BA History (Experienced student)

[Duneranger]

Hi all,

STEM background with BS/MS/doctorate and almost a complete MA in Classics/Ancient history. I want a BA in history to round things out.

Couple questions:

1. I am considering other online history programs like SNHU, IU, OSU,  ASU, LSU ect. Is there anything that stands out about UMPI? I get its competency-based, but I don't want to just blow through it to get a degree. I want to learn. I have my career, this is just for personal growth.

2. I reviewed the gen eds and it seems like I am just missing a couple including a language. I have read on here that Sophis is ideal. Is that still the case? I also need a hands-on art class haha. I avoided that one years ago with Art history. Is UMPI better for this?

3. I am assuming all of my credits will transfer. Given that, I have 30 credits I need to take. I prefer HIST over Poly sci. Any classes that people enjoyed? Or is the selection pretty meager? I saw the list and it doesn't seem to change? I am an ancient history guy and I saw there weren't a ton of different offerings.

4. Anything else for me???

Thanks

1. I don't know if there's anything special about it other than its speed and the fact that there are quite a few dual PLS/HST classes, which gives it a bit more range than some history degrees have. It's basically a fairly customizable degree that provides a good foundation if your specializations have left gaps in general knowledge, which is probably what any BA in history will be. I do like both professors in the department quite a bit, however.

2. Gen eds should be forgiven if you have a bachelor's degree from somewhere else. The language classes will not be, however, as they're required of the history degree itself. I did my Spanish II on Study.com and it took me about a month (I already had Spanish I). Others can tell you whether Sophia is good, I don't know, but I've only heard horror stories about UMPI's foreign language classes.

3. You may have to take World Civ I and II. I had already taken Western Civ I and II and they didn't count toward those requirements. You'll also have to take U.S. History I and II if you haven't already. You will have to take two lower level political science classes if you haven't already. Assuming you do the foreign language classes elsewhere, that'll leave you with 6 upper level history classes to take, one of which needs to be pre-modern. I took Medieval Europe for that, which was long, but which I also enjoyed. I also really enjoyed U.S. Environmental History, Arab-Israeli Conflict, and International Relations and Modern Conflict (though that last one is long). I ended up doing 6 credits of independent study, writing a local history about Maine, so I didn't take as many standard classes as I might have, and also transferred in a couple upper level history courses.

Yeah I figure that if I have to take 30 credits at UMPI they might as well all be in history/poli sci. Working on Spanish 1 now. Its unfortunate it has to be French or Spanish as I speak German rather well.

I am glad you got something out of Medieval Europe. I will definitely take that. I could use Sophia for US History but I might as well just take them at UMPI.

Did you enjoy the Western Civ classes?