I can get. Let me know if you need anything and I'll do the same.

Geezer, Thanks for the unsolicited advice . I have to say it really pushed me to reconsider a BSBA in CIS. The BS in CIS is a little daunting for me as I have always had trouble with Algebra (even intermediate) and I don't think Calculus I and II are a good idea. The BSBA in CIS seems like a good idea now that I've taken the credit distribution and plugged in my credits. Does the following look good?

I see that I cannot test out of everything in this program but from what I can tell, I can at least make use of ALEKS, Straightliner or PennFoster.

My completed courses are in orange below. One thing I may be overlooking in the UL credit requirement of TESC. Also, I'm not sure what to do for Business Electives, Substance Abuse CLEP?

BSBA Concentration in CIS

I. General Education Requirements 60

A. English Composition 6 of 6
[COLOR="DarkOrange"]ENG 105 College English 3
ENG 107 Technical Reporting 3
[/COLOR]
B. Humanities 9 of 12
Managerial or Business Communications (3)
[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Comparative Religions 3
Speech 3
College Spanish 1 3
Photography I 3 [/COLOR]

C. Social Sciences 9 of 12
[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Introduction to Psychology 3
Introduction to Sociology 3
Principles of Microeconomics 3[/COLOR]
Macroeconomics (3)

D. Natural Sciences and Mathematics 3 of 9
Precalculus Mathematics or Quantitative Analysis (3) ALEKS
Principles of Statistics (3) ALEKS
Nutrition 3

E. General Education Electives 3 of 21
World Geography 3


II. Professional Business Requirements 15 of 48

A. Business Core 3 of 27
Business Law (3) CLEP
Intro to Computer and Apps (CIS 105) 3
Principles of Financial Accounting (3) CLEP or DSST
Principles of Managerial Accounting (3) Straighterline
Principles of Finance (3) DSST
Introduction to Marketing (3) CLEP
Business in Society or International Management (3) TECEP
Business Policy (3) TECEP
Principles of Management (3) CLEP

B. Area of Study: BSBA Computer Information Systems 12 of 18
1. Required Subjects 6
* Programming Language C++ Programming (COS-213)
* Systems Analysis and Design Penn Foster

2. CIS Electives 12
Management Information Systems DSST
Database Management (CIS-311) / IST 210 Organization of Data 3
[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Computer Networking Systems (CAP-302) /IST 220 Network And Telecom 3
New Media and the Web (IST 250) 3 / Web Page Development (CAP-350)[/COLOR]

C. Business Electives 9
???

III. Free Electives 6
FEMA

Total 120

[jschreck2]

xoom,

I'm in the same position as you. I went to RMU and am trying to see how my credits match for the BA in Liberal Studies at TESC.

[skyfall123]

Looks really good. There are a couple of newer options that will also help.

Managerial or Business Communications (3) - Straighterline Business Communication

Macroeconomics (3) - CLEP or Straighterline Economics I

Business in Society / International Mgmt (3) - DSST Business Ethics and Society

also for Systems Analysis - you only need to complete Systems Analysis from Penn Foster to fulfill this area you DO NOT need to also complete Systems Design
You might also ask TESC to categorize Intro to Computer and Apps (CIS 105) 3 as CIS electives and take the CLEP Information Systems and Applications ....it may not work but you can ask. Also TESC gives credit for some industry certs...Comp TIA A+ is good for 2 credits.

Business Electives - easiest would be to take DSST Intro to Business late in your testing and DSST Supervison (both will be easy)
I think that your IDS 105 Thinking, Problem Solving, and Team Building (3) will work here for another 3 credits. Backup could be ALEKS Business Statistics and the NEW Straighterline Managerial Accounting.

So in the end it is a bit of a marathon but it is definitely doable and could serve you really well down the road. There are also very good backups for just about everything including Finance (Penn Foster) amd PreCalc (Straighterline)..... and Business Policy TECEP is not nearly the beast that one assumes it is going to be if you follow the Specific Feedback advice. If there are one or two TESC courses you end up taking for GPA or Financial Aid purposes I would suggest either Business Policy or Managerial Communications, ....... Business Policy because it is typically the capstone course for a BSBA and Managerial Communications because it is an easy A (or should be).

The traditional path is to start knocking off the easier ones to get going:
Intro to Management / DSST Supervision
Intro to Marketing

and do Finance AFTER knocking off both Accounting courses

I think it is a wise move. Do not for a moment let anything hold you back, many have done the BSBA CIS, Ryoder being one of the latest.

I thought IC was very good for all of the business courses and this free site to solidify concepts NetMBA Business Knowledge Center

Don't sweat the UL rule for TESC.....you just need to fill the checkboxes...Intro to Mgmt, Intro to Marketing, Business Ethics & Society, Finance, MIS, Business Policy are all transcribed as UL. ..so you will get there anyway.

Good luck whatever you decide!

[xoom]

Thanks for all the info Geezer.

I just applied to TESC for the BSBA CIS program.

I'm waiting on my transcripts to get there and be processed.

Tonight I plan on signing up for InstantCert and start studying for the Intro to Management exam as you suggested.

I noticed you suggested 'DSST Intro to Business' for business electives. I already have an intro to business class from a college I attended. I'm assuming I couldn't have both, any thoughts on what else could be taken?

[skyfall123]

I noticed you suggested 'DSST Intro to Business' for business electives. I already have an intro to business class from a college I attended. I'm assuming I couldn't have both, any thoughts on what else could be taken?

Ryoder did both Intro to Statistics and Business Statistics through ALEKS for his BSBA CIS. So Business Statistics could count as another Business Elective. when you get to that PM him.

If you're starting on the CLEP Intro to Management then you probably want to follow that with DSST Intro to Supervision which will have significant overlap with Intro to Management and can be used as a business elective. (note: Excelsior wont give credit for both of these, this is a TESC bonus)

Your on your way!!! We have another BSBA CIS'er who just started... nyrsimon who should be adding questions and comments.