I have applied to both EC and TESC and I am waiting right now for the evaluation.

Wishing not to waste time, like many others I did my own evaluation following college catalogs and trying to be very conservative. My goal is to earn a degree ASAP. I know that BA in Liberal Studies from TESC would be the fastest way to earn a degree, but I would like it to be in any way somehow related to Computer Info systems. I need it so I can last on the IT market for some time (my ultimate goal is to get Master in education and leave IT once and for all).

I am trying to narrow down a degree where I can use at the full extent 30 upper level (300s and 400s) credits from my computer classes and around 50 credits I earned 15 years ago from my Community College, any degree with one condition: no math higher than College Algebra.

After spending weeks on my spreadsheets, I figured out that the best for me will be a BS in Liberal Arts with Area of Focus: Computer Information Science from Excelsior. (Darn, I wish it would be possible to go with TESC, but alas!).

If anyone taking this road would you guys share your degree plan?
The requirement is to have 21 upper level credits in Arts & Science. Do the credits from computer classes considered as Science or Applied Professional?

Any advice, especially from those who have Area of Focus, is much appreciated.

__________________
Working on EC BSL
Area of Focus: Computer Information Science
Initial Transfer:
59 community college credits
30 Regis University credits (CIS 300 & 400 level courses)
MCDBA, MCSD

Exams taken - Score:
DSST: Intro to Computers - 69
DSST: Rise & Fall of the Soviet Union – 77
DSST: Western Europe Since 1945 - 59
PF: Information Literacy - Pass
PF: English Composition - Pass
EC: World Population - A
EC: World Conflicts since 1900 - B
ACTLF: 6 UL + 6 LL

Great question. I am also researching this exact degree as I have over 80 credits from the Navy and also have my MCSE.

A BA Natural Sciences/Mathematics from TESC can include 18 Computer Science credits. Its a great fit for a lot of people. Thomas Edison State College | BA in Natural Sciences/Mathematics Credit Distribution

__________________
Excelsior - BS Business


CLEP's: Macroeconomics 58, Microeconomics 51, Principles of Accounting 59, Intro to Marketing 71, Intro to Mgmt 70 Business Law 55, Humanities 61, Analyzing & Interpreting Literature 68, Social Sciences & History 62
DANTES: MIS 65, Intro to Business 68, Money & Banking 48 , Intro to Computing 61, Statistics 61, Ethics in America 67
ECE: Org. Behavior C, Ethics C
PENN F: Technical Math I C, Fin Mgmt. B, Info Lit A
TECEP: Ops Mgmt, Bus Policy

Geezer,
thanks for advice.
I did and still do consider BA in Natural Science/Math from TESC.
If I apply my 18 CIS credits to the "Computer Science" subject, then remaining 15 cr can come from:
DSST Environment & Humanity (3) UL;
DSST Astronomy (3) LL;
TECEP Anatomy and Physiology (6) UL $480;
TECEP The Science of Nutrition (3) UL $240;

My total degree cost from TESC will be $4,180. Considering the fact that I plan to work in IT industry (I'm a SQL Server database administrator) for at least few more years, I'm not quite sure a degree in Natural Science might help me to hold on until I get a Master degree. On the other hand, plenty of jobs require just a degree (+ experience, of course). So it might work after all.

EC BS in Liberal Arts with Area on Focus: Computer informatin System will cost me around $2,855, with no ECE or TECEP exams, just couple of CLEPs and an Information Literacy class, which I can take from Penn Foster.

I guess the difference in cost may change either way, so I just have to wait for the evaluation.

__________________
Working on EC BSL
Area of Focus: Computer Information Science
Initial Transfer:
59 community college credits
30 Regis University credits (CIS 300 & 400 level courses)
MCDBA, MCSD

Exams taken - Score:
DSST: Intro to Computers - 69
DSST: Rise & Fall of the Soviet Union – 77
DSST: Western Europe Since 1945 - 59
PF: Information Literacy - Pass
PF: English Composition - Pass
EC: World Population - A
EC: World Conflicts since 1900 - B
ACTLF: 6 UL + 6 LL

Nato76,
TESC, as far as I know, gives you 10 credits for MCSE in case they don't duplicate your other 80 credits. See related thread here

__________________
Working on EC BSL
Area of Focus: Computer Information Science
Initial Transfer:
59 community college credits
30 Regis University credits (CIS 300 & 400 level courses)
MCDBA, MCSD

Exams taken - Score:
DSST: Intro to Computers - 69
DSST: Rise & Fall of the Soviet Union – 77
DSST: Western Europe Since 1945 - 59
PF: Information Literacy - Pass
PF: English Composition - Pass
EC: World Population - A
EC: World Conflicts since 1900 - B
ACTLF: 6 UL + 6 LL

nubius - do me a favor and ask this question of TESC or maybe someone else can pipe in. Since College Mathematics is a 6 credit CLEP that equates to 2 specific 100 level TESC Nat Science/Math courses, can it be used as one of the 2 100 level exemptions allowed under the 33 credit TESC major. If so, that would knock off $400 right there. DSST Statistics could replace Nutrition saving you another $160.

Your Excelsior degree plan looks interesting, I'm looking forward to hearing about it. Am I correct in assuming that the credit in the major just need to meet the UL requirement? My son is in a similar boat.

__________________
Excelsior - BS Business


CLEP's: Macroeconomics 58, Microeconomics 51, Principles of Accounting 59, Intro to Marketing 71, Intro to Mgmt 70 Business Law 55, Humanities 61, Analyzing & Interpreting Literature 68, Social Sciences & History 62
DANTES: MIS 65, Intro to Business 68, Money & Banking 48 , Intro to Computing 61, Statistics 61, Ethics in America 67
ECE: Org. Behavior C, Ethics C
PENN F: Technical Math I C, Fin Mgmt. B, Info Lit A
TECEP: Ops Mgmt, Bus Policy

You got it right, Geezer! Thanks for the idea.
I didn't think about Statistics, but on the second thought, it's not that(!) scare - I can handle it.
In that case the lineup will look like:
DSST Environment & Humanity (3) UL;
DSST Astronomy (3) LL;
CLEP College Mathematics (6);
DSST Principles of Statistics (3);

Total TESC cost comes down to $3,650! Now I can really start thinking about which one to choose, unless evaluations come up totally different.

EC does not offer a BA with CIS Major, only an Area of Focus. There is a requirement to have 2 depths. An Area of Focus can satisfy one depth requirement (21 cr total of which 6 must be upper). Another depth should come from Arts & Science area (12 cr minimum total with 3 cr of Upper Level).
But total UL credit should be = 30. Kind of tricky to toss around thouse courses to figure out. Add to this "at least 60 credits must be earned in the arts and sciences with at least 21 of those 60 cr earned at the upper level. The remaining 60 credits, of which at least 9 must be UL..."

I have created two versions of my degree plan: one with 21 CIS UL credits as Applied Professional and the second with 21 UL cr from arts and sciences PLUS 21 CIS credits. The difference is $470.

I will post an update as soon as I get a word from the EC advisors.

__________________
Working on EC BSL
Area of Focus: Computer Information Science
Initial Transfer:
59 community college credits
30 Regis University credits (CIS 300 & 400 level courses)
MCDBA, MCSD

Exams taken - Score:
DSST: Intro to Computers - 69
DSST: Rise & Fall of the Soviet Union – 77
DSST: Western Europe Since 1945 - 59
PF: Information Literacy - Pass
PF: English Composition - Pass
EC: World Population - A
EC: World Conflicts since 1900 - B
ACTLF: 6 UL + 6 LL