education choices for technical fields

[icampy]

Hello,
I am currently an Integration Engineer at great aerospace company. I am happy as can be here and plan to stay here a long time, but I want to expand my education for the future and for myself and my company. I have 60 or so credit hours from a community college a long time ago (I'm 29), and need a social science to finish an A. in Machine Tool Technology, about to knock that out (I stopped going to school once I got married 7 years ago and got a good job, yes that was a mistake).

I am currently taking the electronics technician diploma program at penn foster, and I am going to pursue my cert and then bachelors degree. I am looking to get a bachelors degree but prefer one in a technical field so it will help me in my career. The issue is, math is not my strong point. I believe engineering will be out of my reach because of the physics (also they require a lab and since I am in the middle of nowhere, and can only take online college, that kills that anyways). I do a little bit of everything here, machining, welding, electrical, involved with rocket engine testing, etc, so I am technically oriented, but I will never be sitting at a computer doing engineering all day (nor would I want to). I am attempting to expand my electrical skills and focus on that aspect.

I am looking for some advice on which route to go. If I were to ever swap to another aerospace company as an integration engineer or test engineer, I know most of them, at least on paper, specify a bachelors of any kind. Some require a bachelors in a technical field.

The main question here is.......Are there any technically oriented bachelors degrees online that aren't requiring physics? I have to/have had to do simple math, up to trig, for work.....but anything above that never clicked with me in high school. I only had to take "technical math" in college and the last few units of it were killer, I just never had it explained to me to where it clicks.

I also looked at some IT and computer science degrees as they are slightly less "needy" in the math category. That might work as a technical degree that some companies call out. If there are none, I will pursue some kind of bachelors I can test out of, but I would prefer something at least somewhat related to a technical field since that is what I work in.


Anyways, thanks for your advice!

Ian

[nyvrem]

Fort Hays State University offers a Bachelor's in General Studies with a concentration in Information Networking and Telecommunications

No physics, No maths required.

Tuition is at $194/hour

General Education - Fort Hays State University

University of Illinois offer's a B.S in Computer Science online

No Physics requirements, but you will need to do at least Calculus I, Discrete Math and Statistics

Not sure how much is it.

index

Florida State University offers a B.A in Computer Science

No Physics required as well, but you'll need a math and stat course

$299/hour

https://distance.fsu.edu/students/computer-science-ba

Northern Arizona University has a competency based degree in Computer Information Technology if that works for u.

No Physics.

$2500 for 6 months, do as much as you can

| | CIT | NAU Extended Campuses

[rebel100]

Thomas Edison State University: Technical Studies

I suspect you could cobble something together under the Bachelor of Science in Applied Science and Technology degree at Thomas Edison. That's if I understand your goals correctly.

Now that degree DOES require Physics, but they will take it from a less intimidating place like Straighterline (cheap there too) http://www.straighterline.com/online-col...physics-i/ I'm not sure where Physics 2 would come from, but I'm certain there are workable solutions out there.

Edited to add that University of Idaho has a self paced Physics 2 that is pretty affordable, self paced, and start anytime. (they have physics 1 with a lab too) http://www.uidaho.edu/academic-affairs/i...cs#Phys112

[adavis84]

...
The main question here is.......Are there any technically oriented bachelors degrees online that aren't requiring physics? I have to/have had to do simple math, up to trig, for work.....but anything above that never clicked with me in high school. I only had to take "technical math" in college and the last few units of it were killer, I just never had it explained to me to where it clicks...

Just an side thought...can I ask why the aversion to physics? If it's because of the calculus, there are many algebra-based physics courses out there. Also, there are options out there that have online lab components. It would be a shame to let one algebra-based online physics with a home lab kit keep you from a degree that's more valuable to you in the long run.

rebel100 mentioned SL as an online w/ lab option. Cheap and very straightforward, but I think it's calc based. I know there are others here who have done an online algebra-based physics w/ lab. Maybe one of them can help.

[Daithi]

Another option you may consider is a BSBA-CIS (BS in business administration with a concentration in computer information systems). This may not be a STEM degree, but the focus on both business and IT may be quite valuable to employers when combined with your technical experience. It also gives you the option to pursue an MBA, or an MBA-IT degree, as a next step.

[dfrecore]

Just some thoughts:

I think for the TESU BSAST degrees, it might be difficult for you to get the UL courses in the AOS, so take a look at that first. Anything from a CC will come in as LL.

You can take online Physics with a lab at NMJC for $356 last I checked. Not sure what type of math you need for it.

Also, I think that although TESU specifies Physics when you look at the degree, they will list Chemistry I & II as an option instead when you run an eval. So double-check on that if it's the only thing holding you back from something.

Any Computer Science degree is going to require plenty of calculus and higher math, it sounds as if that's an issue more than physics might be.



If you post your credits, we might be able to give you more help in figuring out a degree that would be manageable.

[sanantone]

Just some thoughts:

I think for the TESU BSAST degrees, it might be difficult for you to get the UL courses in the AOS, so take a look at that first. Anything from a CC will come in as LL.

You can take online Physics with a lab at NMJC for $356 last I checked. Not sure what type of math you need for it.

Also, I think that although TESU specifies Physics when you look at the degree, they will list Chemistry I & II as an option instead when you run an eval. So double-check on that if it's the only thing holding you back from something.

Any Computer Science degree is going to require plenty of calculus and higher math, it sounds as if that's an issue more than physics might be.



If you post your credits, we might be able to give you more help in figuring out a degree that would be manageable.

It's not difficult to get the UL credits for the BSAST in Technical Studies (you only need to find 6 and those can be tested out of). Project Management is offered at Sophia and Current Trends and Application is taken at TESU. Those make up 6 of the 12 UL credits you'll need. However, most of the BSAST programs require physics I and II with labs or chemistry I and II with labs. You can test out of the lecture portions of chemistry I and II, take the standalone chemistry I lab at Straighterline, and the standalone chemistry II lab at TESU. University of New England offers standalone chemistry labs too.

[ajs1976]

Look at some of the other BSAST tracks too. With your work background in aerospace maybe you can PLA some of the Aviation courses.

[KayV]

Charter Oak has a concentration in Technology Studies, which "...differs from the Engineering Studies concentration in that it has an applications focus and does not require the same levels of mathematics and science."

Technology Studies - Charter Oak State College Catalog

[icampy]