Excelsior's BSc in IT

[muchomoo]

I'm gung-ho dudes, I want to get my bachelors degree ASAP.

I printed out the Biz & Tech School PDF and figured the BSc in IT w/ General Option was the quickest and required minimal Excelsior tests. Well I looked closer and I think I have no "test out" option for the core 7 required facets:

Computer Architecture -> IT-320 Computer Architecture
Object Oriented Programming -> IT-210 Object Oriented Programming
Database Concepts -> IT-370 Database Management Systems
Data Communications & Networking -> IT-350 Business Data Communications
Operating Systems -> IT-360 Operating Systems
Overview of Computer Security -> IT-380 Overview of Computer Security
Project Management -> IT-390 Project Management

Question 1: Would I be right in assuming these individual core requirements for the degree match up to these Excelsior courses?

Question 2: I have an ASc in Liberal Arts, major in Comp Sci from Excelsior, 11years software developer experience, and a bunch of Microsoft certifications. Has anyone that's also pursuing this degree been successful in substituting a Microsoft/Sun/Oracle/... exam for any or all of these requirements?

Question 3: I was hoping to pile up as many concurrent classes as possible to get this done ASAP. I would like to hear some feedback on the difficulty of these courses from the folks who have completed them?

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Now my plan:

I already have 74(5 are Upper level) credits officially with Excelsior so I am shy 46(10 at UL) credits.

I have 6 credits that I need to transfer from University (Calculus 1 & Linear Algebra) and I'm assuming these will transfer fine.

This now brings me to 40(10 UL) needed.

I am about to enroll in TECH-205, Discrete Structures which is a 15 week course from Sept to Dec. => 37(10 UL)

Now if I can't substitute for any of the core courses I was also going to take the following concurrently with TECH-205:

IT-210, Object-Oriented Programming
IT-370, Database Management Systems
IT-380, Overview of Computer Security
IT-390, Project Management

This leaves => 25(1 UL)

Then in Jan to March the last 3 core's:

IT-320, Computer Architecture
IT-350, Business Data Communications
IT-360, Operating Systems

This leaves => 16(0 UL)

I was going to write Microsoft Exams to fill the last 16 credits as I find time or the will.

Then that's it I am all done.

I would love to hear from you fellow enrollees in this degree program to give me some insight from your experiences.

Thanks a lot folks....I know I will also need to talk to an advisor but to be honest while completing my Associates through Excelsior whenever I asked to have an advisor help me they would blow off my request...I kid you not. I wasn't too concerned since I was "Testing-out" with CLEP & Microsoft exams so I didn't push it. But I'm just saying

[muchomoo]

Correction on my plan I think?

The Game Institute provides 18 credits worth of online course you can take at your own pace. Even better it looks like it fulfills two of the core requirements, "Object Oriented Programming" & "Discrete Math". There is one small caveat and this is you must find a Proctor to administer the final exam.

This is a very easy looking path since it's all online material and then you write a 25 question multiple choice & T/F final exam. This will be an easy 18 credits but even more important is no instructor led 4 month course. As well the cost per credit is as low as $25 from what I roughly figured. Lastly it will give you the Video Game & Simulation concentration for this degree, I would rather not have this but to each his own :nopity:

Game Institute/

I made the mistake of ordering the textbook for TECH-205 Discrete Math this morning in my eagerness to get started. Anyone want it

[muchomoo]

Also one promising post I read. There may be a chance most of the Core Requirement course can be done via ICCP tests.

post I found the following

Excelsior College now awards credit for the Institute for
Certification of Computer Professionals (ICCP) examinations as
well as the older-generation Cisco Certified Network Associate
(CCNA) certification examinations.

ICCP Examinations
ICCP examinations that were taken after May 1, 2005 are now
eligible for credit at Excelsior College. Credit from these
examinations can be used to satisfy many Computer Information
Systems and Information Technology core requirements as well as
satisfy elective requirements in other Technology degree programs.

If you require any of the following, there is an ICCP examination
that meets your needs:
*Data Communications
*Database Concepts
*Project Management
*Systems Analysis and Design
*Computer Security
*High-Level Structured Language
*Object-Oriented Programming
*Computer Language/Programming or Applications
*Upper-Level Electives

No credit will be awarded for examinations that were completed between
December 1, 2001 and April 30, 2005, unless previously approved
by an advisor.

Cisco Certified Network Associate Examinations
Excelsior College now accepts all Cisco examinations with the CCNA
title; previously, only CCNA exams with the Identification Code:
640-801 were accepted.

If you have completed the CCNA exam, please contact your advising
team so that you can receive the appropriate credit.

**Please note that there is a 10-year time limit on Technology credit
for some Technology Degree programs.

For more information, contact a member of the advising
team by:
*Calling our toll free number: 888-647-2388 (dial 1-3-4 at the menu)
*Or e-mailing: techteam@excelsior.edu

[zefrench]

Two threads well worth reading in your case:

http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...ology.html


http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...g-all.html

Enjoy! I am almost done my own BSc in It, 2 courses to go.

[nthydro]

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I'm trying to get my BS IT degree at EC as well. I didn't realize how many actual core classes you have to take! It's either that or the ICCP exams, which seems pretty tough according to most folks. Are there any new options to satisfy the Cores? I know theres a few Penn Foster classes, TECEP courses/exams, and Game Institute courses that will fufill the Core requirements, but is there another source?