Sociology/Social Sciences Degree Planning at TESC

[kevinks]

Hello everyone! So I've just began my journey of testing out of a Sociology/Social Sciences degree at TESC. I threw together a general roadmap to follow, which I'll attach to the end of this post, but I was really wondering if anybody else has completed a similar program?

I've been reading a lot since I first created this so now I'm not quite sure if the CLEP tests I have written down would be the best options, but it's a start I suppose. I haven't yet looked into the best options for the DSST tests, so any information regarding those would be fantastic as well. Additionally, I have two AP tests from High School that I'm planning on transferring, and I read that TESC will give up to 6 credits for each test (I received a score of 3 on both). That means I should be able to get an extra 6 credits beyond what is required for Eng. Comp 1 & 2, correct?

I should also note that my ultimate goal would be to CLEP/DSST out of as many classes as possible, use FEMA to get my free electives, and then complete the degree by taking a few online courses through TESC. I have read that there aren't enough applicable tests to get Sociology specifically, but it's unclear to me if I would be able to do it if I had a few actual classes as well. I'm planning on doing some long-term traveling next winter, so if possible that might even be the best option for me. If a Social Sciences degree would be a clearer trajectory, though, I would definitely be happy with that.

I'll take any advice I can get! Thank you so much in advance,

Kevin


  Less than 1 minute ago">SOCIOLOGY DEGREE.pdf (Size: 57.64 KB / Downloads: 1)

[dfrecore]

You need to find out what the AP courses count as before you do anything else. I think that AP Language & Composition would count as English Comp I & II (CLEP has it that way), but AP Literature does not count as English Comp II (CLEP American or English Lit counts as Humanties).

These are the best places on their website to see what counts in each area, and what CLEP's and DSST's count as:
General Education Courses
CLEP - College-Level Exam Program
DANTES

Also, you have some tests counting in 2 areas, which is wrong (Humanities and Analyzing & Interpreting Literature). You can only put a course in 1 place on your spreadsheet. You have too many courses in some of the areas, due to the number of credits you will get: AP Lit will probably be 6 units, CLEP Humanities is 6 units, CLEP Analyzing & Interpreting Lit is 6 units, and Spanish is either 6 or 12 units (I would also take the Spanish CLEP early on to see how many credits you will get).

Also, FEMA courses are no longer accepted at TESC, but there are other good options for free/cheap credits.

My recommendations:

- if you're up to taking more math courses, I would take ALEKS ($20/mo) instead of the CLEP, and take Intermediate Algebra before College Algebra, and possibly even Precalculus if you want to continue. Also consider Statistics. ALEKS -- Assessment and Learning, K-12, Higher Education, Automated Tutor, Math

- take some free ($25 for the final proctored exam) Saylor courses Earn College Credit | Saylor Academy - the 2 ACE recommended and 9 NCCRS recommended are all accepted at TESC

- take the free TEEX Cybersecurity courses (3 "courses" each have 3 or 4 classes you need to complete, and each "course" is worth 2 credits) TEEX Cybersecurity

If your goal is to get through quickly, then Sociology is going to be more difficult; there are no sociology electives you can test out of. Social Sciences is going to be much more doable. You can get all of your Upper Level requirements done through DSST or Uexcel/ECE exams. You can also get all 12 units of 1 area done between those 2 types of exams as well (Psych or History I think, although 2 DSST History exams are going away as of 12/31).

Good luck!

[kevinks]

Ah, perfect! That's exactly the kind of information and resources I need. The main reason I had split the tests like that is due to the fact that I would get more credits than necessary for a single category - I was assuming I could apply, for example, the extra 3 credits from the Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CLEP to a different area to fulfill those requirements. Would it not work like that?

Regarding the AP tests, assuming AP Lang counts as Eng. Comp 1&2, would the 6 credits from AP literature just be applied to General Electives? It looks like I'll have to contact TESC to find out the exact transfer policy.

I was attempting to avoid math as much as I could. It's never been something that comes naturally to me and is definitely not a subject I enjoy. However, if those are the best options, I might just have to deal with it haha.

Thank you!

(Here is an updated version, pending that my assumptions were correct. I've also shifted the major to Social Sciences.)

  Less than 1 minute ago">SOCIAL SCIENCES DEGREE.pdf (Size: 93.4 KB / Downloads: 1)

[KayV]

In files from several years ago, a former student had her AP Lit hours count as LIT-121/122 for 6 hours, so I used that although it may have changed. The plan below uses enough TECEPs to enroll in the Pay Per Credit plan. It also uses the one Sociology UExcel exam (from Excelsior) that doesn't cost $325 +fees (it's a bargain at $95 + fees!) AND counts as UL credit. Good luck.

TESC BA Social Science

I. General Education Requirements
1. AP Language and Composition ENC-101/102 6
2. ALEKS Intermediate Algebra 3
3. TECEP Public Relations Thought and Practice 3
4. TECEP Technical Writing 3
5. AP Literature and Composition LIT-121/122 6
6. CLEP Social Science and History 6
7. DSST/SL Environment and Humanity 3
8. CLEP/SL Intro to Psychology 3
9. DSST/SL Anthropology 3
10. DSST/SL Business Ethics 3
11. CLEP Intro to Sociology 3
12. CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature 6
13. CLEP Humanities 6
14. CLEP Spanish SPA-101/102 6

II. Area of Study: Social Science
A. Sociology (6, 3UL)
1. TECEP Marriage and the Family SOC-210 3
2. UExcel SOCX-310 World Population SOC-318 3UL
B. Social Science 3UL
1. DSST Substance Abuse SOS-305 3UL
C. Psychology (12, 9UL)
1. TECEP Psychology of Women PSY-270 3
2. TECEP Abnormal Psychology PSY-350 3UL
3. DSST Fundamentals of Counseling PSY-331 3UL
4. DSST Organizational Behavior PSY-361 3UL
D. Political Science 6
1. TECEP Intro to Political Science POS-101 3
2. TECEP Intro to Comparative Politics POS-282 3
E. History 3
1. TECEP World History from 1600 HIS-126 3
F. Liberal Arts Capstone TESC LIB-495 3UL
III. Free Electives 27
1. Kaplan PLA 3
2. TEEX Cybersecurity series 6
3. National Fire Academy 3
4. Need 15 hours of Anything (not FEMA though)

[kevinks]

That was a huge help, thank you so much!

I do have another question, though. For TESC, with their pay-per-credit enrollment option, would I need to have tested out of the required TECEP exams before I enroll? Or can I apply and enroll in that, and then take the TECEPs after the fact?

Thank you!

[sanantone]

After you submit your application and pay the application fee, you will be admitted in a few business days, but you will not be enrolled. TESC has three tuition plans, so there are three ways to enroll.

Comprehensive Tuition Plan - You're considered enrolled after your financial aid or payment is set up or something like that.
Enrolled Options Plan - You're considered enrolled after paying the more than $3,000 enrollment fee.
Per Credit Tuition Plan - You're considered enrolled after you sign up and pay for an online or guided study course, portfolio assessment, e-Pack, or TECEP. In other words, signing up for a TECEP is one way to enroll.

[PaintTheSunset]

In files from several years ago, a former student had her AP Lit hours count as LIT-121/122 for 6 hours, so I used that although it may have changed.

I think that's changed. I had taken both AP English Language and Composition and AP English Literature and Composition years ago. When I got my Academic Evaluation last summer, TESC classified them both as six hours of English Comp I and II, and considered the two tests to be duplicative, so I only got the six credits for one of the tests but not the other.

[KayV]

Thanks, PaintTheSunset. Too bad that's changed, but nice to know.