AAS Capstone?

[sanantone]

Yeah, I'm there with you. I can understand it at the baccalaureate level in order to "culminate" the experience and possibly prepare the student for graduate school. A capstone at the associates level sounds unnecessary to me. I haven't seen too many capstone requirements at community colleges. It would be much cheaper for me to just take the 15 or so credits required for residency at a CC and just test out of the rest of the degree. I wouldn't have to worry about paying a nearly $3,000 enrollment fee and the $663 for the capstone course is almost a whole semester worth of credits at many community colleges. I wonder if TESC decided on this before renewing their accreditation because of requirements or pressure from the Middle State Association or if TESC determined that they were losing too much money from letting students completely test out of their degrees.

[Lioness088]

I just now finished the AAS in Environmental Safety and Security Technologies and there was NO capstone. Also the description on the TESC site for that degree shows there's NO capstone needed and my advisor said NONE was needed for it ;-)
This is the link to that degree requirements
http://http://www.tesc.edu/ast/aas/Safet...logies.cfm

[bldclot2]

Wow! This is the end of completely testing out of any degree at any of the BIG 3, except the TESC BSBA General Mgmt. Maybe the next step for TESC will be a Cornerstone for all their degrees.

[sanantone]

I just now finished the AAS in Environmental Safety and Security Technologies and there was NO capstone. Also the description on the TESC site for that degree shows there's NO capstone needed and my advisor said NONE was needed for it ;-)
This is the link to that degree requirements
http://http://www.tesc.edu/ast/aas/Safet...logies.cfm

We just have to wait and see, but there was a rumor that TESC would be adding capstones to all of its BA programs months before it happened. It might be awhile before TESC updates its website if this new capstone requirement is true.

[Lioness088]

Look at page 103 of the current TESC college catalog for 2012-2013 for the AAS in Env safety and security technologies. It does not show an AAS capstone there either.
http://http://www.tesc.edu/documents/Col...2-2013.pdf

[sanantone]

Since the rumor is going around in TESC, they are probably planning it for the next academic year which would start in July....I think. They would update the catalog then.

[Lioness088]

Now THAT would not surprise me at all. That way they can make a little extra money. I think the AAS capstone on the OP's current eval isn't right tho, but like you say, we shall see and my AAS fell under 2012-2013 but I didn't have to have an AAS capstone thank goodness.

[defscarlett]

Are schools locked in to what's in their catalog?

[bldclot2]

A school can change any requirement whenever they want, but it only applies to future students. If you are a current registered student you will most likely get grandfathered into the old policy.

[defscarlett]

I'm a current enrolled student in the BS Homeland Security degree, but the AAS was just added to my program on Jan 3, 2013. I had originally sent in a ticket with about 3 different topics at the beginning of December 2012 to add the degree, but with the other stuff in there it was overlooked and not completed. At the time I wasn't concerned and sent a new request on Jan 2, 2013 when the school opened back up after the holidays. That seems to be what's causing this issue. Here's the message that I received in reply to my ticket.

That is a new degree requirement as of January 1. Even though you were enrolled with us before that date, you didn't request we add the degree until yesterday (I was actually the one who processed it) so you will have to do the capstone. -Donald

I reopened the ticket and replied back and gave him the old ticket number when I orginally requested it. I'm hoping that this will work, if not I was going to appeal to Dr. Keel. The appeal would be on the basis that 1) I requested the change before Jan 1 2) There is no information anywhere about these changes (no articles on the website, nothing given out to current students in the program, website not updated etc.). 3) The 2012-2013 catalog makes no mention of having to do a capstone. I work for a college and the college always puts out information if they're changing program requirements etc, so of course I expect it out of this school.

Do you think I have a chance?