Need help planning out my HR Degree

[dfrecore]

@nickyberit, Again, I would check your energy, money, time and see which option is better for you.  As an example I mentioned earlier, you have UMPI in two or three sessions at $1500 each.  So, that would mean $4500 for 3 sessions and it'll take say 7-8 week each session.  For TESU, if you're taking two terms, it's equal time of say 24 weeks, but the cost is different and the amount of work varies for both.  That is where you need to find which degree will get you to the goal faster...

But no HR degree.

[nickyberit]

@nickyberit, are you still really busy as a single parent? If so, there I'm somewhat hesitant in recommending UMPI BLS with a minor, you have over 70+ RA credits and some ACE credits already.  If you go the UMPI option, it's the cheapest, easiest, fastest BUT you need to put in the effort/time into it.  They're $1500/session, if you finish in two sessions, it's $3K, another session would be $4.5K and that is if you have the energy, time to get it done.  

The other option is switching to Excelsior for their BLSA, it'll be about $4K,  both Excelsior and UMPI options will allow you to throw 60 credits into the electives.  If you are going TESU BALS no concentration, it'll take only 30 electives.  I would create an action plan to get the max credits then apply, get an evaluation from both Excelsior and UMPI as their applications are free.  It really depends on your current commitments...

Hi BJ, 

Yes, still very busy currently working 12-14 hour days in HR while also being a single parent. So not looking for a heavy lift. I think Ive decided on the TESU Bachelors in Liberal Studies since the Academic Eval shows I am closest to a Bachelors degree with that program (see below). It shows I only need the cornerstone, capstone and 5 UL courses of any kind.  Do you have a recommendation for 5 UL courses that can be done quickly and easily??

Semester Hours (SH) Required:
120.01
SH Applied to Degree:
103.68
SH Remaining:
16.33
SH To Be Planned:
16.33
Thomas Edison State University GPA Needed:
2.000
Thomas Edison State University GPA Earned:

Overall Degree GPA Needed:
2.000
Overall Degree GPA Requirement Met:
Yes
Community College SH (90 SH Maximum):
71.00

---

Are you already working in HR?  If you are you may be better of with any bachelor, signing up with SHRM (student level) and then take the SHRM-CP later this year (again available at a student rate).

All the UL courses that dfrecore mentioned would be taken through Study.com (SDC), not at TESU. The only courses you'd take at TESU are the Cornerstone and Capstone. In your first post you said what you had completed, but didn't say where those credits came from - did you take them at TESU, another RA school (CC?) or alternative provider?  We are assuming here that you have your required RA credits accounted for in the completed list.

Hi Allvia,

Yes, currently working in HR for 5 yrs now. Your SHRM idea is a great one! Thanks for mentioning! I will do that for sure. 


Ive never taken a course at TESU. All of my transferred credits will come from 4 yr colleges, community college and Sophia.org/ACE. Ive decided to pursue the TESU BALS. The eval shows I only have the corner, cap and 5 UL courses of any kind to take. If you have any reccs for where to take those UL courses fast and easy, please let me know. Thanks!

Semester Hours (SH) Required:
120.01
SH Applied to Degree:
103.68
SH Remaining:
16.33
SH To Be Planned:
16.33
Thomas Edison State University GPA Needed:
2.000
Thomas Edison State University GPA Earned:

Overall Degree GPA Needed:
2.000
Overall Degree GPA Requirement Met:
Yes
Community College SH (90 SH Maximum):
71.00

[bjcheung77]

Here's the list of UL options from, randomly select Study.com and do 5 of the UL ones or pick something similar from Coopersmith, TESU BALS Degree Link: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan

[allvia]

Here's the list of UL options from, randomly select Study.com and do 5 of the UL ones or pick something similar from Coopersmith, TESU BALS Degree Link: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan

@nickyberit - Using the 'What If' at TESU try running the BALS with 'Humanities' (or even, 'Social Sciences') - they are concentrations that read of 'people' focus, which is what HR is about after all.  And although I believe the you don't need a concentration (as my previous post indicated you're at an 'any degree' point and then work towards the SHRM-CP for best ROI - available to you at student discounted rates!). Anyway, you look quite close to the one of those concentrations and since the UL credits are readily available for them...why not.   See the link that bjcheung77 shared above for course suggestions (there are many more than what is listed).

If you do decide to go with one of the concentrations, be sure to email TESU advising and have them ADD the BALS-Humanities (for example) on your evaluation, so you know where you stand. Sooner the better because of the student view changes the OSS; it is good to 'see it' come together officially.

[davewill]

@nickyberit - Using the 'What If' at TESU try running the BALS with 'Humanities' (or even, 'Social Sciences') - they are concentrations that read of 'people' focus, which is what HR is about after all.  And although I believe the you don't need a concentration (as my previous post indicated you're at an 'any degree' point and then work towards the SHRM-CP for best ROI - available to you at student discounted rates!). Anyway, you look quite close to the one of those concentrations and since the UL credits are readily available for them...why not.   See the link that bjcheung77 shared above for course suggestions (there are many more than what is listed).

If you do decide to go with one of the concentrations, be sure to email TESU advising and have them ADD the BALS-Humanities (for example) on your evaluation, so you know where you stand. Sooner the better because of the student view changes the OSS; it is good to 'see it' come together officially.

I agree. If they are doing 5 UL courses anyway, they can probably pick them to meet a concentration.

[dfrecore]

If you decide not to do the BSBA/HR degree, then I don't think it's really worth getting a concentration in anything - nobody really cares about it. If you work in HR, and have years of experience, then just grab your BALS and go. No need to try to box yourself into anything in particular - because nobody will be looking for that in job descriptions. I've look at a LOT of HR jobs, and NONE of them was looking for a concentration in Humanities or Social Sciences or whatever - they either wanted a degree in HR, or...well, not much else (and obviously years of experience trumps a degree at this point in your career).

Instead, go take the courses you would like to take, from the provider you want. If you like testing out, use Coopersmith. If you want to take quizzes and write a paper or two, use Study.com. Take things in Psych, Soc, CIS, History, etc. Whatever floats your boat and will work in the Liberal Arts (so not business unfortunately).

One last option, although it's more courses - grab an Undergrad Cert in Organizational Leadership. It's 6 courses, 2 of which will work in the AoS, but 4 courses that won't, so you'd have to be willing to do it. But consider taking BUS 307: Leadership and Organizational Behavior (comes in as a SocSci) and BUS 305: Leadership Communication (comes in as a COMM course in the BALS), and then see if you want to do the remaining 4 courses; if not, you've lost nothing.

[nickyberit]

If you decide not to do the BSBA/HR degree, then I don't think it's really worth getting a concentration in anything - nobody really cares about it.  If you work in HR, and have years of experience, then just grab your BALS and go.  No need to try to box yourself into anything in particular - because nobody will be looking for that in job descriptions.  I've look at a LOT of HR jobs, and NONE of them was looking for a concentration in Humanities or Social Sciences or whatever - they either wanted a degree in HR, or...well, not much else (and obviously years of experience trumps a degree at this point in your career).

Instead, go take the courses you would like to take, from the provider you want.  If you like testing out, use Coopersmith.  If you want to take quizzes and write a paper or two, use Study.com.  Take things in Psych, Soc, CIS, History, etc. Whatever floats your boat and will work in the Liberal Arts (so not business unfortunately).

One last option, although it's more courses - grab an Undergrad Cert in Organizational Leadership.  It's 6 courses, 2 of which will work in the AoS, but 4 courses that won't, so you'd have to be willing to do it.  But consider taking BUS 307: Leadership and Organizational Behavior (comes in as a SocSci) and BUS 305: Leadership Communication (comes in as a COMM course in the BALS), and then see if you want to do the remaining 4 courses; if not, you've lost nothing.

Thanks dfrecore, Im in corporate Talent Acquisition   - I can attest that the major for HR is not so important. You just need to meet the min quals and have a Bachelors in anything so I think the BALS is the way Im going to go. I prefer to go hard over a whole weekend on a course and then test out. I dont have time to write papers or things to take long. As it is I think I need to do the cornerstone and capstone at TESCU (hopefully in the same semester), which will be tedious and drawn out. Any workaround for that?

---

Here's the list of UL options from, randomly select Study.com and do 5 of the UL ones or pick something similar from Coopersmith, TESU BALS Degree Link: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan

@nickyberit - Using the 'What If' at TESU try running the BALS with 'Humanities' (or even, 'Social Sciences') - they are concentrations that read of 'people' focus, which is what HR is about after all.  And although I believe the you don't need a concentration (as my previous post indicated you're at an 'any degree' point and then work towards the SHRM-CP for best ROI - available to you at student discounted rates!). Anyway, you look quite close to the one of those concentrations and since the UL credits are readily available for them...why not.   See the link that bjcheung77 shared above for course suggestions (there are many more than what is listed).

If you do decide to go with one of the concentrations, be sure to email TESU advising and have them ADD the BALS-Humanities (for example) on your evaluation, so you know where you stand. Sooner the better because of the student view changes the OSS; it is good to 'see it' come together officially.

working toward the SHRM-CP is great advice, thanks!

---

Here's the list of UL options from, randomly select Study.com and do 5 of the UL ones or pick something similar from Coopersmith, TESU BALS Degree Link: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan

Thanks, bjcheung77, would you know if any of these UL courses are the kind you can study for in a weekend and test out of in a few days? Those are my kind of courses. Im trying to steer away from ones that take months and require writing papers.

[rachel83az]

Coopersmith courses are almost all entirely multiple choice exams. There are often a few essay questions thrown in, too, but you don't need to write more than a couple of sentences. The important part is hitting the key points. If you like exams, Coopersmith is for you.

[bjcheung77]

I would also take a look at at Davar for say their Organizational Behavior and Management Info Systems, or other courses that are deemed UL for TESU, you obviously want to check with TESU to see if it would be applicable to your plan, the two I mentioned come in as Arts/Sciences, so should be fine: https://www.nationalccrs.org/organizatio...cademy-llc