My EC Degree Plan for BSEET

[ibkickinit]

Hi everyone,

I have been reading on here for some time now and would like to share my draft of a degree plan to get a little input on a couple things I am not clear on. Thanks in advance for any advice!

Background: Took a whopping 9 units in CC out of High School, ended up dropping out and starting my career. I am now 6 years in and doing very well in TV production. Steady job, make a good income, so I'm not too worried about cost for the degree. This is for no one but me! I have always wanted to study Electrical Engineering, so this isn't about a shortcut to a degree. I need to actually know the material, not just get by! My work schedule is basically on call 24/7. I am out of the state for work 3-5 months a year. No chance to complete class at a B&M, however I do find myslef sitting on soundstages with hours upon hours to myself just standing by. I settled on Excelsior because it seems they have the most practical BSEET program with the most flexibility. I considered UND, but ultimately decided against it because of the many positive reviews I heave read about EC. This is what I have come up with:

Excelsior College BSEET (Electronics)

Communications (9)
6 English Composition (or ECE English Comp)
6 Analyzing & Interpreting Literature (CLEP)

Ethics (3)
3 Business Ethics and Society (DSST)

Social Sciences & History (9)
3 US History I (CLEP)
3 US History II (CLEP)
6 Social Science & History (CLEP)

Humanities Elective (3)
- (3 units from Analyzing & Interpreting Literature CLEP?)

Mathematics & Natural Science (24)
2 MAT 116 - Precalc Algebra I (ALEKS)
2 MAT 118 - Trigonometry (ALEKS)
4 Calculus 1 (USDA GS or StraighterLine)
4 Calculus 2 (USDA GS or StraighterLine)
4 MAT 215-Differential Equations (BYU Independent Study)
4 Physics I w/Lab (StraighterLine)
4 Physics II w/Lab (StraighterLine)

Art & Sciences Elective (12)
3 Cinema (Previous CC)
- (3 units from Social Science & History CLEP??)
- (Any easy 6-unit CLEP)

Free Electives (7)
1 Information Literacy (Penn Foster)
3 Real Estate Principles (Previous CC)
3 Real Estate Practices (Previous CC)

Technology Component (57)
4 ELEC 152 - Circuit Theory I (DC Circuits)
4 ELEC 153 - Circuit Theory II (AC Circuits)
4 ELEC 160 - Electronics I
4 ELEC 161 - Electronics II
4 ELEC 201 - Digital Electronics
4 ELEC 202 - Microprocessors
3 IT 210 - Visual Basic
3 IT 390 - Project Management
3 ELEC 495 - ITA (Capstone)
Concentration Requirements
4 ELEC 330 - Elec. Communications
4 ELEC 303 - Adv. Digital Elec.
3 IT 350 - Bus. Data Communication
3 ELEC 321 - Control Systems
4 ELEC 304 - Microprocessors II

Labs (8)1 Phys./7 Tech
- (Physics Lab already accounted for)
1 DC Circuits
1 AC Circuits
1 Electronics I
1 Electronics II
3 (Labs for Concentration)


Questions I have:

Since I am covered in Communications, can I apply half of the Analyzing & Interpreting Literature CLEP towards my Humanities Elective?

Same question for putting 3 units from the Social Science & History CLEP towards my Art & Science Electives?

I know that about 2/3 of this degree is real meat and potatoes... I have researched pretty much every course offering to choose what I consider the best approach to each class. If anyone has feedback on one of my chosen classes, particularly in Math or Science, please share!

My first step has been starting ALEKS for Precalculus. I think ALEKS is the best thing ever. Wish I had this in high school! I have applied to EC, but think I will hold off enrollment until I get most of the testing out of the way!

Justin

[kvndoom]

Hey Justin! I'm literally 21 days from finishing my requirements for my BSEET at Excelsior. The requirements were slightly different when I started in 2009. I would have for sure taken more exams had I known about them in the beginning. A lot of my "fluff" credits were covered by some time I spent in a computer school several years ago, though.

#1 piece of advice from me to anyone is to not take Differential Equations online! Unless you already know it very well, find a way to take it in a classroom. I took it online, and it was wretched. Khan Academy, Diff Eq for Dummies, all that stuff, and I still just barely survived with a C-minus. I whizzed through Calc and Calc 2, and my cockiness almost undid me. Part of it was having a lousy instructor though, so maybe you won't share the same struggles.