TESU Bachelor of Professional Studies

[BSBRose21]

Has anyone had any experience with this degree? I am not particular in the type of degree but a concentration in legal studies or real estate looked interesting.

The reason I am looking for a Bachelor’s is for a certification’s requirement of a Bachelor’s Degree, doesn’t matter which one.

[dfrecore]

In my experience, very few people will want/need a BSPS. It's kind of a cross between the BSBA and the BALS, but it's tricky. The main reason I've seen someone decide on that degree is that they have a bunch of credits in a non-BALS, non-BSBA area like FIRE or Paralegal or Real Estate - something like that; I've seen one person who had 18cr of UL in EDU and their GE's, so this degree was a perfect fit for them.

For almost anyone else, this is a terrible degree; overly complicated, and the name is funky to boot. Plus, you don't get to put your concentration in the degree. So unless you already have a bunch of credits in something like legal studies or real estate, that would go to waste in another degree, I say skip it. There is just no point to it.

And BTW - there is no way to get 15cr of legal studies or real estate through alternative means, so it's not really an option for most people.

[SDO]

BSBRose21,  the BSPS can be a good option for those with a TESU certificate in Human Resources Management, Marketing, Organizational Leadership, or Finance who want a business degree while avoiding taking accounting, economics, and some of those "harder" classes that many people dread.

The BSPS can be a good option for those who have an AAS or other associate's  degree that they are trying to incorporate into a bachelor's degree.  Normally those lower level credits would not be very useful in many TESU areas of study because of the upper level credits needed.  This allows somebody to put 15 credits of lower level courses in their area of study specialization/career track.

It can be a good option also for people who want to check yes on job applications that ask if they have a business degree but still be able to truthfully say they have a degree where they specialized in "legal studies" or "real estate" or whatever their specialization may have been.  Kind of like a 2-for-1 check the box bonanza.    In addition, there are many other scenarios I can think of where a BSPS would be a good option.  It is by no means a terrible degree.  It is actually very flexible because there are so many options to complete it.

Lastly, if you are looking for a specialization (15 credits) in law using alternative methods, try Criminal Law, Employment Law, Special Education History and Law, and Business Law from Study.com.  "Juvenile Justice System," and some of the other  criminal justice courses are close enough that they can probably be approved as a law course too.  If not, there is always Real Estate Law at the Center for Financial Training   http://www2.acenet.edu/credit/?fuseactio...ICE=300075 That one will cost more though.

If you're looking to find real estate courses through alternative means, the Center for Financial Training has Real Estate Finance, Real Estate Appraisal, Real Estate Law, and Residential Mortgage Lending.  You might be able to get Business Law, Contracts or some other business or law class approved for the final course. 

Wishing you well!

[BSBRose21]

Thank you! I do have an Associate’s Degree from my little cal community college - Adminstrative. I am just waiting for it to
Be listed on my transcript.

[SDO]

Thank you! I do have an Associate’s Degree from my little cal community college - Adminstrative. I am just waiting for it to
Be listed on my transcript.

You're welcome.

[dfrecore]

I have not heard that you get to put your specialization on the actual degree, so that may create a problem for you in the future. You can't say "BS in Professional Studies with a specialization in XYZ," you just get to say "BS in Professional Studies" which many people won't understand. Then you'll have to explain "no this isn't a business degree" which further causes problems. I just don't think it's a great degree overall.

And unlike the BALS, there are so few Free Electives that you may lose more credits than if you just did a BALS - which people "get".

IMHO, this is just not a great degree. There's no real upside to it. You will be lying if you say it's a business degree - it is NOT. And you can say that you "specialized in" something, but you can't put it on the resume as that. I think this will be one of those degrees that gets kicked out by a system requiring a business degree, and overlooked by anyone asking for other types of degrees because it uses words that most degrees don't.

[sanantone]

I have not heard that you get to put your specialization on the actual degree, so that may create a problem for you in the future.  You can't say "BS in Professional Studies with a specialization in XYZ," you just get to say "BS in Professional Studies" which many people won't understand.  Then you'll have to explain "no this isn't a business degree" which further causes problems.  I just don't think it's a great degree overall.

And unlike the BALS, there are so few Free Electives that you may lose more credits than if you just did a BALS - which people "get".

IMHO, this is just not a great degree.  There's no real upside to it.  You will be lying if you say it's a business degree - it is NOT.  And you can say that you "specialized in" something, but you can't put it on the resume as that.  I think this will be one of those degrees that gets kicked out by a system requiring a business degree, and overlooked by anyone asking for other types of degrees because it uses words that most degrees don't.

I'm not a fan of saying that you have a concentration or specialization in something when you formally don't, but some on this forum have done that. You can format your resume to add a line of areas you focused in.

[dfrecore]

I have not heard that you get to put your specialization on the actual degree, so that may create a problem for you in the future.  You can't say "BS in Professional Studies with a specialization in XYZ," you just get to say "BS in Professional Studies" which many people won't understand.  Then you'll have to explain "no this isn't a business degree" which further causes problems.  I just don't think it's a great degree overall.

And unlike the BALS, there are so few Free Electives that you may lose more credits than if you just did a BALS - which people "get".

IMHO, this is just not a great degree.  There's no real upside to it.  You will be lying if you say it's a business degree - it is NOT.  And you can say that you "specialized in" something, but you can't put it on the resume as that.  I think this will be one of those degrees that gets kicked out by a system requiring a business degree, and overlooked by anyone asking for other types of degrees because it uses words that most degrees don't.

I'm not a fan of saying that you have a concentration or specialization in something when you formally don't, but some on this forum have done that. You can format your resume to add a line of areas you focused in.

I guess I was thinking of where you actually put your degree - my TESU transcript says
"Degree Awarded: BS in Business Administration
Area of Study: Human Resources/Organizational Management"

I'm not sure that if I added some other wording, that it wouldn't look like I was lying if they actually looked at my transcript and it did not say the same thing on there.  I COULD do it, but I'm not certain that it's a good idea.

[davewill]

Since the "Specialized/Professional Career Track" choices are listed on the TESU page for the degree and you have to officially choose one to fulfill the requirements of the AOS, I would expect the career track to appear on the transcript, which says to me that I should feel free to list it on my resume. Even if it didn't, I don't see how it would be any kind of lie to state the career track you fulfilled.

[dfrecore]

Since the "Specialized/Professional Career Track" choices are listed on the TESU page for the degree and you have to officially choose one to fulfill the requirements of the AOS, I would expect the career track to appear on the transcript, which says to me that I should feel free to list it on my resume. Even if it didn't, I don't see how it would be any kind of lie to state the career track you fulfilled.

When you go to apply for a job online, you are going to have a hard time differentiating between the name of your actual degree, and a "specialized career track".  Sorry, but I don't even want to put that stupid name on my resume.  At that point, it just sounds silly and made up more than BSPS already does.

But hey OP, you do you.  If you think this is a good option, go for it. If you don't, don't.

I might ask several HR managers for companies around your area, and especially in the field you want to work in, if this is a good degree.  Make sure you add that you can have a "specialized career track" on your resume and let me know how impressed they are with that.  As someone who worked in HR, I would equate this to "AA" or something of that nature, and it would not look impressive up against others who have actual degrees, majors, or concentrations, in the same area.