BS/BA CompSci/WebDev/Graphic Design

[MissRN]

Location: Florida, USA
Age: 32
What Kind of Degree I Want: Computer Science/Web Development with minor in Graphic Design (graphic design/coding was my original first love since 12 years old and was talked out of it by family members as they didn’t think this field was stable. Was so stuck on obtaining a health science degree that’s why I have more credits towards that degree and why it's my username LOL). Became more realistic with my commitments as far as time and completing an RN/Dental Hygienist program does not fit so that is why a change in the degree of focus. Plus I am a bit over the physically demanding jobs (worked at a long term care pharmacy (3 years) and hospital pharmacy (6 years)).
  
Current Regional Accredited Credits: (Overall GPA: 2.73)
Illinois Central College Total Credits: 11
- English I (3) - C
- Medical Terminology (2) - B
- Intro to Literature (3) - C
- College Algebra (3) - D (current state college replaced it with my Sophia one)
- Typography (3) - D

New Mexico Junior College Total Credits: 27
- English II (3) - C
- A&P I w/lab (4) - C
- A&P II w/lab (4) - B
- Microbiology w/lab (4) - B
- Chemistry I w/lab (4) - B
- Spanish I (4) - B
- Spanish II (4) - A

Polk State College Total Credits: 9
(pending RA Credits to get my AA in FL due to FL graduation requirements and this was the only local state college that accepted a wide range of alternative credits)
- U.S. History II (Political Literacy)
- Health & Wellness (Polk State requirement)
- Mythology (2nd Humanities as the other courses from Sophia did not fulfill this) 

Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits:
Sophia Credits: 27 (taken during the initial COVID free access. I was late to the party so I wasn’t able to fully utilize it to my full advantage)
- Ancient Greek Philosophers (84%) - B
- Art History I (81%) - B
- College Algebra (87%) - B
- Intro to Ethics (74%) - C
- Intro to Psychology (91%) - A
- Intro to Sociology (85%) - B
- Intro to Statistics (81%) - B
- U.S. History I (77%) - C
- Visual Communications (82%) - B

Budget: $0 - LOL; I have utilized my financial aid, CARES funding, and local school foundation scholarships and have those refunds saved. I’m hoping to NOT have to touch those funds to pay for more alternative credits towards a BA/BS but will be willing to do so to obtain my degree if my job doesn't come through with the tuition assistance to cover the Sophia/SDC memberships that I am hoping for.
Commitments: Full time employee (WFH, typical 8-5 schedule), kids, and household chores (this is mentally draining for me and it feels like a commitment LOL)
Dedicated Time to Study: I primarily focus on my studies LATE nights/EARLY mornings or full on whole weekends.
Tuition Assistance/Reimbursement: $5k per calendar year. My employer has transitioned to GUILD Education to process our tuition assistance. They will actually pay for the courses in advance instead of reimbursing ONLY if the program selected is an already approved program. I am currently gathering information as to them covering the Sophia/SDC membership as they do already partner with them but only had certain courses listed as a College Start program and I've stated that I wanted to utilize those platforms as much as possible toward one of the approved programs. Hopefully someone has some experience with GUILD Education that can offer some insight on how to get them to cover Sophia/SDC/IT certs.

Thank you for your input in advance!

[LevelUP]

(graphic design/coding was my original first love since 12 years old and was talked out of it by family members as they didn’t think this field was stable.

Remember that next time someone tries to talk you out of your dreams.


Guild Education Schools

https://schools.guildeducation.com/

We do have degree plans for Purdue Global and Southern New Hampshire University for IT and Computer Science.

Degree Plans

https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Ca...gree_Plans

[rachel83az]

They might or might not be useful credit-wise, but it looks like you might be interested in Coursera certificates: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Coursera You can get some of them FREE through The American Dream Academy. If you're interested in any certificates not covered by TADA, PM me. I have a way for you to potentially get free access to all of them.

For SNHU, it looks like the most useful could be the Google IT Support Professional certificate and/or the Google IT Automation w/ Python certificate. https://www.snhu.edu/admission/transferr...ifications The first is covered by The American Dream Academy. The second is not.

[ss20ts]

I know SNHU has an online graphic design bachelor's degree program. They also accept ACE credits. ACE courses are pass/fail so don't stress over the grades.

https://snhu.sophia.org/#courses

[bjcheung77]

You're at the planning stage right now to decide on the degree/school of choice, make sure to max the transfer of 75% or 90 credits if that institution allows it. From reading on your commitments, it's a 50/50 right now for recommending you CBE programs, I think you might want to go for a WGU BSSD and add all the Business/IT certs you can get inexpensively from Coursera, Google, IBM, Microsoft, or whatever else floats with you. You can also investigate the PUG Excel-track options as they will take the W3 Schools PHP certification for credit...

[dfrecore]

So, I'm not trying to talk you out of your dream - but literally every person I've ever known who worked in Graphic Design did not get their degree in graphic design. This is one of those fields where a portfolio of work will be far more useful than any degree possibly could. Instead of getting a degree, why don't you start working in your field? Because a degree wasn't your dream - working as a graphic designer was.

That being said, I am not a huge fan of graphic design degrees just because they are more pricy than we usually like here, due to having to get a lot of courses non-alternatively. It's also time-consuming. But, if you really want a graphic design degree, then my advice is to check Guild Education for every school that they will pay for, and research their Graphic Design degrees. A boatload of schools on there takes ACE credit.

Then, apply to every single one that interests you, and see where your credits come in; but more importantly, see what you have left to complete, and if there are ways to get any of those courses alternatively. Last, see what the coverage will be in terms of tuition reimbursement; some of the schools cost more than others. A school that only gives you 1 course per semester will take FOREVER to finish. So find where you'll get the most bang for your buck: something that takes everything you've already taken, will allow you to take more ACE credit to fill up the rest, and then will allow you to take the final credits there at a reasonable pace at a reasonable price.

[MissRN]

So, I'm not trying to talk you out of your dream - but literally every person I've ever known who worked in Graphic Design did not get their degree in graphic design.  This is one of those fields where a portfolio of work will be far more useful than any degree possibly could.  Instead of getting a degree, why don't you start working in your field?  Because a degree wasn't your dream - working as a graphic designer was.

That being said, I am not a huge fan of graphic design degrees just because they are more pricy than we usually like here, due to having to get a lot of courses non-alternatively.   It's also time-consuming.  But, if you really want a graphic design degree, then my advice is to check Guild Education for every school that they will pay for, and research their Graphic Design degrees.  A boatload of schools on there takes ACE credit.

Then, apply to every single one that interests you, and see where your credits come in; but more importantly, see what you have left to complete, and if there are ways to get any of those courses alternatively.  Last, see what the coverage will be in terms of tuition reimbursement; some of the schools cost more than others.  A school that only gives you 1 course per semester will take FOREVER to finish.  So find where you'll get the most bang for your buck: something that takes everything you've already taken, will allow you to take more ACE credit to fill up the rest, and then will allow you to take the final credits there at a reasonable pace at a reasonable price.

I totally agree. I was looking at graphic design as more of a minor/certificate and focusing on Computer Science. My childhood friends that were also into graphic design didn't complete degrees for it. They branched off into Computer Science or Computer Engineering and worked as a graphic designer on the side as freelancers/marketing design consultants outside of their main jobs. I was intimidated by the Computer Science degree requirements at first but I'm going into it with a more positive mindset that I can achieve it especially with the alternative credits and going at my pace versus the traditional way. Thank you for your input 

[dfrecore]

If you want a CompSci degree, then you have 2 choices: TESU or WGU (I mean obviously there are more, but these will by far be the cheapest).

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TESU is a good one because you have so many of the GE/Free Electives done.  I show that you have 74cr, leaving 48cr to go.

You need:

GE
Oral Communication
Civic Engagement

Major Core
Intro to Programming
Data Structures
Calculus
Discrete Math
Operating Systems
Computer Architecture

Major electives (12cr UL, 6cr LL)
Management Info Systems
Systems Analysis & Design
Database Management
Programming
Software Engineering
etc.

You can get the entire degree completed through Study.com; or you can mix-and-match.  If you want to go cheap, you can do the following:

CLEP/MS - Free
American Government (Civic Engagement)
Info Systems & Applications (core)
Calculus (core)

Saylor $5
POLSC201: Intro to Western Political Thought (Civic Engagement)
POLSC221: Intro to Comparative Politics (Civic Engagement)
MA005: Calculus (core)
CS101: Introduction to Computer Science I (core)
CS107: C++ Programming (core)
CS102: Introduction to Computer Science II (LL elective)
BUS206: Management Information Systems (LL elective)
BUS303: Strategic Information Technology (LL elective)
CS302: Software Engineering (UL elective)

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WGU is more of an issue, because you "lose" a lot of the credits you've already taken.  You would have 17cr out of the GE done (so 12cr to complete).  And then you'd need 93cr from the Major.  That is a much longer path, and in this instance, I think you're better off at TESU.  I think that between getting the alt-credit you need, and then the courses you need at WGU, you're going to end up spending more time and more money here.

For someone without a lot of credit, WGU can be a good option.  But for someone who has a lot of GE already done, I think it might get discouraging to basically start over.

[rachel83az]

Neither TESU nor WGU are covered by the GUILD stuff. If it's possible to get a degree from SNHU, completely covered by GUILD, that would obviously be way, way cheaper than either TESU or WGU. Even if it takes longer.

[MissRN]

If you want a CompSci degree, then you have 2 choices: TESU or WGU (I mean obviously there are more, but these will by far be the cheapest).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TESU is a good one because you have so many of the GE/Free Electives done.  I show that you have 74cr, leaving 48cr to go.

You need:

GE
Oral Communication
Civic Engagement

I forgot I do already have Public Speaking from NMJC. Going back to add that tidbit. I was totally into TESU until I seen it wasn’t on the approved schools through Guild. I possibly could still have it as an option as I still have financial aid that could cover the costs of whatever credits remain after figuring out alternative credits I can use for the core portion. I’ll reach out my Education Coach to see if there is a possibility of covering non-approved schools. Assuming this route would be a pay out of pocket first and then request reimbursement, if allowed.