General UMPI Questions

[ss20ts]

I've always had my sights on a History degree from TESU, and at the moment that is still the plan, although UMPI is starting to make a bit more sense in light of the 30 RA credit requirement (24 + 6 from TESU).

There are some general questions I'd like to ask:

1. Can you choose your order of classes or do you have no say in that?   The reason I ask is that I have read that the English courses are easier and less work at UMPI than Sophia, and also that many courses have essays.   So I'd want to have my English courses first just to be sure I'm totally up to speed in that area, which I think makes perfect sense but not sure how the advisor may feel.  Is this something you can work with your advisor to make happen?
   
2. I have no real desire to take a science lab, and at this time I have Biology from Sophia, which I think I read doesn't come in to meet the requirements of UMPI.    If you take Biology at UMPI, does that just make the Sophia course a waste of time or does it transfer in as something else?   Is there any better option for a lab credit with only the Sophia course and Straighterline's Environmental Science?  
   
3. Foreign language is not something I really want to do, at least not on a timeline at $1400 per term.   I'd choose Spanish over any other option.   I can essentially count to 10 in Spanish and say "I want some Taco Bell".      How difficult is the Spanish at UMPI if you are starting with nearly no knowledge, and are there better options where I can take my time and still bring in the credit?
   
4. Do you have to complete a course within a term?   For example if you are in the middle of a course and the term ends, do you just keep going into the next term with it?   Or if you don't finish by the end of the term do you fail?
   
5. Can you take terms off if something comes up and then resume your progress toward the degree later, or once you are enrolled do you have to keep paying every term until completion even if something comes up and you cannot focus on schooling for a while? 
   

I think these are all my questions at the moment and I appreciate all the info that has already been posted here.

UMPI has specific degree programs. Your academic advisor selects your courses for you in the order the university wants you to take them. Every course is not offered every term, but they know when they'll be offered so it makes sense that they select your courses. 

I took English Comp II on Sophia and absolutely HATED it. The grading was AWFUL. It's a lot of writing. If someone wants to go to UMPI, I HIGHLY recommend taking their English courses. Far LESS work. I took English Comp II there and saved weeks of my life and only had 1 writing assignment. 

The only science class from Sophia that transfers is Environmental Science. I do recommend that because it will fill one of the GEC (UMPI's gen ed reqs). Human Biology does not. Other than that, I don't recommend taking science elsewhere unless you already have. The UMPI science courses will be less work and the lab will be easier. 

UMPI offers French and Spanish. A foreign language is required for all students at UMPI. The courses are not difficult. I just finished Spanish I this week. You can take Spanish I at InstantCert and transfer that in. There is no escaping the language requirement. 

All courses MUST be completed during the term. If you don't complete the course, you will receive an F and have to repeat the course. You're only allowed to have 2 open courses at a time. I fought for a third because I was waiting for a Final Assessment to be reviewed. That wasn't my first term either and I had a 4.0 so they knew I could handle it. I've completed at least 4 courses each term.

Yes, you can skip a term. You need to speak to your academic advisor about it though. They like to keep tabs on their students. You're not all off on your own like you are at the Big 3. Every course has a professor from the campus who you can reach out to for help. It's not like WGU who has CI's which aren't professors.

Feel free to pm me with any questions you have about UMPI. I'm happy to help. 

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Someone transferred in Instacert's Spanish to UMPI. If you wanted to get started on that before enrolling at UMPI, it'd be $20/mo. + the $15 (IIRC) test fee. After you enroll, you'd need to have permission to bring in the Spanish from outside.

Thanks for that info.   I assume that is only Spanish I?   I do feel that is an area I'd struggle and want to avoid it turning into a very costly situation.  

I see Straighterline has both I & II and I wonder if that would work?     I guess I could always do some kind of online training for free before taking an actual course.

I would not spend the money or time on the StraighterLine Spanish courses. Everything you need for the class is given to you in the course content. This is how all courses are at UMPI. The professor gives you a ton of websites to learn from. You will spend far more time on StraighterLine courses. You will have far more assignments as well.