CEU's Continuing Education Credits - need help

[mcquacks2]

My daughter has her two year AA with TESC. Her next goal is to complete the Sessions.edu "Graphic Design" certificate program (about $6,000 for 8 or so courses in Graphic Design). Sessions college is "regionally accredited" but the "certificate programs" only issue CEU's upon completion. In the event that my daughter decides to come back and puruse a TESC BA in Arts one day, I asked TESC if they accept CEU's, which they said they did not. The CEU's are coming from IACET service.

So my question is, has anyone found a loop hole with TESC to get CEU's converted into college credits? If so, I would LOVE to hear from you!!! Thanks!
mcquacks

[Johann]

People have been asking this question for years. Most answers I have seen are far from universally encouraging. I remember one poster, on another forum, who had something like 180 CEUs that he wanted to convert into 120 credits - an instant Bachelor's degree. The contact-hour ratio was about right, but needless to say, that meant nothing. It didn't happen. In general, CEU's cannot be exchanged for college credits. There are somewhat infrequent (and most often indirect) exceptions as I will describe:

Thesee are the only exceptions of which I am aware:

(1) if you can document the learning you accomplished with the CEU programs as part of "portfolio credit" at your school -- then you may get whatever "prior learning" credits the school offers for your experiential learning. More like "knowlege = credit." Not really "CEU=credit."

(2) if the CEU courses are ACE-reviewed - and I'm told many are not - then there's a chance, depending on the school. Not all that common.

(3) FEMA courses were at one time CEU awards, I'm told - but of course now they can be "creditized" and many people use them at the Big 3

if you discover any other usable loophole -- I suggest you write a book. These are all I've found in several years. Such a book would sell well and you would be able to afford many courses!

Johann

[Johann]

You mention IACET -- they say that under certain circumstances, academic credit for CEUs MAY be granted. It doesn't sound easy, common or strictly formulaic.

Here's the info. Re: IACET CEU conversion to Academic Credits

Again, they mention ACE. It looks like ACE can recommend academic credit for those CEU courses they've reviewed --as I read elsewhere.

I think your daughter may very well get credit - likely portfolio credit for prior learning - for what she's learned and can do re: graphic design. I doubt it will be a direct "number of CEU hours = number of credits." More like "demonstrated skill and knowledge = number of credits." I think the school - TESC or any other - will more likely want to know in detail what she has learned and what she can do. Exactly where it was learned or how many contact hours the process took will be of lesser significance.

I wish her every success.

Johann

[cookderosa]

My daughter has her two year AA with TESC. Her next goal is to complete the Sessions.edu "Graphic Design" certificate program (about $6,000 for 8 or so courses in Graphic Design). Sessions college is "regionally accredited" but the "certificate programs" only issue CEU's upon completion. In the event that my daughter decides to come back and puruse a TESC BA in Arts one day, I asked TESC if they accept CEU's, which they said they did not. The CEU's are coming from IACET service.

So my question is, has anyone found a loop hole with TESC to get CEU's converted into college credits? If so, I would LOVE to hear from you!!! Thanks!
mcquacks

No, there is no loophole. CEU credit is not college credit. Respectfully, her decision makes me incredibly uncomfortable. Has she met with people in the graphic design industry who have advised her to pursue this course? I don't mean Sessions College employees, I mean employed graphic designers. Just a question, because the CEU program at Cornell University (THE Cornell) that I drool over isn't anywhere near $6k and I can't justify the cost....that's very very very expensive for a non-credit program. It may, however, be worth it if this is "THE" program to get your foot in the door, and I don't know that answer, but I hope your daughter does.

But no, CEU credit, unless ACE evaluated is always considered non-credit.

[cookderosa]

I want to play devil's advocate. This CEU program needs to be a strong enough resume builder ON ITS OWN that she doesn't need to double dip it for credit toward a TESC degree.

How to Become a Graphic Designer: Step-by-Step Instructions (Suggests a college degree, even a graduate degree)

How to become a self-made graphic designer – Getting started! (Suggests doing it yourself and running your own business instead of seeking to become an employee)

5 Steps to Becoming a Graphic Designer - ArtBistro.com (suggests a college degree)

So, it's not required, but it seems to be suggested that a college degree is the traditional path. If that's true, wasting time (and HUGE $$$$) on a certificate that won't count towards a degree seems risky imo.

[Snickerdoodle]

Honestly it depends on the direction that your daughter wants to pursue in graphic design. If she's thinking of being her own boss, I would actually recommend not going for a design or art degree. A degree in business and/or marketing would be more useful. Graphic design is not that hard to learn with the right tools and exposure, and with the right person, if you know what I mean. Unfortunately, Sessions.edu is somewhere along the lines of a Photoshop 101 or InDesign crash course, from what I've heard and from looking at the course list. You can easily accomplish the same with the Adobe Classroom-in-a-Book series. And let me tell you, design is rather subjective, and online learning can get frustrating.

I have worked with graphic designers and moonlight a little myself. I know graphic designers who did not earn even a 2-yr graphic design degree until the middle of their careers, and one who majored in another field (albeit somewhat related). But let me say upfront that this was not at a major firm by any means! If your daughter is aspiring towards the 'big-clients-major-accounts' type of thing then I would recommend a "traditional" BA Graphic Design with gen eds all tested out. I hate to be a wet blanket but certificates don't get you very far. What does get you far is a killer portfolio and some experience (unpaid, internship, apprenticeship) in the field. I wish both you and your daughter success in your journey. Graphic design is fantastic to get into, and it's really a great field. Cheers!

[bella2011]

cookderosa = always a valuable resource!

I want to play devil's advocate. This CEU program needs to be a strong enough resume builder ON ITS OWN that she doesn't need to double dip it for credit toward a TESC degree.

How to Become a Graphic Designer: Step-by-Step Instructions (Suggests a college degree, even a graduate degree)

How to become a self-made graphic designer – Getting started! (Suggests doing it yourself and running your own business instead of seeking to become an employee)

5 Steps to Becoming a Graphic Designer - ArtBistro.com (suggests a college degree)

So, it's not required, but it seems to be suggested that a college degree is the traditional path. If that's true, wasting time (and HUGE $$$$) on a certificate that won't count towards a degree seems risky imo.

[cookderosa]

Ok, I'm sorry to say this but SESSIONS IS NOT REGIONALLY ACCREDITED.

Their link: Accredited Online Degrees and Certificates – Sessions College for Professional Design you'll notice it's nationally accredited DETC, and that their cert programs are certified at the SECONDARY (high school) not post-secondary level (college).

Here is the United States Dept of Ed look up data base where you can confirm what I'm saying, this is a direct link: U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs

This is also an online only program, and it's a for-profit that does not participate in financial aid. Their addy: 398 S. Mill Avenue, Suite 300, Tempe, AZ which is nothing more than an office upstairs from a restaurant/bar.

None of these in and of themselves are necessarily a problem, but when you combine them together...well, if it were my daughter, I'd tell her to run in the other direction. Fast.

Perhaps some of our other posters here can suggest legitimate alternatives for your daughter??

[sanantone]

Nice catch. Penn Foster is the same way. They are only regionally accredited for their secondary programs. Their certificate and career diploma programs fall under their regional accreditation, but they only count as CEUs even though Penn Foster will grant college credit for them if you transfer into one of their degree programs. I asked TESC about getting credit for Penn Foster certificates and career diplomas and they said no.

[Snickerdoodle]

If she really wants to get a certificate, try this community college in WA state. It's completely online. SVC - Skagit Valley College - Multimedia & Interactive Technology
If you aren't a WA resident, just pay a little more. No need to fly to WA--all application/registration can be completed online. HTH!