I need help figuring out how to finally obtain Bachelors, advice appreciated

[dadof3]

@dadof3, LevelUP pretty much stated what I wanted to point out.  You can try switching to the BSIT degree and see what remaining courses are required.  If you think you can complete those courses versus continuing with the program, do so.  If you can't and must change, then see if you would like the UMPI BABA PM&IS, I wouldn't shoot for a BLS unless it's an absolute last resort.

I’m liking this UMPI BABA PM&IS idea the most so far I think. I’ve started the legwork to see what I’d need to do if I switch majors at WGU. 

1) If I apply to UMPI in the meantime and get a course evaluation would I be able to do some independent credits somewhere cheap/fast when I see what’s missing and still add them into that program?

2) Which major should I be applying to for the PM&IS? I saw a degree plan for it but I don’t see it listed as an option in the YourPace application process?

3) I have added my AAS credits now that I have them. 

Y’all have been so helpful already, I appreciate it very much.

[ss20ts]

I’m liking this UMPI BABA PM&IS idea the most so far I think. I’ve started the legwork to see what I’d need to do if I switch majors at WGU. 

1) If I apply to UMPI in the meantime and get a course evaluation would I be able to do some independent credits somewhere cheap/fast when I see what’s missing and still add them into that program?

2) Which major should I be applying to for the PM&IS? I saw a degree plan for it but I don’t see it listed as an option in the YourPace application process?

3) I have added my AAS credits now that I have them. 

Y’all have been so helpful already, I appreciate it very much.

Is this degree to be used for employment purposes? If yes, you may want to rethink this plan because this degree is not an IT/CIS/CS degree in any way. It is a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a Concentration in Project Management and Management Information Systems. I have completed every course required for this degree and concentration and I can tell you that it will not prepare you for a job in IT or anything to do with cyber security. 

What do you want to be a professor in? Have you looked at professor positions? Have you read about how many colleges are closing and how many are in financial trouble? This may not be a viable opportunity in the future. I don't see anything in your posts about what type of job you want today. I see that you are a freelance writer and eventually want to be a professor. What about now? If you don't want to work in IT/CIS/CS, then why get a degree in it? If you want a career where you can use a history or English degree, why not go for that now? UMPI offers a degree in both.

[dadof3]

ss20ts

I’m liking this UMPI BABA PM&IS idea the most so far I think. I’ve started the legwork to see what I’d need to do if I switch majors at WGU. 

1) If I apply to UMPI in the meantime and get a course evaluation would I be able to do some independent credits somewhere cheap/fast when I see what’s missing and still add them into that program?

2) Which major should I be applying to for the PM&IS? I saw a degree plan for it but I don’t see it listed as an option in the YourPace application process?

3) I have added my AAS credits now that I have them. 

Y’all have been so helpful already, I appreciate it very much.

Is this degree to be used for employment purposes? If yes, you may want to rethink this plan because this degree is not an IT/CIS/CS degree in any way. It is a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a Concentration in Project Management and Management Information Systems. I have completed every course required for this degree and concentration and I can tell you that it will not prepare you for a job in IT or anything to do with cyber security. 

What do you want to be a professor in? Have you looked at professor positions? Have you read about how many colleges are closing and how many are in financial trouble? This may not be a viable opportunity in the future. I don't see anything in your posts about what type of job you want today. I see that you are a freelance writer and eventually want to be a professor. What about now? If you don't want to work in IT/CIS/CS, then why get a degree in it? If you want a career where you can use a history or English degree, why not go for that now? UMPI offers a degree in both.
I intend to continue growing my writing career. The adjunct professor idea is more of a “I might enjoy that” than “that’s my future career I’m working toward”. I just enjoy those areas a lot. 

Finishing out a degree at this point is more to have something to show for the money and time that’s been spent with bonus points for any applicability to my writing career or general employability. I went into IT originally for supposed employability but the options that I could land were pretty lackluster and I’m fairly disillusioned with it at this point although I would be happy to finish out a degree in that area if it made sense.

I’m definitely open to the English or history degrees if they’re viable options for me, I just don’t want to get bogged down with lots of unmet requirements. I’m still very open to suggestions for what might be good options with my completed coursework.

[rachel83az]

The BABA Project Management is the PM&IS degree. It won't show that on the application, but I think it shows in MaineStreet once you're an active student? It certainly shows on your transcripts after graduation.

It is possible to apply as a non-degree student, see where your current credits go, take classes, and switch to a degree program after a session. This would also allow you to talk to Jessica at UMPI about what program would make the most sense for you to complete.

[bjcheung77]

@dadof3, you have an AAS already in an IT field, it's a 'base' of your knowledge you can build up on.  There are so many ways to swing this to your liking, it depends which way you're leaning towards.  A progression into Management, or a continuation into sub specialties of IT... In your shoes, you need to decide a nice mix/match of certs, degree, experience... You decide how to mix that yourself, more certs, different degree, gain experience...

I think just a regular BABA PM&IS would do better for leadership/management roles if you're planning that in the future.  If you just need a check the box degree, get the BLS MIS and add a minor of your choice as this degree will slot up to 60 elective credits.  And if you want to go into other fields of IT, you really don't need a specific degree, you can hit them slightly differently with the extra Cousera/TADA certs.  Examples are below:

Basically, I recommend grouping the certs in a specific order to ladder the knowledge from one to the other, such as this...
Essentially, when you get the certs, you're adding 'some experience' to hit the trifecta I mentioned earlier: certs, degree, experience.

1. Cybersecurity/IT related - Start with Coursera/TADA, IT Support Pro Cert, ladder that up to IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Pro Cert.
- You can do some freebies such as the TEEX Cybersecurity courses along with this or as prep for this track.

2. Coding/Development - Start with Coursera/TADA, UX Design Cert, ladder that up to IBM Full Stack Software Developer Pro Cert.
- You can take the Meta Front-End and Back-End developer certs (I think these are also free from TADA) for the Coding part.

3. Project Management - Start with Coursera/TADA, META Social Media Marketing, ladder up to Google Project Management Pro.
- Take Sophia.org Project Management and their other business/communication counterpart courses to get an idea of Business/Management.

4. Data Analytics - Again, Start with Coursera/TADA, Google Data Analytics and ladder up to all the IBM Data options combined...
Consider again taking as many cheapie/freebie options along with the Google offering, plus the various IBM Data Analytics/Science options.

You can take one or more routes, decide what your passion lies, then you can see if taking a degree (not another Bachelors, but a Masters) would do.
There are several Masters of Applied Computer Science or Data Science, etc offerings that do not require a prior Bachelors for entry all around 10-15K.

Coursera/TADA offerings Wiki: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Coursera
TEEX & other Free Sources of Credit: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Fr..._of_Credit

[dadof3]

The BABA Project Management is the PM&IS degree. It won't show that on the application, but I think it shows in MaineStreet once you're an active student? It certainly shows on your transcripts after graduation.

It is possible to apply as a non-degree student, see where your current credits go, take classes, and switch to a degree program after a session. This would also allow you to talk to Jessica at UMPI about what program would make the most sense for you to complete.

Ok, thank you, that’s very helpful information.

---

@dadof3, you have an AAS already in an IT field, it's a 'base' of your knowledge you can build up on.  There are so many ways to swing this to your liking, it depends which way you're leaning towards.  A progression into Management, or a continuation into sub specialties of IT... In your shoes, you need to decide a nice mix/match of certs, degree, experience... You decide how to mix that yourself, more certs, different degree, gain experience...

I think just a regular BABA PM&IS would do better for leadership/management roles if you're planning that in the future.  If you just need a check the box degree, get the BLS MIS and add a minor of your choice as this degree will slot up to 60 elective credits.  And if you want to go into other fields of IT, you really don't need a specific degree, you can hit them slightly differently with the extra Cousera/TADA certs.  Examples are below:

Basically, I recommend grouping the certs in a specific order to ladder the knowledge from one to the other, such as this...
Essentially, when you get the certs, you're adding 'some experience' to hit the trifecta I mentioned earlier: certs, degree, experience.

1. Cybersecurity/IT related - Start with Coursera/TADA, IT Support Pro Cert, ladder that up to IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Pro Cert.
- You can do some freebies such as the TEEX Cybersecurity courses along with this or as prep for this track.

2. Coding/Development - Start with Coursera/TADA, UX Design Cert, ladder that up to IBM Full Stack Software Developer Pro Cert.
- You can take the Meta Front-End and Back-End developer certs (I think these are also free from TADA) for the Coding part.

3. Project Management - Start with Coursera/TADA, META Social Media Marketing, ladder up to Google Project Management Pro.
- Take Sophia.org Project Management and their other business/communication counterpart courses to get an idea of Business/Management.

4. Data Analytics - Again, Start with Coursera/TADA, Google Data Analytics and ladder up to all the IBM Data options combined...
Consider again taking as many cheapie/freebie options along with the Google offering, plus the various IBM Data Analytics/Science options.

You can take one or more routes, decide what your passion lies, then you can see if taking a degree (not another Bachelors, but a Masters) would do.
There are several Masters of Applied Computer Science or Data Science, etc offerings that do not require a prior Bachelors for entry all around 10-15K.

Coursera/TADA offerings Wiki: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Coursera
TEEX & other Free Sources of Credit: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Fr..._of_Credit

Thank you this is really helpful. I’m pretty sure I won’t be continuing in IT but I do want to have a bachelors of some sort just done so that I could theoretically move into a masters in the future if wanted/needed.

---

The BABA Project Management is the PM&IS degree. It won't show that on the application, but I think it shows in MaineStreet once you're an active student? It certainly shows on your transcripts after graduation.

It is possible to apply as a non-degree student, see where your current credits go, take classes, and switch to a degree program after a session. This would also allow you to talk to Jessica at UMPI about what program would make the most sense for you to complete.

Sorry one more question on this option—I’m not seeing an area to apply as non-degree in the YourPace app, would that application option be through the regular site or am I missing something?

[rachel83az]

This page has information on contacting them about a non-degree option: https://expect.umpi.edu/yourpace/

[dadof3]

This page has information on contacting them about a non-degree option: https://expect.umpi.edu/yourpace/

Thank you!

[rachel83az]

I don't see them in your list of credits, but I may have missed them... at the very least, you're going to want the following for a UMPI degree:

• Spanish I at Sophia OR an ACTFL exam if you have fluency in another language.
  
• Biological science (Human Biology at Sophia recommended)
  
• Physical science (Environmental Science OR Intro to Chemistry at Sophia)
  
• Science lab (Either Human Biology lab OR Intro to Chemistry lab at Sophia; take what corresponds to the Sophia classes you complete)
  

The UMPI versions of these classes are, at best, tedious. At worst, they're almost impossible to pass. Don't be fooled by "only" needing a single YourPace science class to replace the science classes above. The YourPace version can take an entire session by itself. 

If you already have foreign language and/or science credits, you don't need the Sophia versions.

[dadof3]

I don't see them in your list of credits, but I may have missed them... at the very least, you're going to want the following for a UMPI degree:

• Spanish I at Sophia OR an ACTFL exam if you have fluency in another language.
  
• Biological science (Human Biology at Sophia recommended)
  
• Physical science (Environmental Science OR Intro to Chemistry at Sophia)
  
• Science lab (Either Human Biology lab OR Intro to Chemistry lab at Sophia; take what corresponds to the Sophia classes you complete)
  

The UMPI versions of these classes are, at best, tedious. At worst, they're almost impossible to pass. Don't be fooled by "only" needing a single YourPace science class to replace the science classes above. The YourPace version can take an entire session by itself. 

If you already have foreign language and/or science credits, you don't need the Sophia versions.

Super helpful, thank you again for the time you've been taking to help me understand my options.

I was just going through the gen ed reqs for UMPI-
1) Would MGT 270 Managerial Communications possibly work for Part 1 Obj C?
2) Would ECO 210 Macroeconomics possibly work for Part 2 Obj A?
3) Do you see anything that might apply from my previous work to Part 2 Obj D? If not any suggestions of what I could use to fulfill it?
4) Would IDS 109 First Year Experience possibly work for Part 4 Obj A?
5) Would HIS 101 Western Civ or HIS 201 American History possibly work for Part 5 Obj B?
6) Do you see anything that might apply from my previous work for Part 5 Obj E? If not any suggestions of what I could use to fulfill it?