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+--- Thread: [TESU] BA in Computer Science, need help with planning (/Thread-TESU-BA-in-Computer-Science-need-help-with-planning)
[TESU] BA in Computer Science, need help with planning - TrailRunr - 04-25-2016
ajs1976 Wrote:Is the difference TEEX vs DSST? How many credits? I don't think it would matter since they are both listed as CIS-344.
In 2016, my TEEX came in as:
11 CAP-295 Intro to Security Basics 2.00 CR CAP-295
11 CAP-385 Network Security 2.00 CR CAP-385
11 CIS-244 Computer Security 2.00 CR CIS-244
Advising said:
"The DSST Cybersecurity exam currently transfers in as CIS-344 and can apply to your Computer Science electives. DSST has been undergoing major changes to their exams so we no longer officially approve their exams. This particular exam is valid until 12/31/17."
That's good enough for me to risk $100 and study for the exam. I'll be looking at other threads talking about this exam. Thanks.
[TESU] BA in Computer Science, need help with planning - dfrecore - 04-25-2016
ajs1976 Wrote:Is the difference TEEX vs DSST? How many credits? I don't think it would matter since they are both listed as CIS-344.
TEEX is 2cr, DSST is 3cr, so it's almost always better to go with the DSST, since TEEX will put you 1cr short, and you'll most likely end up having to take another 3cr course to make up for the shortage.
[TESU] BA in Computer Science, need help with planning - TrailRunr - 04-25-2016
It seems like TESU differentiates CIS-344 from DSST vs the old timers that got credit for CIS-344 from TEEX.
To me, it doesn't matter as long as the DSST counts towards the BA CS UL AOS.
[TESU] BA in Computer Science, need help with planning - dcan - 05-06-2016
I'm going to respond here in case someone else is considering this as well. (yes I'm coming out of my long hibernation, at least briefly)
I did exactly this -- switched from BSBA CIS to BA CS. In 2013. I had to take almost 18 months off immediately after that decision and have only taken four classes since then. I'm currently on my fifth, Discrete Math. I can attest that this program and the math program are probably the two most difficult programs TESU offers, because they do not cleanly fit into their normal "flexible" model in that there are virtually no test-out options for the area of study.
What you can do however is take courses at other schools and transfer them in. That is exactly what I'm planning to do with my remaining upper-level CS requirements. Both UMUC and Troy offer online 8 week courses. I have no direct experience with either, but a friend of mine is a server administrator who is going through the Troy CS program for career broadening and what I've seen is very disappointing. In fact he stated he feels that he hasn't learned much. In his Data Structures class the assignments basically consisted of the instructor writing a partial program and the students had to fill in the blanks to connect the program pieces together, and they were specifically taught how to use the C++ Standard Template Library. Contrast that with TESU, where the course was essentially "read the text, solve these programming problems, and don't you dare use the STL, write your own lists/trees/etc from scratch." It was much more challenging and more rewarding in that sense, but it would also be a brutal slog with no hand-holding for someone who has no practical programming experience. Since I've been around the block for quite a few years it wasn't a problem for me but several people had trouble and there wasn't really any safety net in the class. I found Calc II the same -- trench warfare with integrals until we got to infinite series in the last couple of weeks, which I found remarkably beautiful. But it took a long time to get there. So it looks like I'm going with UMUC instead, and their classes don't look bad. In particular, they have a comparative programming languages course (which teaches about the concepts behind progamming language design, compiler theory, etc) and analysis of algorithms course, both of which are considered essential for a "real" CS program. So that is attractive.
The downside to switching is I significantly extended the time spent on my degree (not entirely necessary, I could have knuckled down sooner, oh well) and when its all said and done I will have taken two senior-level capstone classes. Sheesh. And I can't get a dual degree because BA and BSBA are separate disciplines, which really chaps me because I want credit for my BSBA work on paper but it won't happen. If I were paying out of pocket I would have stuck with the BSBA, no question. Far more options for cheap credit and fast completion.
I will say that I find the CS work far more rewarding that the BSBA coursework. For example, I've programmed for 20 years but never formally studied data structures until I took that class, and immediately applied some of the concepts to improve my work. The students also tend to be much more focused and on-task, and unlike the business students they don't waste time babbling marketing buzzwords and somehow magically passing all their classes by writing "me too!" forum responses that are supposed to be against the rules. The courses are much more interesting, to me anyway. They aren't exactly hard (except for Calc II) but they aren't trivial either.
Hope that helps someone considering that path. Take care.
[TESU] BA in Computer Science, need help with planning - TrailRunr - 05-07-2016
dcan Wrote:I did exactly this -- switched from BSBA CIS to BA CS. In 2013. I had to take almost 18 months off immediately after that decision and have only taken four classes since then. I'm currently on my fifth, Discrete Math. I can attest that this program and the math program are probably the two most difficult programs TESU offers, because they do not cleanly fit into their normal "flexible" model in that there are virtually no test-out options for the area of study.
There are actually two verified test out options for CS as upper level. MIS DSST and the CSU Global System Analysis CBE. MIS can be taken cold (prior to the 3/2016 exam revision) for someone with an IT corporate background. The system analysis can be crammed in 8 hours the night before. Both subjects overlap, so it's almost a 2-for-1 deal. There might be a possible third UL test out option with the DSST Cybersecurity exam if the response I got from advising isn't false. Calc 1 & 2 can be taken with Straighterline, which is actually pretty good because it's the Thinkwell version. Data structures and discrete math/linear algebra will need to be taken as a regular course, but many community colleges teach those courses. Linear algebra can double as a UL course if not taken at a community college, which will allow you to take one extra elective as lower level. That leaves one UL CS course left (maybe 2 if the cybersecurity doesn't pan out) and the capstone.
[TESU] BA in Computer Science, need help with planning - dfrecore - 05-07-2016
Data Structures can be taken at U of Northern Iowa as a Guided Independent Study course - fully online, enroll when you want to - for $944. I'm sure it's available elsewhere for less.
https://uni.edu/continuinged/distance/courses?field_deptnum_value_many_to_one=CS&field_location_value_many_to_one=All&field_delivery_value_many_to_one=All
Linear Algebra is available at Oklahoma State as an Independent Study/Correspondence course, fully online, enroll when you want to - for $609.05. I think it's UL.
Course Information - Oklahoma State University Correspondence Education
Discrete Math is available at TX State as a Correspondence Course, online,self-paced, enroll when you want to - for $783.63.
Mathematics 2358 : Correspondence Self-Paced Studies : Texas State University
[TESU] BA in Computer Science, need help with planning - TrailRunr - 05-07-2016
Discrete math and data structures are always LL and often at community college, so you might as well save money by seeing if a community college will work for you.
[TESU] BA in Computer Science, need help with planning - bluebooger - 05-07-2016
TrailRunr Wrote:There are actually two verified test out options for CS as upper level. MIS DSST and the CSU Global System Analysis CBE. MIS can be taken cold (prior to the 3/2016 exam revision) for someone with an IT corporate background. The system analysis can be crammed in 8 hours the night before. Both subjects overlap, so it's almost a 2-for-1 deal. There might be a possible third UL test out option with the DSST Cybersecurity exam if the response I got from advising isn't false. Calc 1 & 2 can be taken with Straighterline, which is actually pretty good because it's the Thinkwell version. Data structures and discrete math/linear algebra will need to be taken as a regular course, but many community colleges teach those courses. Linear algebra can double as a UL course if not taken at a community college, which will allow you to take one extra elective as lower level. That leaves one UL CS course left (maybe 2 if the cybersecurity doesn't pan out) and the capstone.
Thomas Edison State University: Computer Science
under
D. Requirements
it shows 18 upper level credits required for a BA in CS
and although under that it does say
"Apply the principles of software design to solve practical problems"
I would still be surprised if the DSST of CSU Global would count
[TESU] BA in Computer Science, need help with planning - TrailRunr - 05-07-2016
bluebooger Wrote:Thomas Edison State University: Computer Science
under
D. Requirements
it shows 18 upper level credits required for a BA in CS
and although under that it does say
"Apply the principles of software design to solve practical problems"
I would still be surprised if the DSST of CSU Global would count
Both are verified to work with advising as of April 2016. It's a done deal in my eval. Get those two locked in your eval if you want to utilize them.
The catalog is not a great way to figure out if a course will count or not since it's vague, and it doesn't help with LL vs. UL. The ACE recommendation is not that helpful either as we've found out with statistics.com stuff going in as LL.
It's better to get a list of in-house TESU courses that count from advising, which does include the MIS and system analysis CIS courses. Then you use that to search for exams and cheaper/faster credit. All of the COS courses listed in the PLA database should count if you can wiggle other courses or exams into it. Sometimes CIS courses will count and sometimes they don't. CAP and CMP courses usually don't count. Then someone on the forum got advising to say that the PLA CIS-344 counts as well, which I've also verified as well. I'm going to pursue the DSST in cybersecurity since that would make room in my budget for a double major.
[TESU] BA in Computer Science, need help with planning - ekbenzo - 05-11-2016
TrailRunr Wrote:This is going to be a long slog with lots of courses. You can power through quickly with BSBA CIS, but you can't do that with CS.
The MIS DSST and the CSU Global System Design CBE will work as UL CS AOS. Just so you don't go down a dead end, cloud computing from CSU Global won't work. I suspect the security related CBEs are all also dead ends.
Unfortunately, here are the many problems you will face:
1) SL calculus 1 & 2 cannot be completed with Ctrl-F. It will take you a while to get through each course unless it's a refresher. The final is worth 35%. I notice calc is empty, so it's probably new material to you. SL will probably be faster than a community college if you're focused.
2) Take data structures at an online community college.
3) Take discrete math at a online community college. Or you can take linear algebra at a 4-year school and eliminate 3 UL worth of CS AOS.
4) 12 UL credits probably have to be earned at TESU (9 CS in group 1, 3 capstone).
5) Many computer courses don't work because they're too applied.
For #4, it's very hard to find cheaper alternatives. The closest I got was statistics.com with ACE recommendation for upper level credit, but TESU often does not follow the ACE recommendation and called it LL. In general, your proposed UL class has to match one of their UL courses. Unfortunately, TESU has few UL CS courses. There is a software engineering edX coming up soon, but it is 2 credits in a series of 2 courses. And the course looks very time consuming and hard.
I doubt you'll graduate by September 2016 if you follow this road unless you can successfully PLA COS courses and not CMP/CAP/non-applicable CIS.
which classes from statistics.com that was UL per ACE recommendation that TESU accepts as LL?