I am a newbie and i am looking for a roadmap to finish in the fastest way possible

[Dimples99]

Hello everyone, I have a similar question. I'm wanting some type of degree plan to help me get an accounting degree. Does anyone have any type of information on this! Thanks so much in advance!

[bricabrac]

IrishJohn created a great sample plan. I wanted to note a few minor changes.


D. Natural Sciences & Mathematics (12) At least 1 college-level math course & 1 computer course required; must include at least 2 subject areas

• ALEKS Beginning Algebra (3) <- now labeled developmental so you will need to choose an alternate here
  ALEKS Intermediate Algebra (3)
  CLEP Information Systems and Computer Applications (3)
  DSST Environment and Humanity: The Race to Save the Planet (3)
  

E. General Education Electives (18)

• CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature (6)
  CLEP Principles of Management (3) <- business course - choose an alternate
  CLEP Principles of Marketing (3) <- business course - choose an alternate
  CLEP Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
  CLEP Principles of Microeconomics (3)
  

Possible alternates:
CLEP Natural Sciences (6) (NS/M or GenEd)
DSST Astronomy (3) (NS/M or GenEd)
ALEKS College Algebra (3) (NS/M or GenEd)
ALEKS Trigonometry (3) (NS/M or GenEd)
DSST Intro to Criminal Justice (3) (GenEd)
DSST Lifespan Developmental Psychology or CLEP Human Growth & Development (3) (GenEd)

To help choose courses that best match your knowlege base -- review the following TESC link for exams and SandraNC prepared an awesome pdf of alternate credit sources.

Undergraduate Ways to Earn Credit - Thomas Edison State College - acalog ACMS

SandraNC's [URL="http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-thomas-edison-charter-oak-specific/13933-compilation-tesc-course-equivalencies-5.html#post117772"]course equivalency listings
[/URL]
** Here is the link to the plan of a degreeforum member Ajsteven5 who just recently completed his BALS degree at TESC.

[mathewsdad1]

Irish John,

Thank you, this is absolutely fantastic. I am going to comb over the material this evening.

[burbuja0512]

Hello everyone, I have a similar question. I'm wanting some type of degree plan to help me get an accounting degree. Does anyone have any type of information on this! Thanks so much in advance!

Hi there and welcome. I'm not sure that you could get an accounting degree totally through testing, though as mentioned earlier in this thread, you could totally test out of all of your general requirements and save tons of time and money regardless of your major.

Accounting is a great field that (from what I understand) has a slightly lower unemployment rate than other professions. So, I wouldn't want to talk you out of this degree, but you do have options. Here's the best two choices I see:

1) Test out of general education and keep the accounting undergrad, but understand that you may need to take a year or more of accounting classes to get your degree (maybe someone here knows more - if you don't get a response in this thread, do a search)

2) Test out of everything - get a BSBA or other testing degree in under a year and go straight to your masters degree. Spend your time and $$$ on a graduate degree and rather than enter the accounting world at entry level, you'll have a better shot at a higher starting wage.

It's totally up to you but you'll need to think about which would best suit your career goals. I don't know a lot about accounting, but I would almost always say that if you are going to spend a year or two taking classes, you're better off testing out of your degree and spending all of your extra time on a masters, where you'll get more bang for your buck.

[Yenisei]

In addition to the advice provided above, you may want to take the educational requirements of the CPA, CIA or CMA exams into account when deciding what you test out of- for example, not all states accept CLEP credit for business and/or accounting courses when it comes to meeting educational requirements for the CPA, and a few may not accept online accounting courses. This is less of an issue or none at all for Gen Ed and elective requirements, but may be for the 150 hour requirement most states have for the CPA. No post could possibly cover all of the permutations of 50+ differing educational requirements, so be sure to check the relevant ones carefully for the relevant issuing authority as you do your degree planning.

[IrishJohn]

[*]ALEKS Beginning Algebra (3) <- now labeled developmental so you will need to choose an alternate here

Really? Bummer. I guess I was in one of the last graduating classes where this course satisfied a math course. Perhaps it's better in a way though because it adds to the value of the degree I suppose. Well someone could take ALEKS Trigonometry then. That's maddening too and a college-level course.

CLEP Principles of Management (3) <- business course - choose an alternate
CLEP Principles of Marketing (3) <- business course - choose an alternate

I thought that didn't matter under General Education? I know someone couldn't use these under their Area of Study, unless it is business, but why not GE?

[IrishJohn]

Irish John,

Thank you, this is absolutely fantastic. I am going to comb over the material this evening.

You're welcome. Lord knows I received a lot of help here myself. Just remember to check with TESC advisors to be sure. Some of the info might be dated now. I didn't know that ALEKS Beginning Algebra wasn't accepted anymore, for example.

[IrishJohn]

Hi there and welcome. I'm not sure that you could get an accounting degree totally through testing, though as mentioned earlier in this thread, you could totally test out of all of your general requirements and save tons of time and money regardless of your major.

Accounting is a great field that (from what I understand) has a slightly lower unemployment rate than other professions. So, I wouldn't want to talk you out of this degree, but you do have options. Here's the best two choices I see:

1) Test out of general education and keep the accounting undergrad, but understand that you may need to take a year or more of accounting classes to get your degree (maybe someone here knows more - if you don't get a response in this thread, do a search)

2) Test out of everything - get a BSBA or other testing degree in under a year and go straight to your masters degree. Spend your time and $$$ on a graduate degree and rather than enter the accounting world at entry level, you'll have a better shot at a higher starting wage.

It's totally up to you but you'll need to think about which would best suit your career goals. I don't know a lot about accounting, but I would almost always say that if you are going to spend a year or two taking classes, you're better off testing out of your degree and spending all of your extra time on a masters, where you'll get more bang for your buck.

You know, looking at the requirements for Accounting at TESC while one might not be able to completely test out of a degree in this major they could do a lot as you say and perhaps also use professional certs like Yenisei proposed. In addition, there's also courses through PennFoster and Straighterline that could fulfill most of the rest of the requirements though I'm not sure what could take the place of Business Policy.

[bricabrac]

Really? Bummer. I guess I was in one of the last graduating classes where this course satisfied a math course. Perhaps it's better in a way though because it adds to the value of the degree I suppose. Well someone could take ALEKS Trigonometry then. That's maddening too and a college-level course.

I thought that didn't matter under General Education? I know someone couldn't use these under their Area of Study, unless it is business, but why not GE?

I agree with your sentiment. Yes, it seems beginning algebra became developmental sometime early-mid 2011(?). (I really don't remember exact timeframe now.) I'm convinced it is because quite a few may have been trying to use it as their degree math requirement instead of extra gen ed credit.

Clearest explanation is in the degree planning handbook (pg 10); lists all the subjects considered Gen Ed.

[SIZE=2]"General education electives is a section of the degree that can be viewed as a “spillover” of additional credits thatwould have applied as humanities, social sciences,mathematics and natural sciences, and interdisciplinary courses if there were room for them."

[/SIZE]

http://www.tesc.edu/files/DegreePlanningHandbook.pdf

[Lindagerr]

Yes this is the way the Gen ed electives are shown in my degree plan. I was also told once they can not be business.


BA General Education Electives (18 SH) > Complete 18 semester hours from any of the following > General Education subjects: Humanities, Social Sciences, > Natural Sciences or Mathematics.

I was also one of the last lucky few who got credit for ALEKS begining algebra I think i just made it and they discontinued it in July 2010. i remember I had to fight for it when I got it earlier that year they must have been trying to get rid of it then