Can you help me plan my degree path?

[High_Order1]

Small update for accountability.

I am now slogging through completing portfolios. I feel lost, but I've hammered out my own plan, and that's what I am submitting. I took PLA via Kaplan, and took the thousand dollar PLA-200 through TESU.

I still don't really understand what I'm doing or what they truly want.

I have so much in the way of training and experience, and it is taking a long time for me to capture that data and format it in a shape I think they will approve.

I will say, what they do is have you build a google website. Then, you send off a paper telling them what courses you want to portfolio. Then, they send you a list of approved courses, with learning objectives.

Then, they make changes to your portfolio site. They make a page for each class. Each class has an entry for evidence, resume / cv, narrative, and originality report.

Then, you make the sausage. You upload your narrative to turnitin. You get your report telling if you plagiarized it or not, then upload it to your website.

You upload the evidence supporting your claim, your resume tuned for each course, and your narrative.

lol dunno what happens next, I am still filling in all those blocks for about 12 credits worth of classes, will update when I get to that milestone.


Otherwise, I have a bunch of electives I have to solve. I'm going to take american government and probably a religion course from straighterline to fulfil those slots.

Soon as I can knock that out, I will be done minus the capstone!

[High_Order1]

Accountability:

So, now people in the forum are telling me that a Liberal Studies degree is worthless. lol I only went down that path because people on here convinced me it was the right thing to do.

At any rate, here is where I stand:

I started this journey 3/3/16 after a brief abortive attempt in the early 90's and with some credit from a vocational school.

I brought with me -

• PST-101 Int Law Enforce
  
• DSM-081    Elem Algebra
  
• DSM-082    Int Algebra
  
• FIS-391 Intro Fire Safety Education
  
• CAP-295 Intro to Security Basics   
  
• PEA-199 Special Topics in Physical Ed 
  
• PEA-199 Special Topics in Physical Ed   
  
• ENT-261 Spill Response & Decontam
  
• AOJ-101 Intro. to Law Enforcement
  
• AOJ-102    Intro to Criminal Justice
  
• AOJ-131 Introduction to Security 
  
• AOJ-140 Basic Criminal Investigation   
  
• AOJ-181 Firearms Instructor Course   
  
• AOJ-199 Special Topcs Admin of Justice
  
• AOJ-212 Criminal Procedures
  
• AOJ-241    Intro to Criminalistics
  
• AOJ-251 Criminal Law I             
  
• AOJ-285 Emerg. Med. First Responder  AOJ-299 Special Topcs Admin of Justice
  
• SOC-173 Social Problems     (62(???) total)
  

I earned via various means the following-

• HRM-331 Human Resources Management    (NFA Fire Service Supervision)
  
• PLA-100 Intro Prior Learning Assessmnt       (Kaplan)
  
• PLA-200 Intro to Portfolio Development       (Kaplan)
  
• REL-101    Intro to Religion                          (Straighterline)
  
• POLS-101  American Government                (Straighterline)
  
• COM-108 Fundamentals of Speech               (Straighterline)
  
• PHI-384 Ethics & Business Professional         (the Institutes)
  
• LIT-105 Introduction to Literature                (Davar)
  
• MAT-115 Intermediate Algebra                      (Aleks)
  
• MAT-???    College Algebra                            (Aleks)
  
• BIO-126 Biology I Lab                                   (Straighterline)
  
• BIO-208 The Science of Nutrition                  (Straighterline)
  
• CIS-107 Computer Concepts and Appl         (Straighterline)
  
• ENC-101 English Composition I                     (Straighterline)
  
• ENC-102 English Composition II                    (I forget, probably Ed4Credit)
  
• ENG-106 Information Literacy                       (Davar) (42 credits(??) total)
  
  

These I paid for at TESU-

• TES-100 Cornerstone: Lifelong Learning
  
• PLA-200 Intro to Portfolio Development (3 credits total)
  

These were earned via TESU Prior Learning Assessments-

• PHO-363 Digital Camera I
  
• ENG-216 Bus. Letter & Rep. Writing I
  
• COM-308 Dynamics of One to One Commun.
  
• COM-438 Communication in Families 
  

I am waiting on these portfolios-

• AOJ-280 Intro to Forensic Science
  
• AOJ-241 Intro to Criminalistics
  
• COM-361 Nonverbal Communication (which will be 21 credits total)
  

SO

I think I lack one upper level liberal studies credit, and like four additional gen ed electives. And, of course, the capstone. (and I'm positive my math is off above. I don't care.)

I am now figuring out what to portfolio next, do that this coming month (October), then the capstone in November, and prayerfully, I'll be eligible in March 2018, exactly two years after I started!

Thanks so very, very much to all that have commented on this board; I have taken knowledge (and solace! we are not alone!) from each and every one of you during my journey.

[High_Order1]

Ok, I can't edit the above post.

Here is where I am at now, 20 December 2017.

I started this journey 3/3/16 after a brief abortive attempt in the early 90's and with some credit from a vocational school.


I brought with me -

• DSM081               Elementary Algebra (didn't count)    
  
• DSM082               Intermediate Algebra   (didn't count)
  
• PST101                Intro to Law Enforcement           
  
• PST111                Criminal Procedures                                                              
  
• PST213                Criminal Investigations                                                               
  
• SOC202                Social Problems                                                         
  
• EHT211                Safety / Emergency Response
  
• CRJT1030             Basic Firearms Education                                         
  
• CRJT1130             Defensive and Tactical Driving                                     
  
• CRJT1310             Community Relations Concepts                                 
  
• CRJT1510             Criminal Law and Procedure                                      
  
• CRJT2930             Basic Law Enforcement & Procedures                                
  
• EMTB1040            First Responder                                                                       
  
• HPER1010            Physical Conditioning    
  
• HPER1720            Weight Training                                                          
  

I earned the following (from guidance on here!)-

• HRM-331 Human Resources Management    (NFA Fire Service Supervision)
  
• PLA-100 Intro Prior Learning Assessmnt       (Kaplan)
  
• PLA-200 Intro to Portfolio Development       (Kaplan)
  
• REL-101    Intro to Religion                          (Straighterline)
  
• POLS-101  American Government                (Straighterline)
  
• COM-108 Fundamentals of Speech               (Straighterline)
  
• BIO-126 Biology I Lab                                   (Straighterline)
  
• BIO-208 The Science of Nutrition                  (Straighterline)
  
• CIS-107 Computer Concepts and Appl         (Straighterline)
  
• ENC-101 English Composition I                     (Straighterline)
  
• PHI-384 Ethics & Business Professional         (the Institutes)
  
• LIT-105 Introduction to Literature                (Ed4Credit)
  
• ENC-102 English Composition II                    (Ed4Credit)
  
• MAT-115 Intermediate Algebra                      (Aleks)
  
• MAT-121    College Algebra                            (Aleks)
  
• ENG-106 Information Literacy                       (Davar)
  
• COM-120 Presentation Skills in the Workplace (Study.com)
  

These I paid for at TESU-

• TES-100 Cornerstone: Lifelong Learning
  
• PLA-200 Intro to Portfolio Development (3 credits total)
  

These were earned via TESU Prior Learning Assessments-

• PHO-363 Digital Camera I                                          3cr
  
• ENG-216 Bus. Letter & Rep. Writing I                        3cr
  
• COM-308 Dynamics of One to One Communications 3cr
  
• COM-438 Communication in Families                         3cr
  
• AOJ-280 Intro to Forensic Science                            3cr
  
• AOJ-241 Intro to Criminalistics                                  3cr
  
• COM-361 Nonverbal Communication                       3cr
  

                                                                                    (21 credits total)

I am waiting on these portfolios-

• AOJ-314 Crisis Intervention
  
• HLS-420 Homeland Security Preparedness and Prevention
  
• ELE-211 DC Circuits
  
• ELC-301 Modern Electronic Communications
  
• COM-226 Video Production I
  
• ART-207  Web Design I
  

(these were turned in November)

And, I'm trudging through Capstone at TESU. All because of this place!

[Life Long Learning]

High_Order1

Does TESU give you a letter grade for all your hard work doing the PLA?

How do they transcribe PLA?

How long was your TESU PLA on HLS-420 Homeland Security Preparedness and Prevention?

[High_Order1]

Nope, all have been CR

Hm... brb

evidence was 22 pages
narrative was 17 pages 12 pt font double spaced
resume was 13 pages of varying fonts (some around 10pt) but little whitespace
so

around 52 pages?

[Life Long Learning]

Nope, all have been CR

Hm... brb

evidence was 22 pages
narrative was 17 pages 12 pt font double spaced
resume was 13 pages of varying fonts (some around 10pt) but little whitespace
so

around 52 pages?

52 pages for 3 SH?       Glad I did not do my PLA thru TESU.

With reading the PLA that you did do I bet your resume is interesting to read!

[High_Order1]

52 pages for 3 SH?       Glad I did not do my PLA thru TESU.

With reading the PLA that you did do I bet your resume is interesting to read!

Well, the problem is that I STILL don't know what they want. Maybe it could knock out with 6 pages; some here have dropped some pretty thin packets on them. Dealing with Mr. Siben kind of made me feel like I should probably throw *all* the noodles against the wall, in order enough sticks. (shrugs) I dunno, I overdo stuff.

My resume is VERY interesting.... to me. Some days. I've had a TON of interesting experiences, and wormed my way into a lot of fascinating side journeys I probably didn't deserve.

Doesn't help I am 47 and have 0 saved for retirement. (never thought I'd live this long). Sincerely wondering what I'll do next.

[davewill]

My two narratives were about 3 single spaced pages each of which about 30% was common between the two (the intro mainly). One was for three courses and the other was for two. My professional resume was three pages, my learning objectives resume was about three pages. Evidence was one patent I was listed on, three letters from former co-workers that attested to the projects I had worked on and the positions I held in them and a transcript for one professional level programming course I had taken. I also included a scan of the box for a major software product I was lead developer for for seven years, but I don't think it helped much.

That was good for 15 credits.

In general, I would say that the thinner your experience, the more you're going to have to write to convince the examiner that you've covered all the learning objectives.

P.S. Start saving, it's not too late to improve your retirement outlook.

[jsd]

I'm glad Siben retired.

[High_Order1]

Well...
Grade is back on my capstone course.

71 page, 17,068 word culminating paper.

Graded in 14 areas, 0-5 rating.

Got 8 5's and 6 4's.

Paper=94%

Course= 98%

Now waiting on the last five classes I took this semester to post (could be end of February).