looking into a second degree

[pianostrings]

I'm a homeschooling mom with a Bachelors of Business Administration from 20 years ago.  It has been useful, I work as an accountant from home.  I always wanted a math or science (not biology) degree, but I thought business would be practical.  Reading this forum has been a great help, my husband is starting a Masters Degree at WGU and my kids have taken Cleps.  

I'm looking for the least expensive, easiest to get from home math or science degree.  I have math through Calculus II from many years ago, and have been working through Aleks to keep refresh my memory and keep ahead of my kids.  I also have Chemistry I, Biology I, Physics I, and Physics 2.  Someday I may want to teach, but don't want to get certified now.  I basically need to do everything from home.

I've been reading posts and school web sites, but I thought some of you might have good degree ideas for me.

[rebel100]

Most schools are going to require a minimum of 24 new credits for a second degree. Most (maybe all) of these will have to be at the upper level....those are tough to find outside the traditional route.

You might see if Charter Oak still accepts the GRE exams and how many of those credits are UL.

What about just jumping to a Master's in science or math?

[SolarKat]

What about just jumping to a Master's in science or math?

This - a masters in analytics, business intelligence, etc, might be a great fit with your BSBA/accounting background, and still "math-y", and probably not require many (if any) prereq courses for you.  (A masters in mathematics would require a lot of prereqs, basically the whole area of study for a math bachelors.)

For undergrad math, APU (American Public University) has a rigorous math degree for $270/cr online.  I'm sure there are others.  For science...did you have a flavor you're looking at?  How invested are you in the 2nd degree - are you looking for rigorous, or more checking a box?

[eriehiker]

http://degreeforum.wikia.com/wiki/TrailR...S_and_Math

This is a good plan for TESU on the math.

[pianostrings]

Thank you all for the help!

Some answers to questions asked: 

The reasons I haven't been looking at a masters is because for math or science I really don't have the prereqs done, and they tend to cost a lot more.
I'd like the degree so that I can change careers in five years when my kids are older.  I'd like to do something not business related.  I might want to teach since I enjoy teaching math and science in a homeschool environment.  I would consider wgu's Masters in Math Education, but I can't do any student teaching for several years.  I could start teaching with just a bachelors in a teachable subject in my state, and I've really always somewhat regretted not pursuing a science or math degree.

I've been looking at the tesu math degree, also there liberal studies degree has a math and science concentration.  Any issues with getting either of these as a second degree?  APU looks interesting, but I'll have to do the numbers, it's probably out of my budget.

Budget is an issue.  I need to prioritize spending on my kids education and would like to keep anything I do under 5k total.

You're giving me lots to think about, I really appreciate any ideas.

[eriehiker]

I think that everyone is eyeing that TESU math degree. It is so tantalizing. Hehe.

You could also get the cheapest master's degree possible and then do 18 credits from statistics.org or the American College of Education to pick up adjunct jobs at community colleges. That is theoretically possible.

http://www.ace.edu/academics/graduate-ed...nstruction
https://www.statistics.com/

The data analytics certificate at TESU is 12 credits from statistics.com. That is four classes from statistics.com for about $2400. I wonder if TESU would count them as upper level math credits in an undergrad math degree.

[sanantone]

TESU has a BA in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Natural Science. Excelsior has a BS in Natural Science. Both of these will allow for a combination of various science courses, but Excelsior's degree will be a major in natural science unlike TESU's BSLS. COSC has general studies majors with various science concentrations, but their concentrations are more equivalent to majors. Unfortunately for you, it is much easier to find upper level, online biology courses. It's not very easy to find chemistry or physics courses.

[SolarKat]

I think that everyone is eyeing that TESU math degree.  It is so tantalizing.  Hehe.

You could also get the cheapest master's degree possible and then do 18 credits from statistics.org or the American College of Education to pick up adjunct jobs at community colleges.  That is theoretically possible.

http://www.ace.edu/academics/graduate-ed...nstruction
https://www.statistics.com/

The data analytics certificate at TESU is 12 credits from statistics.com.  That is four classes from statistics.com for about $2400.  I wonder if TESU would count them as upper level math credits in an undergrad math degree.

You could get the TESU grad cert for less - I just tossed the 4 classes in the cart to see...with TESU affiliation and a multi-registration discount (both applied!), the total today is $1,846.  The catch with the grad cert is that one of the classes only runs once a year, in June.  You can register now (to take advantage of the combined discounts), but you'll be twiddling thumbs waiting.  On the plus side, each class is only 4 (very busy) weeks long.  The classes map into TESU under the DSA-xxx prefix, so it's unlikely that they'd count for math credits.

TESU's "cheap" math option is OK if you're just going to teach K-12 or community college.  (If you're going further with it, like a math masters, you'll want to choose more carefully - the cheap option is not the best option in this case.)  TESU's will be pretty cheap (seriously, that EdX series of differential equations, which TESU gives as NINE upper level math credits for $150...insane).  There are options for physics, but none so straightforward (multiple providers, a mishmash of areas within physics).  There are chemistry options online for some courses (Ochem, Pchem, Ichem, Envchem).  Check out Oregon State for their several online chemistry undergrad classes.   I'm not familiar with biology options, but Sanantone is, if you want suggestions there.

[rebel100]

SolarKat can you explain this further? I don't keep up with TESU pricing and would like to know how you get 12 Grad level credits at $1846....

"You could get the TESU grad cert for less - I just tossed the 4 classes in the cart to see...with TESU affiliation and a multi-registration discount (both applied!), the total today is $1,846. The catch with the grad cert is that one of the classes only runs once a year, in June. You can register now (to take advantage of the combined discounts), but you'll be twiddling thumbs waiting. On the plus side, each class is only 4 (very busy) weeks long. The classes map into TESU under the DSA-xxx prefix, so it's unlikely that they'd count for math credits."

[pianostrings]

TESU has a BA in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Natural Science. Excelsior has a BS in Natural Science. Both of these will allow for a combination of various science courses, but Excelsior's degree will be a major in natural science unlike TESU's BSLS. COSC has general studies majors with various science concentrations, but their concentrations are more equivalent to majors. Unfortunately for you, it is much easier to find upper level, online biology courses. It's not very easy to find chemistry or physics courses.

I really like the look of the BS in Natural Science, I hadn't found it.  I'll have to look into it further, it looks like the major courses need to be within the past ten years, an issue for me.  I don't mind retaking some as long a lot of my general ed courses still count.  Thanks.

---

I think that everyone is eyeing that TESU math degree.  It is so tantalizing.  Hehe.

You could also get the cheapest master's degree possible and then do 18 credits from statistics.org or the American College of Education to pick up adjunct jobs at community colleges.  That is theoretically possible.

http://www.ace.edu/academics/graduate-ed...nstruction
https://www.statistics.com/

The data analytics certificate at TESU is 12 credits from statistics.com.  That is four classes from statistics.com for about $2400.  I wonder if TESU would count them as upper level math credits in an undergrad math degree.

This certificate might be an interesting intermediate step, It would look good with what I'm doing now, thanks I will look into it.