TESU PLA Using Saylor CS Courses?

[instance nine]

Hello,

This is my very first post. What a great resource this forum is! I have a question concerning whether Saylor Academy CS courses (proctored exam results) could beneficially be used in a TESU PLA.

I'm interested in the BA in Computer Science from TESU. I'm trying to determine whether I can complete this degree using primarily testing and PLA. I'm currently employed as a software developer (I have 20 years of experience), I do not have a degree (which hasn't really been a problem for me), I have always wanted to complete a degree but I have no desire to pay thousands of dollars for courses, on-line or otherwise, to obtain one.

I'm convinced that I might actually be able to bang out most of the general education requirements through some combination of CLEPS, DSSTS, TECEPS, etc. That leaves me with just the area of study to figure out for a BA in CS. I have the following credits from my local state university that I could potentially transfer:

• Pre-calculus (circa 1998) - 3 ch
  
• Java Programming (c. 1998) - 3 ch
  
• Calculus I (c. 1998) - 4 ch
  
• Calculus II (c. 1999) - 4 ch
  
• Discrete Mathematics (2000) - 3 ch
  

I think the above could satisfy most of the required courses (part 'A') in section II (area of study) for TESU's BA in Computer Science. (With the exception of a Data Structures course.)

So here's where things get interesting and relate to my question:

Some time ago I discovered Saylor Academy. Presently, a good number of their courses yield either ACE or NCCRS credit. Unfortunately, only one of their twenty CS courses (CS101: Introduction to Computer Science I) yields NCCRS credit. Interestingly though, Brandman University will grant credit for some of these courses:

"Students who pass proctored exams for a number of Saylor Academy courses in business administration and computer science can earn credit from Brandman University, which can be used toward a degree program at Brandman. The credits will count as “electives” and there is a 21 credit limit."

I'm not interesting in enrolling at Brandman (too expensive) but given that many of these Saylor CS courses are accepted for credit I should think that including proctored exam results for some of these same courses as 'evidence' in a TESU PLA is sufficient to demonstrate college level learning. I think I could easily pass many of these Saylor CS courses with minimal effort so that's why I'm interested in this approach.

Does anybody have insight as to whether or not this is feasible? (By this I mean do you think TESU would grant credit based on proctored Saylor CS exam results in a PLA?)

Thank you in advance!

[davewill]

You should be able to. The Saylor tests would undoubtedly be helpful for PLA, but with 20 years of experience, I rather doubt you need them. I outlined how I PLA'd most of my CS area of study here: http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...post203270

The whole thread is useful for anyone who's considering doing the PLA process. My sig shows what courses I PLA'd. In hindsight, I probably could have successfully PLA'd DB Management and Operating Systems, too.

[instance nine]

Thank you davewill, that's encouraging to hear. What's the requirement concerning letters of verification - did you have to provide one for each project in your narrative or for each 'course' in your PLA?

By the way, good for you on getting accepted into the MSCS online program! I have my eye on that but without an undergraduate degree that is currently out of reach for me.

[davewill]

There's not much in the way of "requirements" which makes it a bit hard to know when to stop. I submitted three verification letters which covered the projects I used in my narrative. I asked the people doing them specifically to mention my role on those projects.