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+--- Thread: What Can I Use FEMA Credits For Now? (/Thread-What-Can-I-Use-FEMA-Credits-For-Now)
What Can I Use FEMA Credits For Now? - siege101 - 03-18-2016
I'm a complete beginner with all of this stuff so forgive me if I'm asking questions that have been asked before, I searched but it was difficult to find what I want to know.
My main goal is getting a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from one of the Big 3 schools. Thomas Edison looks to me like it's going to be the easiest and cheapest for that to happen at. I'm currently trying to figure out which tests I can take for it and which classes I'm going to have to take. I'll be posting another thread asking for help with that once I get the basic ideas down.
I'm also looking at getting a bachelor's in homeland security from them as well and at the very least the graduate certificate. There are 2 electives they list that could be applicable to either the degree or the certificate, could I use those electives for both the criminal justice degree and the homeland security degree or certificate?
I'm also curious as to what I can do with my FEMA credits these days as well. I've currently got 45 credits worth of them and I'm planning on taking every online class they offer for credit. I think Charter Oak is one of the few schools left that will actually accept them for credit but what degree could I apply them towards?
Finally I would also like to get an undergraduate certificate in accounting, again TESU seems like the best place to acquire that, right or wrong?
What Can I Use FEMA Credits For Now? - sanantone - 03-18-2016
siege101 Wrote:I'm a complete beginner with all of this stuff so forgive me if I'm asking questions that have been asked before, I searched but it was difficult to find what I want to know.
My main goal is getting a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from one of the Big 3 schools. Thomas Edison looks to me like it's going to be the easiest and cheapest for that to happen at. I'm currently trying to figure out which tests I can take for it and which classes I'm going to have to take. I'll be posting another thread asking for help with that once I get the basic ideas down.
I'm also looking at getting a bachelor's in homeland security from them as well and at the very least the graduate certificate. There are 2 electives they list that could be applicable to either the degree or the certificate, could I use those electives for both the criminal justice degree and the homeland security degree or certificate?
I'm also curious as to what I can do with my FEMA credits these days as well. I've currently got 45 credits worth of them and I'm planning on taking every online class they offer for credit. I think Charter Oak is one of the few schools left that will actually accept them for credit but what degree could I apply them towards?
Finally I would also like to get an undergraduate certificate in accounting, again TESU seems like the best place to acquire that, right or wrong?
I hope you're doing this for personal fulfillment because this sounds like overkill. I wouldn't recommend getting a BA in CJ, BS in Homeland Security, and a graduate certificate in Homeland Security. I also wouldn't recommend TESU or Excelsior for graduate studies because they're expensive. I don't know how much COSC is going to charge for its master's degree program, but it only has one and no graduate certificates.
For a second degree at TESU, you have to earn 24 new credits in the area of study after the first degree has been conferred. All of the other credits can be reused if they fit into the new degree program. I don't know how COSC treats FEMA credits. They might fit into the public safety program; if not, then they'll probably count as free electives.
I do think TESU is the cheapest place to earn an undergraduate certificate in accounting, but you might have to earn it under the Per Credit Tuition Plan while working on the bachelor's. I've asked TESU twice before, and they won't let you earn an undergraduate certificate, alone, under the Per Credit Tuition Plan. If you choose to earn it under the Enrolled Options Plan, it is no longer cheap. CSU Global's certificate of completion in Foundations of Accounting would probably be cheaper in that case.
What Can I Use FEMA Credits For Now? - johnjaxs - 03-18-2016
"I hope you're doing this for personal fulfillment because this sounds like overkill. I wouldn't recommend getting a BA in CJ, BS in Homeland Security, and a graduate certificate in Homeland Security. I also wouldn't recommend TESU or Excelsior for graduate studies because they're expensive. I don't know how much COSC is going to charge for its master's degree program, but it only has one and no graduate certificates. "
I got to agree. For me there are two reasons to get a second degree:
1) Necessity, could be job, work or academic related.
2) To widen your portfolio or showcase skills you know you have, but employers usually want some kind of proof (however in some of these cases a certificate would do).
With a BA in CJ, I would just pursue a certificate in Homeland Security if really necessary. Those two fields are closely related.
On a more understanding stance. A mixture of reason 1 & 2 is the reason why I pursued a second degree. So I do understand why some people may seek to pursue a second degree. You might just want to do the graduate certificate after the BA.
What Can I Use FEMA Credits For Now? - rebel100 - 03-18-2016
COSC will take the FEMA free of charge, certainly they could count for free electives, probably within a CJ or HS degree concentration...but you will still need 15-30 Upper Level courses within that discipline to go with them.
Excelsior will take FEMA but you have to run them through FCC at $80/credit.
TESU doesn't take FEMA.
I don't see the value in a second bachelors degree unless it's something like accounting engineering, or nursing....a career change situation. I don't see any employer who's looking for CJ or HS caring that you have a second degree in the other.
I also think you would be more marketable with an MBA, or other management masters, every group needs a leader, every group needs a finance guy.... Seperate yourself from the pack.
Masters comes after a Bachelors....don't waste time/money on second undergrads that do nothing for you.
What Can I Use FEMA Credits For Now? - RANSOMSOUL - 03-18-2016
'every group needs a leader'
Cosign 100%
It's very easy to fall in love with the thought of a double BA/BS when it's there for the taking (battled with this myself). However, the stronger separator and cost value would be to move on to a Masters. Only 36 (Master) vs 24 (BA/BS) credits and with self-paced options like WGU, Patten & Amberton, it becomes a clear answer on the right move.
What Can I Use FEMA Credits For Now? - dfrecore - 03-19-2016
The other thing to keep in mind with all of these degrees; cost. Right off the bat, I can tell you that a degree in Homeland Security from TESU will be very expensive because there is no way to get a lot of the required courses through testing. You will have to take the courses at TESU (or another college). You'd be better off getting your AA at TESU with 4 TECEP's for residency, and then transferring to a less expensive school to finish your BS in HS.
With a TESU CJ degree, you can get almost all of your courses through testing, between Propero Courses | Propero | Pearson and CSU-Global https://csuglobal.edu/undergraduate/programs/alternative-credit-options/cbes. They both have a lot of courses, and while CSU-G's are all UL, Propero's are not, so you will have to find the right mix. And at $250-$300 per course, it's not a "cheap" degree (not crazy expensive, but not as cheap as a BALS or BSBA).
As for an accounting certificate, that's not a great option at TESU. It would actually be cheaper to get a BSBA in Accounting than the certificate. Crazy, but true.
Just a warning about this kind of thing - sometimes I get so excited planning out my degree possibilities that I spend more time on the planning than I do on actually completing courses/exams. So, my first thought is that you should plan your BA degree that you think will most prepare you for the future you foresee and get started on that IMMEDIATELY, and worry about the 2nd degree/certificate/master's degree later, after you finish. I personally can get "Paralysis by Analysis," and that gets you nowhere fast. Just something to think about, I know it's exciting when you first start out, but don't let big plans derail you from taking the first step.
Good luck!
What Can I Use FEMA Credits For Now? - sanantone - 03-19-2016
dfrecore Wrote:As for an accounting certificate, that's not a great option at TESU. It would actually be cheaper to get a BSBA in Accounting than the certificate. Crazy, but true.
Not if you're earning the accounting certificate while you're enrolled in an associate's or bachelor's degree program. If I were only enrolled in the certificate program, I would have to either choose the Enrolled Options Plan (they might be getting rid of this) or Comprehensive Tuition Plan. But, since I'm already enrolled under the Per Credit Tuition Plan for the BSBA, I can just add on the certificate.
What Can I Use FEMA Credits For Now? - dfrecore - 03-19-2016
sanantone Wrote:Not if you're earning the accounting certificate while you're enrolled in an associate's or bachelor's degree program. If I were only enrolled in the certificate program, I would have to either choose the Enrolled Options Plan (they might be getting rid of this) or Comprehensive Tuition Plan. But, since I'm already enrolled under the Per Credit Tuition Plan for the BSBA, I can just add on the certificate.
Ah, I didn't think of that. Yes, if you are already enrolled and taking courses, then it would make sense to go ahead and grab a Cert while you're at it. The Accounting courses will all only count as Free Electives for non-business degrees, so don't fill up that area with a bunch of other courses.
What Can I Use FEMA Credits For Now? - TrailRunr - 03-19-2016
Before we go all ga-ga for a Masters, I've seen MANY, MANY people who earned MBA degrees that end up being unused right up to the day they apply for Social Security.
If your employer is unwilling to pay for your MBA or 2nd BA, then the likelihood it's a giant waste of time and money goes way up.
2nd BA/BS are for career changers and promotions within your company that explicitly require the 2nd BA/BS to be in a completely different field from the first BA. An advantage of the 2nd BA is that you might be able to CLEP/DSST/ACE/community college a good chunk of your program. For CS at TESU, the number of required courses is four after exercising all other credit options.
What Can I Use FEMA Credits For Now? - sanantone - 03-19-2016
rebel100 Wrote:COSC will take the FEMA free of charge, certainly they could count for free electives, probably within a CJ or HS degree concentration...but you will still need 15-30 Upper Level courses within that discipline to go with them.
Excelsior will take FEMA but you have to run them through FCC at $80/credit.
TESU doesn't take FEMA.
I don't see the value in a second bachelors degree unless it's something like accounting engineering, or nursing....a career change situation. I don't see any employer who's looking for CJ or HS caring that you have a second degree in the other.
I also think you would be more marketable with an MBA, or other management masters, every group needs a leader, every group needs a finance guy.... Seperate yourself from the pack.
Masters comes after a Bachelors....don't waste time/money on second undergrads that do nothing for you.
COSC doesn't have a homeland security concentration. I'm not sure emergency management credits will count toward a CJ degree.