Excelsior's Research and Writing in the Majors courses are one credit upper-level. If you enrolled at Excelsior after Sept 1, 2007, then you need to satisfy that requirement anyway, and this would be a good choice. Otherwise, you're probably going to find it easier to earn three upper-level credits (several DSSTs and ECEs qualify) than to earn one. I would think that this one-credit course, which is basically writing a research paper, is more work and definitely more money than one of the three-credit exams. I sympathize, because I understand that taking a three-credit exam would obviate your Dale Carnegie credits, and that would annoy me if I were in your position.

I don't know whether any of the FEMA courses (credited through one of the qualifying community colleges) gives upper-level credit, but I'm pretty sure they are all one credit each.

-Gary-