Cheapest RA for Canadian

[rennick00]

I did an Excelsior liberal studies degree back in 2004, but a lot has changed since then. I’m trying to help my son plan out a similar degree, but it’s much more challenging to figure out than it used to be.

He’s looking for the cheapest degree he can manage that’s still interesting enough to him to make it worthwhile to study for. He would like to avoid as many business courses as possible, but otherwise is pretty flexible on course topics. He will need to end up with 5 graded courses on his transcript.

If possible, we’d like to avoid semester-based classes, as he’s a reservist that does occasional full-time contracts, and schedules are more difficult to stick with. 

He was originally interested in a Nat Sci major at Excelsior, but we figured that the costs of the upper level sciences would make it super expensive (in relative terms). What the ultimately conferred degree is in isn’t that important.

He has all the Sophia courses under his belt, but that’s pretty much it so far.

Any recommendations on how to move forward would be greatly appreciated. I’m having difficulty translating the degree requirements for the Big 3 into an actual course list. I tend to think excelsior is out because of their new cornerstone/capstone requirements, but we’re open to suggestions. 

Thanks!!

[ss20ts]

I did an Excelsior liberal studies degree back in 2004, but a lot has changed since then. I’m trying to help my son plan out a similar degree, but it’s much more challenging to figure out than it used to be.

He’s looking for the cheapest degree he can manage that’s still interesting enough to him to make it worthwhile to study for. He would like to avoid as many business courses as possible, but otherwise is pretty flexible on course topics. He will need to end up with 5 graded courses on his transcript.

If possible, we’d like to avoid semester-based classes, as he’s a reservist that does occasional full-time contracts, and schedules are more difficult to stick with. 

He was originally interested in a Nat Sci major at Excelsior, but we figured that the costs of the upper level sciences would make it super expensive (in relative terms). What the ultimately conferred degree is in isn’t that important.

He has all the Sophia courses under his belt, but that’s pretty much it so far.

Any recommendations on how to move forward would be greatly appreciated. I’m having difficulty translating the degree requirements for the Big 3 into an actual course list. I tend to think excelsior is out because of their new cornerstone/capstone requirements, but we’re open to suggestions. 

Thanks!!

All of the Big 3 require a capstone. Has he looked at WGU? That's all self paced which is what it sounds like he's looking for, but they don't have liberal arts degrees. NAU has a competency based liberal arts degree.

https://nau.edu/online/bs-liberal-arts-pl/

UMPI also has competency based liberal arts degrees.

https://online.umpi.edu/programs/programs.aspx

[rachel83az]

I don't think WGU is open to Canadians, is it? I thought they were just open to US citizens and US residents. There is a whole host of competency-based programs, though. https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Co...d_Programs NAU is pretty cheap on a per-week basis and has liberal studies but may or may not accept quite as many transfer credits as other schools.

[rennick00]

WGU is only open to Canadians in very limited circumstances, so it’s really not an option. We’re not opposed to the idea of a capstone/cornerstone, it’s just that plus 7 or 8 UL science from excelsior at $1500us a pop just wasn’t reasonable. I’ll look again at the competency-based options. Last time I looked, it seemed they were business and IT heavy.

[ss20ts]

WGU wasn't the only competency based program I mentioned. I did provide the links for NAU and UMPI. NAU has more science courses available than UMPI. WGU does not offer liberal arts degrees.

Capstones are typically on a semester schedule which doesn't sound like would work well for your son due to his schedule. Some competency based programs include a capstone, but they are still at your pace and not on a semester schedule.

[rennick00]

Sorry if my reply didn’t come across right. I will look at NAU and UMPI to see how they might work. We can probably make a capstone work, potentially giving up a single short term contract would be okay. I just don’t want him to be tied to multiple semesters, potentially losing too many opportunities (reserves is his only employment right now), which was what it was looking like would be required for the excelsior nat sci degree

[rachel83az]

If one semester would be okay, TESU could be a good option. BALS degree, you can transfer in everything but the capstone & cornerstone, capstone & cornerstone can be done at the same time.

[bjcheung77]

If one semester would be okay, TESU could be a good option. BALS degree, you can transfer in everything but the capstone & cornerstone, capstone & cornerstone can be done at the same time.

This is exactly what I would recommend, Excelsior OR TESU by finishing a BALS or BSLS at either school because they allow you to complete both cornerstone and capstone in one term.  All other courses can be transferred into the degree program, you just need to pay the required fees... I would not chose COSC as they require 24 RA credits now and the Capstone/Cornerstone can't be taken in the same term.

Further to that, I would refrain from competency based degree programs, even though they are self-paced, it seems your son will be busy in the reserves and there is no specific set time to finish these courses through competency based programs in an orderly yet timely fashion.  If he doesn't finish everything in a set term, he would need to pay a second term, costs add up if it takes more terms.

In regards to schooling/working, as a dual citizen of Canada/US, I highly recommend you get your son to take a look at the CRB (replacement for the CERB) and see if he's eligible for taking that at least for one term while he completes his studies at Excelsior or TESU, 12 weeks is all he needs.  Get him to speak with his Reserves boss or whoever the contact is...

But the most important thing right now is to get as many credits as possible past the Sophia courses, you will need 18 UL for a TESU BALS vs 30 UL for an Excelsior BSLS, decide quickly, while you're deciding, have him invest in a second monitor and complete all the FREE TEEX courses for free electives he is missing.

[rennick00]

Ah, okay, knowing that the capstone/cornerstone can be done in the same semester makes a big difference. And I didn't realize TESU had less UL course credit requirements. I'll have him start working on the TEEX courses ASAP -- I hadn't heard of them before. That will have him continuing forward progress, while we finalize what we want to do. Thanks so much!

[rachel83az]

You might want to look at https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Fr..._of_Credit and also https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Se...eap_Credit

TEEX will likely only take a few days so he might want to move onto a Saylor course or two while the decision process is ongoing. Even if he ultimately decides not to take a Saylor exam, that's knowledge he could use towards whatever provider is ultimately used.