Small Business Management vs. Foundations of Leadership TESC courses

[AlmostGraduated]

Hello to all those TESC students,

I have to pick an HR elective for my degree and I'm having trouble deciding which course to pick. I'm going with the online version of either Small Business Management (MAN-432) or Foundations of Leadership (LDR-305). I've searched for any feedback about these courses but so far have come up empty. Does anyone with experience with these courses have any input? Would you recommend one over the other or have any advice about how the course was? I've even tried to look at reviews of the professors using ratemyprofessor.com but there was not much information. Any advice would be appreciated!!

Thanks,

AlmostGraduated

[SwaggyP]

You're unlikely to find any information about actual classes on this forum. Members here complete most, if not all, of their degree requirements through the various sources of CBE (credit by exam). From what I've gathered, TESC courses are not known to be a walk in the park and are quite writing intensive. I will be taking 2 courses through them next month, so I don't have any first hand knowledge to offer just yet. I would suggest taking classes you feel you can Ace based on your strong suits and grasp of the subject material, but there's not much else to go by. Ratemyprofessor really isn't of much use. Most TESC professors are either new, don't have any reviews, or have reviews but not from TESC. In my brief research, I've found that many TESC professors are former professors at for-profit online schools, and it's difficult to give much credence to for-profit student reviews on them for a variety of reasons.

[bricabrac]

LDR-305 Foundations of Leadership
(12) graded class discussions, one in each module.
(7) written assignments

This course does not have a midterm or a final examination. Instead you will be required to write and submit a final project to your mentor.
[INDENT]I read one review on this course awhile back and it wasn't positive but the person was sort of a black/white type personality. Businesses thrive in the gray. The reviewer took diversity and sexual harrassment issues very personally. She felt the book/course got into areas she found disturbing. Where for me, during my career have experienced both sexual harrassment and subtle racism would probably not been so thin skinned. (shrugs)[/INDENT]


MAN-432 Small Business Management
(4) graded online discussions
(6) written assignments. Assignments:
Assignments: 500-1000 words.

Closed-book, proctored online midterm examination. The exam consists of multiple choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions, and covers all the material from modules 1, 2, and 3[INDENT]Review:Test 40% T/F, about 20% M/c, and 40% (ie 4) essays. On the midterm, you get CHOICES for essay topics (whoever wrote that test, thank you from the bottom of my wee little heart). exam had essay questions from the WAs. Read the end-of-chapter recaps that summarize the key concepts, the key terms in the margins, and each WA topic
[/INDENT]

Final Project: Case Analysis. You are required to submit the final project in this course to Turnitin.com.

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The courses are structured very different so I think it's truly a matter of interest. I enjoyed Small Business Management and from its description would have found Foundations of Leadership boring. But, everyone is different! Organizational theory, for me, was like watching paint dry; I found the textbooks quite boring. That course (required), which I quickly dropped, made me change my specialization from HR/OM to GMS. But then I will never work in HR, I am Clinical/Medical Operations.

Small Business Management has received quite a few positive reviews. Recommend Robert Chase if he's still available. I was actually registered for this course but then decided to take it at my local CC to take advantage of the shortened 8wk summer semester. Both had about the same amount of work, actually the CC course had more. FYI, final projects are usually 10 pages.

You might want to check TESCs discussion forum for feedback on courses. I've noticed there are not many here who take the courses, at least not over the past year or so. I was basically absent from this forum in 2013 but most who come here lately are either part/full time students looking to take a few exams or those trying to test out of the majority of the degrees. I happen to be someone who believes in the middle of the road, or at min 70/30.

You have to get creative with rateyourprofessor. Do a search on the professor only, or look up the course. Some will mention the instructor in the review. I also just google the mentors names for bio/feedback, even if from other schools. Another trick is the courses that have a higher registraton tend to have a better reputaton than those sitting with 0 registered. Also just a general FYI - always, always, always research GS mentors. I had a really bad experience with one and unfortunately in GS courses you are at the mercy of the mentor.

[AlmostGraduated]

Thanks for your input. I decided to go with Foundations of Leadership since the thought of another timed online proctored exam scared me off. The written assignments are probably just as much work as studying for a test, but somehow it feels different. Also, though, Leadership did sound more interesting and I thought I could probably apply it to my career more than Small Business Management. I'll just have to see how it goes!

Thanks again!