UMPI BLS MISM VS Pierport then UMPI BAS

[k681]

Hello everyone, finding this forum and the wealth of information has been tremendously helpful so firstly thank you all for info so far..
Now I have a question:

Your Location: BC, Canada
Your Age: 35
What kind of degree do you want?: Any Business or General Degree with IT
Current Regional Accredited Credits: Unsure, previously obtained a diploma of 60 credits from Ontario, Canada but unsure if it is transferable to USA

Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits: 0

Provider Total Credits: 0
Class Name, Credits, Grade

Any certifications or military experience? No
I am a Canadian currently working full time in a field unrelated to IT with an unrelated diploma from Ontario.

I am looking to switch career toward IT and that's why I am wanting to get a degree with IT Minor and/or a BAS with IT concentration.

Through researching the forum, I've found that there are two paths to take through UMPI that seems to be relatively quick and easy..

• 1. Take as many required courses on Sophia and Study.com according to the degree wiki and then apply directly to UMPI BLS program and focus on courses toward a concentration in management information systems.
  
• 2. Have my diploma assessed through WES, and then applying through Pierpont, then take any required courses, obtain the associate degree and then finally applying to UMPI using the AAS from pierpont.
  

Does anyone have any recommendations or suggestions as to which path is "better" in the sense that it may be quicker/cheaper/easier ?

[bjcheung77]

@k681, Welcome to the board, that's great you've got a few quick questions and a bit of info... eh? Having said that, you are better off filling in the addendum and template, so we know where you stand after we get a full picture of your scenario. It really doesn't matter which way you go, 1 or 2 is about the same, you decide on either the BAS or the BLS. Link: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Area-works

[k681]

@k681, Welcome to the board, that's great you've got a few quick questions and a bit of info... eh?  Having said that, you are better off filling in the addendum and template, so we know where you stand after we get a full picture of your scenario.  It really doesn't matter which way you go, 1 or 2 is about the same, you decide on either the BAS or the BLS.  Link: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Area-works

Hey bjcheung77, thanks so much for the quick response. I've edited the initial post with the addendum although I am not sure where I fit as most of my formal educations were obtained in Canada and I've yet to send it through WES to see what RA credits I could get.

Just to clarify, generally option 1 or 2 is about the same in terms of time required and cost?

Thank you..

[Hotdogman1]

The cost would be similar. Route 2 would cost $130 more due to the student fee at Pierpont Community College. Route two might take longer because of the processing time at Pierpont. I have helped 3 friends get Pierpont BOGs and it took them 2 semesters each from applying to graduating after transferring in all the required credits.

If you go route 1, you shouldn’t abandon your Canadian credits. You should contact UMPI admissions and see if you have to get your degree evaluated. I don’t know if UMPI changed policies recently, but I remember Canadian degrees were treated differently than other international degrees and didn’t require you to go through a credential evaluator. Also, if you’re looking to get an American associate’s on top of your Bachelor’s, I’ve heard you can ask Jessica to add an associates to your bachelor’s when you graduate from UMPI.

No matter which route you go to, I recommend taking the Google IT Support Professional Certificate. It’s worth 12 credits of 1xx level Computer Science Electives at UMPI, 15 Credits at Pierpont, and you could potentially put in on your resume as well. If you go route two, it would be 12 credits towards the 40 technical credits for the BAS and the full credits needed for an Information Systems Emphasis for Pierpont.

[bjcheung77]

@k681, It'll roughly be the same cost, ease, speed either way you go... that's a great update with the template, we know a bit more details, but the addendum you referenced is actually missing, it's got more important details about your situation... Here's a thread, it's actually the same recommendation I would also have for you as well... And please review the 'linked' thread if you can, I've been providing the same advice for a few newer members of the board recently, review my posts #3 and #5. Link: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...hat-s-Next

[rachel83az]

The cost would be similar. Route 2 would cost $130 more due to the student fee at Pierpont Community College. Route two might take longer because of the processing time at Pierpont. I have helped 3 friends get Pierpont BOGs and it took them 2 semesters each from applying to graduating after transferring in all the required credits.

If you go route 1, you shouldn’t abandon your Canadian credits. You should contact UMPI admissions and see if you have to get your degree evaluated. I don’t know if UMPI changed policies recently, but I remember Canadian degrees were treated differently than other international degrees and didn’t require you to go through a credential evaluator. Also, if you’re looking to get an American associate’s on top of your Bachelor’s, I’ve heard you can ask Jessica to add an associates to your bachelor’s when you graduate from UMPI.

No matter which route you go to, I recommend taking the Google IT Support Professional Certificate. It’s worth 12 credits of 1xx level Computer Science Electives at UMPI, 15 Credits at Pierpont, and you could potentially put in on your resume as well. If you go route two, it would be 12 credits towards the 40 technical credits for the BAS and the full credits needed for an Information Systems Emphasis for Pierpont.

Absolutely this. Except Pierpont is raising fees and it's going to be $340 or $350 in fees now. Still cheap for an Associate degree, but I'm not sure it makes sense to detour your plans just to be able to have a shot at getting a BAS. Honestly, I'd say that the BABA Project Management/Management Information Systems degree will make more sense than either a BAS or BLS. That's something only k681 can decide for themself.

The downside of all of this is that neither the BLS nor BAS degrees are "true tech" degrees. If you want an actual tech degree, you're pretty much limited to TESU or PUG for fast/cheap. Neither of them will be quite as cheap as UMPI, but they will be actual tech degrees. PUG is a ton of writing, even moreso than UMPI. TESU would allow you to get two degrees at once (either a BACS + BS CIS or a BACS + BS IT or a BS IT + BSBA Org.Management, but not BS CIS + BS IT) for very little additional effort/cost.

But the UMPI undergrad can get you 25% of the way through their MAOL degree, if you play your cards right. https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Un...L)_at_UMPI

[k681]

The cost would be similar. Route 2 would cost $130 more due to the student fee at Pierpont Community College. Route two might take longer because of the processing time at Pierpont. I have helped 3 friends get Pierpont BOGs and it took them 2 semesters each from applying to graduating after transferring in all the required credits.

If you go route 1, you shouldn’t abandon your Canadian credits. You should contact UMPI admissions and see if you have to get your degree evaluated. I don’t know if UMPI changed policies recently, but I remember Canadian degrees were treated differently than other international degrees and didn’t require you to go through a credential evaluator. Also, if you’re looking to get an American associate’s on top of your Bachelor’s, I’ve heard you can ask Jessica to add an associates to your bachelor’s when you graduate from UMPI.

No matter which route you go to, I recommend taking the Google IT Support Professional Certificate. It’s worth 12 credits of 1xx level Computer Science Electives at UMPI, 15 Credits at Pierpont, and you could potentially put in on your resume as well. If you go route two, it would be 12 credits towards the 40 technical credits for the BAS and the full credits needed for an Information Systems Emphasis for Pierpont.

Absolutely this. Except Pierpont is raising fees and it's going to be $340 or $350 in fees now. Still cheap for an Associate degree, but I'm not sure it makes sense to detour your plans just to be able to have a shot at getting a BAS. Honestly, I'd say that the BABA Project Management/Management Information Systems degree will make more sense than either a BAS or BLS. That's something only k681 can decide for themself.

The downside of all of this is that neither the BLS nor BAS degrees are "true tech" degrees. If you want an actual tech degree, you're pretty much limited to TESU or PUG for fast/cheap. Neither of them will be quite as cheap as UMPI, but they will be actual tech degrees. PUG is a ton of writing, even moreso than UMPI. TESU would allow you to get two degrees at once (either a BACS + BS CIS or a BACS + BS IT or a BS IT + BSBA Org.Management, but not BS CIS + BS IT) for very little additional effort/cost.

But the UMPI undergrad can get you 25% of the way through their MAOL degree, if you play your cards right. https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Un...L)_at_UMPI

Thanks rachel83az, I don't mind having a non-true "tech" degree as I plan to either obtain an master or graduate certificate after anyway. 

Perhaps I misunderstood something going through the wiki but from my understanding. Isn't BLS/BAS potentially easier to obtain as opposed to BABA Project Management/ Management Information Systems ?

Up to this point, I have been mostly reading up on UMPI as it seems to be the most straightforward and quicker route but is TESU recommended as an alternative that may take longer?

Thanks again..

[rachel83az]

The BLS/BAS is often considered slightly easier to obtain because you can take almost "any" UL credits you want for it. However, due to the limited number of classes available through YourPace, you're probably going to complete most (if not all) of the BABA requirements anyway on the way to a BAS/BLS. All degrees require at least 120 credits total. All require the same GECs. All have at least some electives. Unless you absolutely hate business courses, it should only be marginally more time/effort to get a BABA compared to a BAS/BLS. All have been completed in 2-3 sessions by previous students. A few students with no other work/life commitments were able to get a degree in just a single session, but that's very uncommon!

If you don't need a true tech degree at this time, there's little reason to consider TESU. But I would definitely try to make sure you hit the the prereqs of any Master's program that you're interested in. For instance, taking Sophia's programming & database courses might be useful, even if there's nowhere for them to go on the UMPI transcript. Same with various Google certificates.

[Hotdogman1]

All three should take a similar amount of time and effort. The BLS/BAS can be “potentially easier” since they are more flexible and allow you to choose more “easier/shorter” courses. I found the BABA to be more straightforward since it lacks that freedom in course selection.

[bjcheung77]

@k681, Where in BC are you? I was in Nanaimo/Parksville two years ago - August for vacation, 3 days/2 nights (Inn at Long Lake) with two other families, it was a great trip.  Actually, my kids liked it so much, I went back this year in Mid March as well, 4 days/3 nights at Bayside Oceanfront Resort in Parksville and we went around to Qualicum Beach, plus surrounding areas, etc.

Anyways, here are a few threads you want to review, in addition to many others about UMPI and their BA, BABA, BAS/BLS options, it's really personal preference, and I think your preference right now is to transfer all your Canadian credit (60) of them as electives, then do 30 more credits from Sophia.org such as the Language, Science & Lab, gen eds, etc, to max remaining transfers.

You can then do the final 30 credits at UMPI for residency, again, for the last few months, I've been recommending a balanced mix/match trifecta of certs, degree, experience.  You may have certs/experience and looking at a 'check the box' degree, you might even go for the UMPI MAOL afterwards, when you get to the Masters, the Bachelors isn't really looked at anymore.

AAS> UMPI BAS in 6 months: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...n-6-months
BA, BABA, BLS differences (Accounting): https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...-which-one
BAS, plus diploma: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...ns-learned and https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...AS-Diploma
BABA to BAS denied, info: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...tch-denied

Take your time reading through posts and threads, such as this one and the post below it explaining the BAS/BLS 
**BOG AAS to BAS double minor: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Management
**BAS & BLS differences, further explained: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid407218