TESC HR Degree Plan Advice

[collegebound2]

Hello,

My sister and I are working towards a Human Resources Management degree from TESC, and we had several questions about our degree plan. I have searched this forum for some time now and have finally put together a degree plan that I think may work. (Thank you bricabrac and others!) I would appreciate it if you guys could tell me if my plan is correct or if you have any suggestions that would help us out. (The test names in bold are the tests we’ve already completed.) We would like to get this degree as cheaply and quickly as possible. Thank you so much!

I. General Education Requirements - 60 credits

A. English Composition - 6 credits
College Composition General CLEP (6)

B. Humanities - 12 credits
Straighterline: BUS105 - Business Communication - (3)
Humanities - CLEP (3) [partial credit]
English Literature - CLEP (6)

C. Social Sciences - 12 credits
Macroeconomics - CLEP (3)
Microeconomics - CLEP (3)
Introductory Sociology - CLEP (3)
History of the US I - CLEP (3)

D. Natural Sciences & Mathematics - 9 credits
College Algebra - CLEP (3) (or does this not fit here?)
Principles of Statistics - DSST, ALEKS, or Straighterline (3)
Biology - CLEP (3) [partial credit]

E. General Education Electives - 21 credits
Humanities - CLEP (3) [partial credit]
Biology - CLEP (3) [partial credit]
Analyzing & Interpreting Literature - CLEP (6)
Western Civilization I - CLEP (3)
Western Civilization II - CLEP (3)
Technical Writing - DSST or Business Ethics - DSST (3)
(Any suggestions for easy CLEPs or DSSTs in this category would be appreciated!)

II. Professional Business Requirements - 54 credits

A. Business Core - 27 credits
Financial Accounting - CLEP (3)
Managerial Accounting - Straighterline Accounting II (3)
Introductory Business Law - CLEP (3)
Information Systems and Computer Applications - CLEP (3)
Principles of Finance - DSST (3)
Principles of Management - CLEP (3)
Principles of Marketing - CLEP (3)
Business Ethics in Society - DSST (3)
Business Policy - TECEP (3)

B. Area of Study: Human Resources/Organizational Management - 18 credits

Human Resource/Org Mgmt Required:
Human Resources Management (DSST)
Organizational Behavior (DSST)
Organizational Theory (TESC Flashtrack course) - Are there any alternatives to this?

Human Resource/Org Mgmt Electives:
Unless there are tests I don't know about that will fit these requirements, I will probably do Penn Foster or TECEP for these

Labor Relations (HRM-250)
Compensation Management (HRM-210)
Training Concepts (HRM-250)

OR
Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining (TECEP Exam)
Advanced Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining (TECEP Exam)
Public Relations and Thought and Practice (TECEP Exam)

C. Business Electives - 9 credits
Business Mathematics - DSST (3) or Management Information Systems - DSST (3)
Principles of Supervision - DSST (3)
Intro to Business - DSST (3)

III. Free Electives - 6 credits
I will see what I have leftover, and I can always fill this up with FEMAs or an easy CLEP

[Lady Grace of Pemberley]

B. Humanities - 12 credits
Straighterline: BUS105 - Business Communication - (3)
Humanities - CLEP (3) [partial credit]
English Literature - CLEP (6)

D. Natural Sciences & Mathematics - 9 credits
College Algebra - CLEP (3) (or does this not fit here?) That's fine.
Principles of Statistics - DSST, ALEKS, or Straighterline (3) Personally, I would recommend the ALEKS course for this.
Biology - CLEP (3) [partial credit]

E. General Education Electives - 21 credits
Humanities - CLEP (3) [partial credit]
Biology - CLEP (3) [partial credit]
Analyzing & Interpreting Literature - CLEP (6)
Western Civilization I - CLEP (3)
Western Civilization II - CLEP (3)
Technical Writing - DSST or Business Ethics - DSST (3)
(Any suggestions for easy CLEPs or DSSTs in this category would be appreciated!)

My notes are in red. Personally, I would move the Technical Writing DSST (or the remaining credit for your Humanities CLEP) up to the Humanities section instead of Business Communication. Then, I would put the Environment & Humanity DSST into General Education Electives to fill up this gap -- E&H was quite an easy test! Additionally, since you already have taken the Sociology CLEP, it would probably be really easy for you to pass the Psychology CLEP. You may want to consider removing one of the Western Civs. and replace it with Psychology, which most people find to be a bit easier than the history CLEPs. Not sure if that helps out, but it might give you another perspective on this.

[sanantone]

I would recommend the Intro to Computing DSST over the Information Systems and Computer Applications CLEP. Do FlashTracks exist anymore? I no longer see them listed on TESC's website. Organizational Theory is offered as a psychology course by TESC.

[mrs.b]

The only credit-by-exam I was able to find to fulfill the three course core requirement was ECE Labor Relations (which marianne pointed me at; thanks again!). For the other two, I used ePack Industrial Psychology, and online course Sociology of Work.

I would definitely recommend the Labor Relations ECE over the Penn Foster version (regionally accredited and much cheaper). If money is not a factor, I would also recommend the ePack for Industrial Psychology (but it is the cost of a three-credit course). If money is a factor, and/or for the third course, check out your state's community colleges or smaller 4-year schools that offer online courses. If I had not saved this section for late in my planning when enrollment was ticking down, I would have taken advantage of Pensacola State College's online, regionally-accredited options (some are hybrid if you're in the FL / AL area, but they have some purely online ones also). Look local for in-state rate options like it.

P.S. Two of the three TECEP exams you listed for core options are no longer offered. Here's the new list, much shorter than it once was. http://www2.tesc.edu/listalltecep.php

[mrs.b]

If you're enrolled and have access to ask advising, see if BYU's Organizational Effectiveness (ORG B 320) would fulfill the Organizational Theory requirement.
ORG B 320: Organizational Effectiveness (Online) - BYU Independent Study - Online Courses
It's a handful of proctored exams, but it is less expensive than TESC's online or GS PSY360 and can likely be finished faster.

[collegebound2]

Thanks everyone for their advice! I will definitely be looking into what you all have told me. Mrs. B, I noticed that you just graduated with an HR degree from TESC - congratulations! If you can give me any other advice about the degree or post your degree plan that would be wonderful! I hadn't realized that TESC had cut down on their TECEP tests Now I'll have to find other alternatives. Thanks again and I'm still open for other advice or suggestions!

[mrs.b]

Collegebound, my completed degree plan can be found here: http://www.degreeforum.net/general-educa...post132264

I do not know how much help it would be if you're wanting to go primarily with testing, because I transferred in a handful of credits from misspent youth and took a lot of courses.

As far as advice...it is a general BSBA with exception to Org Theory and the three core courses (and a lot of those can be reasonably general) so you can apply most of others' plans to yours if you need more variety. I saved planning out the three core courses for last because it was harder to find options, and wish I had not waited because I cornered myself out of some preferable options. Definitely look at the ECE Labor Relations. For the other two, unless someone comes out with more HR'ish tests in the near future, you will need to take courses. Take a look at your in-state online RA options. Summer terms are very short and sometimes have special per-credit pricing.