TESU degree plan

[halloweenbday]

I am a long time lurker... 2014 is when I joined. I have an Associate's of Applied Science in Process Technology from Louisiana Technical College Sowela Campus. I have been a chemical plant operator for 18 plus years. I also attended Grambling State University, so I have credits from there also. I would like a degree from TESU with a BS in Technical Studies with possibly an emphasis on Environmental or any bachelors, honestly. I have much knowledge & experience in plant startups, procedures, safety & environmental. I can PLA CLEP DSST fairly easy. I would like to get this degree sooner than later. Not having a bachelor's degree has been to my disadvantage, despite experience when I have applied to other positions. I have completed my registration with TESU and requested my college transcripts. Just waiting on the holidays to end and everything opens up. I see the classes have changed since 2014. I'm kicking myself in the butt for not sticking to it back then, but I am here to do it and complete my degree. (divorce, child loss, house fire, 2 hurricanes, flooded house didn't stop me, this can't) Here are my courses that I already have. I am greatly appreciative if someone can help with a quick degree plan. 

From Grambling State University: 
General Psych 200 (3), Elementary French 101 (3), Marching Band Musc.151 (1) 2 semesters worth, Art 210 Intro to Fine/performing arts(3), health ed instrumentation00 1st aid(1), Hum 106 lyceum credit (1), Hum 105 lyceum credit (1), Bss 101 freshman Seminar (2), cs107 Computer and society (3), Hist 103 Recent American History (3), eng102 freshman composition (3).

From LTC Sowela Community College: 
Cptr0170 Web page publishing (3), Engl.0235 Technical Report writing (3), math 110 college algebra (3), english01035 english composition (3), trigonometry math0120 (3), general chemistry chem0101 (3), computer literacy isys0110 (3), speech spch0101 (3), intro physics Phys0135B (3), physics lab (1), fluid mechanics Ptec0263 (3), plant safety Ptec 2030 (3), intro to process technology ptec0101 (3), process instrumentation ptec0132 (3), process Instrumentation2 ptec 0132(3), process equipment ptec0101 (3), stat quality control ptec0207 (3), process troubleshooting ptec0207 (3), unit operations & lab (3) (1), capstone project & lab (3) (1), intern/ independent study (3).

[rachel83az]

Which of those, if any, are upper-level credits? It looks like they're all LL credits? If you don't have any UL credits yet, I think it's not possible to get a degree in Technical Studies. The degrees that are possible are here: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...ts_Roadmap

[halloweenbday]

Yes. All Lower level. Technical Studies is what I was thinking too


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[dfrecore]

So, because you don't have any UL credit, I'm going to suggest that you skip TESU entirely; and go with either UMPI's BLS, or EU's BSL.

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Excelsior BLS
You don't lose a single credit that you've already earned.

Take the following:
UL Ethics course
UL Social Science/History course
4 add'l UL courses in the Arts & Sciences (Humanities and/or Social Sciences are your best bets)
2 UL free electives (so business, A&S, whatever)
1cr of LL free electives

Super inexpensive & easy to complete these courses, apply, enroll in Info Lit & Cornerstone for your first 8-week term, and the Capstone in your 2nd 8-week term. $4000 give or take
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UMPI BLS w/Minor in Management & Leadership
You don't lose a single credit that you've already earned.

Take the following at Sophia
Human Biology
Intro to Soc or Religion
Ethics

Finish in 1 month for $99; Apply to UMPI, enroll, finish GEC courses there (Am Govt), and then do minor, and electives needed. Finish in 1 8-week term for $1,400, or 2 8-week terms for $2,800.

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I personally would do UMPI because it's your best option: 1) cheapest to finish courses before enrolling (1 month at Sophia); 2) cheapest to finish there (even if you took 3 terms it would still end up cheaper than EU); 3) fastest to finish (you'd be done by the end of May if you finished in 2 terms); 4) ability to get a minor (or more than 1) that are business-related without getting a business degree (and at EU, you don't get a minor).

[rachel83az]

Do you need a Bachelor of Science? Some careers do. If you need a BS, UMPI's Bachelor of Liberal Studies is a terrible idea. I'm honestly not too fond of Excelsior's Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies either. It just doesn't sound "good", depending on what you need the degree for. TESU's BS Professional Studies or BS Organizational Leadership will both look better on a resume, IMO, even though they might cost a bit more. Organizational Leadership would almost certainly be better on a resume than Professional Studies, I think.

[dfrecore]

Do you need a Bachelor of Science? Some careers do. If you need a BS, UMPI's Bachelor of Liberal Studies is a terrible idea. I'm honestly not too fond of Excelsior's Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies either. It just doesn't sound "good", depending on what you need the degree for. TESU's BS Professional Studies or BS Organizational Leadership will both look better on a resume, IMO, even though they might cost a bit more. Organizational Leadership would almost certainly be better on a resume than Professional Studies, I think.

OP said any bachelor's so I'm assuming the BLS degrees will work just fine.  Neither is a "terrible idea."

I think a BSOL or a BSPS is just as "terrible" as a BLS - there's nothing much there.  The BSPS in Org Leadership is ok, and you can do it via alt-credit; but the BSOL can't be - there aren't enough "advanced management" courses out there to do this degree that I'm aware of.  But neither is a "great" alternative to a straight business degree or a liberal studies degree.  The only reason these might be good options is if someone had a bunch of credits in there they could use already, but they have zero credits in the major, so would need to do that completely.  Lots more work to do for either of these degrees for this particular student.

OP will also lose a lot of credits if they opt to do either of these degrees, because there's not as many free electives allowed, and OP has more than 40cr of Free Electives (so will lose something like 20+ credits going this route).

I'm not saying that the EU or UMPI BLS degrees are amazing or anything, but if someone just really needs a bachelor's degree, TESU's BSOL or BSPS isn't any better than those.

[halloweenbday]

Thank you all for your suggestions! I will look at all the options that you have given to me! I have 18 plus years of experience in my industry, I just feel that having a bachelors degree would give me an upper hand for future promotions.


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[halloweenbday]

Well, I had both of my academic evaluations from GSU & Sowela. They took my credits from GSU, but not Sowela, even though I have an Associates degree in Process Technology, stating that Sowela wasn’t accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission n colleges when I went in 2001-2002, therefore the credit that I completed there cannot be accepted in direct transfer. She suggested that I go the credit for knowledge route, because I have been in my career for over 18 years. I will be contacting my former college today, because Wikipedia states they were accredited in 1971. I also applied to Columbia Southern and I will see what they accept. Thank you all for your help.


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[allvia]

You won't want to go the 'credit for knowledge route' (PLA). You're going to be much better off earning credits through the alternative methods we discuss here; with providers such as Sophia, Study.com, etc.  Based on your work experience listed in your original post, you are in need of 'checking the box' for a bachelor than having one in any specific AOS, so a TESU BALS should work (with or without a concentration). However since TESU wouldn't accept your AAS credits you may want to consider UMPI (they too may not take your AAS credits, but send them the transcripts either way - as each school makes their own decision). Even if UMPI doesn't take the AAS credits you can get what LL you're missing through Sophia quickly and cheap.  I would suggest for you the 'BLS in Project Management' at UMPI.  You could just go with the BLS in Management as well, but I suspect PM with give you more mileage in the long run based on the work experience you mentioned - either gives you what you need most, the ability to 'check that box' (at the quickest and lowest cost).

[rachel83az]

I agree: if you choose TESU, do NOT do the PLA route. It'll be significantly more expensive and time-consuming than just redoing the credits through Sophia and/or Study.com. When you have experience, you can definitely go through a Sophia course more quickly than you can PLA credits. Study.com takes a little longer, but should also still be cheaper & easier than PLA.

UMPI YourPace courses are usually passed with a single paper or project that is going to be faster/easier to complete than their PLA options, too. You have French from GSU, so you have the foreign language requirement met. I strongly suggest that you should take Environmental Science (no lab) and Human Biology w/ lab from Sophia for UMPI. You do have some science from Sowelia, but if they decide to be like TESU and not accept it then that lab science won't count. You don't have a biological science anyway, which you need for UMPI. And Environmental Science is pretty fast/easy to complete as a "just in case" option if they don't accept your Sowelia credits.