Online Degrees and CLEP and DSST Exam Prep Discussion
Degree Plan, help? I - Printable Version

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RE: Degree Plan, help? I - infradata.it@gmail.com - 05-25-2025

Pima CC, not in the free camp... (edit: closest to a "real content" course, is the Health or Honors ones, imho)
"Best value" RA IT = "TEL Learning's" (Via MACU) Intro to IT...

Also from TEL... that seem good (read: "easy") are, the "Music Appreciation" and various "Religion" courses ... in a pinch US History I/II from them should be "cant fail" (its history...)

Then for a but load... ASU has the Google IT pro cert, broken in "parts" (should be 15 RA credits?)
they use Coursera, so if you pre-did the cert... all you need to do are quizs/discussions/papers (skipping the content you did already)

BUT...I think its like $1200 USD? all said and transcribed

RE: Degree Plan, help? I - animuscerebri - 05-26-2025

Actually, you don't need to do this.
I just checked the current course catalog at the University of Helsinki (Finland).
They still have a decent amount of free courses in English, and you don't have to have EU citizenship for most of them.
The best part: they still have a ton of CS and IT-related courses that are free, and they transfer over as RA creds to TESU.
Here is the current course catalog: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/admissions-and-education/search-programmes-and-courses?s_format=mooc&s_itg=open_university&s_its=%2A&s_p=1&s_q=&s_s=az&s_y=319

- Several AI in society courses: in total 3.5 ECTS
- Advanced Course in Programming, 5 ECTS --> becomes 3 US creds and is UL at TESU
- Algorithms for Solving Problems, 10 ECTS --> becomes at least 5 US creds and UL, probably more Creds
- Core 5G and Beyond, 2 ECTS --> 1 US cred
- 5 x Cyber Security courses, in total 9 ECTS --> 4,5 or US creds
- 3x DevOps with Docker, in total 3 ECTS, 1,5 US creds
- Full Stack Web Development a suite of different courses, you can go up to 10 ECTS, 5 US creds
- Functional Programming 1, 5 ECTS
- Functional Programming 2, 5 ECTS
- Introduction to Databases, 5 ECTS

and many more

Some of the courses are available 24/7 with one 1 exam date per month.
Some are term based such as, Introduction to Databases, that will close soon, and here you just gotta do tasks / assignments and no extra exam.
For some of the MOOC versions, you sign up via MOOC.fi and select the different courses.
For others, such as Database and Functional Programming, they have separate websites, where you sign up and do the tasks.

All of them are free, of high quality, and from one of the best universities of the world.

You can easily fill up your 24 RA creds requirement at TESU.
My recommendation: do 50 ECTS (become at least 25 US creds) worth of free courses at the University of Helsinki, send that to a foreign creds evaluator, such as ACEI (I used them for Helsinki, and they were fast), and ACEI sends it to TESU, and you're done with RA requirements. ACEI will charge about $250 for one course-by-course transcript evaluation right now, but you'd check their current prices, I did it last year.

Heck, you can also take random courses like Basics of Agricultural technology or Me and my cat, me and my dog courses, if you like to meet the RA creds this way.

What are you waiting for? Smile

If you have questions regarding the specifics, just ask me, I got a good chunk of my RA creds from them for BACS.

RE: Degree Plan, help? I - infradata.it@gmail.com - 05-26-2025

Are you serious? (mystery EU hero, to the rescue) ... gosh darn ... ppl here got "the skillz" (I thoughtI was getting ok, but this....this, wow)

Lets do this baby... I joined EVERY course in cyber so far... starting on "intro" 1cr.... will report back

This is too good... there are enough credits there to get multiple degrees (sans the GE/boring crap)
All University of Helsinki, “IN ENGLISH” + FREE (tagged: "free for all", and "free for undergrads") + ASYNC/SELF-PACED (MOOC) + For Credit, 55 unique courses:

Tags: English + Open online course (MOOC) + Also suitable for general upper secondary school students or vocational students + Also suitable for exchange students + Free-of-charge places for UH undergraduate students + Free of charge for all

  1. Advanced Course in Programming, 12.1.2025 – 3.1.2026, 5 cr
  2. AI in Society: AI and Democracy, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 0.5 cr
  3. AI in Society: AI and Discrimination, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 0.5 cr
  4. AI in Society: AI and One Health, 24.11.2024 – 30.8.2025, 0.5 cr
  5. AI in Society: AI, Justice and Security, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 0.5 cr
  6. AI in Society: Introduction, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1.5 cr
  7. Biodiversity.now A, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  8. Climate.now, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  9. Computing Tools for CS Studies, 4.9.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1 cr
  10. Core 5G and Beyond, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  11. Cyber Security Base: Advanced Topics, 5.1.2025 – 30.12.2025, 3 cr
  12. Cyber Security Base: Course Project I, 1.9.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1 cr
  13. Cyber Security Base: Course Project II, 5.1.2025 – 30.12.2025, 1 cr
  14. Cyber Security Base: Introduction to Cyber Security, 1.9.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1 cr
  15. Cyber Security Base: Securing Software, 1.9.2024 – 30.8.2025, 3 cr
  16. Data Analysis with Python, 27.10.2024 – 30.8.2025, 5 cr
  17. DevOps with Docker, 10.3.2025 – 15.6.2025, 1 cr
  18. DevOps with Docker: docker-compose, 10.3.2025 – 15.6.2025, 1 cr
  19. DevOps with Docker: security and optimization, 10.3.2025 – 15.6.2025, 1 cr
  20. DevOps with Kubernetes, 16.6.2025 – 30.1.2026, 5 cr
  21. Elements of AI: Building AI - Advanced, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1 cr
  22. Elements of AI: Building AI - Intermediate, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1 cr
  23. Elements of AI: Introduction to AI, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  24. Ethics of AI, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  25. Full Stack Web Development, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 5 cr
  26. Full Stack Web Development Project (5 cr), 30.4.2025 – 13.3.2026, 5 cr
  27. Full Stack Web Development Project (7 cr), 30.4.2025 – 13.3.2026, 7 cr
  28. Full Stack Web Development Project (10 cr), 30.4.2025 – 13.3.2026, 10 cr
  29. Full Stack Web Development, extension 1, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  30. Full Stack Web Development, extension 2, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  31. Full Stack Web Development: Containers, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  32. Full Stack Web Development: Continuous Integration, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  33. Full Stack Web Development: GraphQL, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  34. Full Stack Web Development: React Native, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 2 cr
  35. Full Stack Web Development: Relational Databases, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  36. Full Stack Web Development: TypeScript, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  37. Functional Programming I, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 5 cr
  38. Functional Programming II, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 5 cr
  39. Introduction to Data Protection Law MOOC, 14.1.2025 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  40. Introduction to Programming, 12.1.2025 – 3.1.2026, 5 cr
  41. Introduction to sustainability, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 3 cr
  42. Introduction to the Internet of Things - MOOC, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 4 cr
  43. Me and my cat, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr (WHAT?)
  44. Me and my dog, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 3 cr (WHAT?.. & why is it +1 credit to cats...)
  45. Natural Language Processing for Linguists, 31.7.2024 – 30.7.2025, 5 cr
  46. Political Economy of Sustainability, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  47. Server-side Web Development Ruby on Rails, 31.8.2024 – 30.5.2025, 5 cr
  48. Server-side Web Development Ruby on Rails: Hotwire, 31.8.2024 – 30.5.2025, 1 cr
  49. Space Sustainability, 20.10.2024 – 30.7.2025, 2 cr
  50. Sustainability and the Arts, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1 cr
  51. Sustainability training with emerging technologies - Boreal forest, 31.3.2025 – 30.5.2025, 1 cr
  52. Sustainable Rural Social Entrepreneurship, 12.1.2025 – 30.7.2025, 5 cr
  53. Sustainable Stewardship of Nature and Indigenous Ecological Knowledge, 12.1.2025 – 30.5.2025, 5 cr
  54. Uncover Finnish Education I, 31.7.2024 – 30.7.2025, 3 cr
  55. Working with Text in Python, 31.7.2024 – 30.7.2025, 5 cr

/
A TON OF THESE LOOK "EASY" (Biodiversity, Climate, IoT, ETC.) TOO

If I get RA credits for "Me and My Cat" or "Me and My Dog" ... >>> "I will eat my hat"

RE: Degree Plan, help? I - Jonathan Whatley - 05-26-2025

(05-26-2025, 10:05 AM)infradata.it@gmail.com Wrote: If I get RA credits for "Me and My Cat" or "Me and My Dog" ... >>> "I will eat my hat"

TESU offers BIO 3100 Man's Best Friend: Biology and Behavior of Dogs.

Canisius University, a fine Jesuit university in Buffalo, has long offered a low-residency MA in Anthrozoology, the study of "humanity’s relationships with other animal species."

RE: Degree Plan, help? I - infradata.it@gmail.com - 05-26-2025

For the love of dog..... Wink

Guess it beats self educated from the Discovery channel
/

I would attend seminary, if its free, for RA credits ...

.. awe damn, can I become a Jesuit? Is that even possible?

"Tinker Tailor Solider Spy", I could might pull off solo, but .. Jesuit
//

I have looked at all courses and have a rough list of "Nearly impossible to fail" courses they offer

RE: Degree Plan, help? I - animuscerebri - 05-26-2025

(05-26-2025, 10:05 AM)infradata.it@gmail.com Wrote: Are you serious? (mystery EU hero, to the rescue) ... gosh darn ... ppl here got "the skillz" (I thoughtI was getting ok, but this....this, wow)

Lets do this baby... I joined EVERY course in cyber so far... starting on "intro" 1cr.... will report back

This is too good... there are enough credits there to get multiple degrees (sans the GE/boring crap)
All University of Helsinki, “IN ENGLISH” + FREE (tagged: "free for all", and "free for undergrads") + ASYNC/SELF-PACED (MOOC) + For Credit, 55 unique courses:

Tags: English + Open online course (MOOC) + Also suitable for general upper secondary school students or vocational students + Also suitable for exchange students + Free-of-charge places for UH undergraduate students + Free of charge for all

  1. Advanced Course in Programming, 12.1.2025 – 3.1.2026, 5 cr
  2. AI in Society: AI and Democracy, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 0.5 cr
  3. AI in Society: AI and Discrimination, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 0.5 cr
  4. AI in Society: AI and One Health, 24.11.2024 – 30.8.2025, 0.5 cr
  5. AI in Society: AI, Justice and Security, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 0.5 cr
  6. AI in Society: Introduction, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1.5 cr
  7. Biodiversity.now A, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  8. Climate.now, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  9. Computing Tools for CS Studies, 4.9.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1 cr
  10. Core 5G and Beyond, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  11. Cyber Security Base: Advanced Topics, 5.1.2025 – 30.12.2025, 3 cr
  12. Cyber Security Base: Course Project I, 1.9.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1 cr
  13. Cyber Security Base: Course Project II, 5.1.2025 – 30.12.2025, 1 cr
  14. Cyber Security Base: Introduction to Cyber Security, 1.9.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1 cr
  15. Cyber Security Base: Securing Software, 1.9.2024 – 30.8.2025, 3 cr
  16. Data Analysis with Python, 27.10.2024 – 30.8.2025, 5 cr
  17. DevOps with Docker, 10.3.2025 – 15.6.2025, 1 cr
  18. DevOps with Docker: docker-compose, 10.3.2025 – 15.6.2025, 1 cr
  19. DevOps with Docker: security and optimization, 10.3.2025 – 15.6.2025, 1 cr
  20. DevOps with Kubernetes, 16.6.2025 – 30.1.2026, 5 cr
  21. Elements of AI: Building AI - Advanced, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1 cr
  22. Elements of AI: Building AI - Intermediate, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1 cr
  23. Elements of AI: Introduction to AI, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  24. Ethics of AI, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  25. Full Stack Web Development, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 5 cr
  26. Full Stack Web Development Project (5 cr), 30.4.2025 – 13.3.2026, 5 cr
  27. Full Stack Web Development Project (7 cr), 30.4.2025 – 13.3.2026, 7 cr
  28. Full Stack Web Development Project (10 cr), 30.4.2025 – 13.3.2026, 10 cr
  29. Full Stack Web Development, extension 1, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  30. Full Stack Web Development, extension 2, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  31. Full Stack Web Development: Containers, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  32. Full Stack Web Development: Continuous Integration, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  33. Full Stack Web Development: GraphQL, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  34. Full Stack Web Development: React Native, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 2 cr
  35. Full Stack Web Development: Relational Databases, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  36. Full Stack Web Development: TypeScript, 14.3.2025 – 28.2.2026, 1 cr
  37. Functional Programming I, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 5 cr
  38. Functional Programming II, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 5 cr
  39. Introduction to Data Protection Law MOOC, 14.1.2025 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  40. Introduction to Programming, 12.1.2025 – 3.1.2026, 5 cr
  41. Introduction to sustainability, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 3 cr
  42. Introduction to the Internet of Things - MOOC, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 4 cr
  43. Me and my cat, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr (WHAT?)
  44. Me and my dog, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 3 cr (WHAT?.. & why is it +1 credit to cats...)
  45. Natural Language Processing for Linguists, 31.7.2024 – 30.7.2025, 5 cr
  46. Political Economy of Sustainability, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 2 cr
  47. Server-side Web Development Ruby on Rails, 31.8.2024 – 30.5.2025, 5 cr
  48. Server-side Web Development Ruby on Rails: Hotwire, 31.8.2024 – 30.5.2025, 1 cr
  49. Space Sustainability, 20.10.2024 – 30.7.2025, 2 cr
  50. Sustainability and the Arts, 31.8.2024 – 30.8.2025, 1 cr
  51. Sustainability training with emerging technologies - Boreal forest, 31.3.2025 – 30.5.2025, 1 cr
  52. Sustainable Rural Social Entrepreneurship, 12.1.2025 – 30.7.2025, 5 cr
  53. Sustainable Stewardship of Nature and Indigenous Ecological Knowledge, 12.1.2025 – 30.5.2025, 5 cr
  54. Uncover Finnish Education I, 31.7.2024 – 30.7.2025, 3 cr
  55. Working with Text in Python, 31.7.2024 – 30.7.2025, 5 cr

/
A TON OF THESE LOOK "EASY" (Biodiversity, Climate, IoT, ETC.) TOO

If I get RA credits for "Me and My Cat" or "Me and My Dog" ... >>> "I will eat my hat"

I'm glad I could help.
I like helping people, I wanna give back to the Degreeforum community, because I myself have benefited a lot from it during my journey. In particular, the idea of Finnish creds came up specifically here on this forum.
What I did was to go further and try out some different universities in Finland. 

It all started with Rachel83az who mentioned XAMK University back then and she analyzed together with other Degreeforum members what options students had; you could get relatively fast and free RA creds. For instance, XAMK's Introduction to Video Games Creation, 1-35 ECTS cr (https://koulutuskalenteri.xamk.fi/en/open-amk-courses/introduction-to-video-games-creation-1-35-ects-cr-3) was pretty popular back then. However, nowadays, you cannot enroll there anymore from outside Finland, you need a Finnish social security number (by being a resident in Finland). And XAMK has been pretty strict in that respect.

Other Finnish universities have been laxer with this new regulation or use some hybrid version, but they tend to charge now for courses that were previously free. 
University of Helsinki is one of those hybrid versions; some courses are open and free, whereas others are closed to non-Finnish residents and they charge additionally.

Nonetheless, I've been noticing some changes in the past few months, and I suspect that Helsinki is also increasingly shutting down some courses for non-Finland residents. 

Therefore, I strongly recommend that you finish (pun not intended Wink ) as many courses as you can, because these are really good courses.
(05-26-2025, 11:18 AM)infradata.it@gmail.com Wrote: For the love of dog..... Wink

Guess it beats self educated from the Discovery channel
/

I would attend seminary, if its free, for RA credits ...

.. awe damn, can I become a Jesuit? Is that even possible?

"Tinker Tailor Solider Spy", I could might pull off solo, but .. Jesuit
//

I have looked at all courses and have a rough list of "Nearly impossible to fail" courses they offer
Yes, there are some relatively easy, but informative ones among them. However, some of the CS and Math classes are a lot more challenging Smile

RE: Degree Plan, help? I - infradata.it@gmail.com - 05-26-2025

Thanks again

50 ECTS > I will make a "set" for us all to do that is "FOOL PROOF" (BUT MADE BY A FOOL, me, lol) for "easy" passes
IMHO = #'s 5 to 10 > $'s 23 to 24 > #'s 39 to 44 > Solo #46 > #'s 49 to 54

NOTE: The Cyber/DevOps/Fullstack courses, are free... but go "well past" intro to/100-level (might not be "easy" to the non-techy)


Closing access? >> This says to me, DO THEM NOW

I'll fly through a single credit course to check it out, looks like its all via 3rd party MOOC's, execpt for the IT offerings (they appear in house, at least cyber and intro programming are that I see)

RE: Degree Plan, help? I - animuscerebri - 05-26-2025

(05-26-2025, 11:32 AM)infradata.it@gmail.com Wrote: Thanks again

50 ECTS > I will make a "set" for us all to do that is "FOOL PROOF" (BUT MADE BY A FOOL, me, lol) for "easy" passes
IMHO = #'s 5 to 10 > $'s 23 to 24 > #'s 39 to 44 > Solo #46 > #'s 49 to 54

NOTE: The Cyber/DevOps/Fullstack courses, are free... but go "well past" intro to/100-level (might not be "easy" to the non-techy)


Closing access? >> This says to me, DO THEM NOW

I'll fly through a single credit course to check it out, looks like its all via 3rd party MOOC's, execpt for the IT offerings (they appear in house, at least cyber and intro programming are that I see)

There are other courses you don't see with your filtering criteria; they are also free, but the University of Helsinki schedules them for specific terms, such as spring term and autumn term. For instance, Data Structures I and II in English take place during spring term (they are long over already), and the same courses in Finnish take place during autumn term. And others as well; I'll make a Wiki soon about how to go about this whole Finnish creds topic Wink

RE: Degree Plan, help? I - infradata.it@gmail.com - 05-26-2025

(05-26-2025, 01:08 PM)animuscerebri Wrote:
(05-26-2025, 11:32 AM)infradata.it@gmail.com Wrote: Thanks again

50 ECTS > I will make a "set" for us all to do that is "FOOL PROOF" (BUT MADE BY A FOOL, me, lol) for "easy" passes
IMHO = #'s 5 to 10 > $'s 23 to 24 > #'s 39 to 44 > Solo #46 > #'s 49 to 54

NOTE: The Cyber/DevOps/Fullstack courses, are free... but go "well past" intro to/100-level (might not be "easy" to the non-techy)


Closing access? >> This says to me, DO THEM NOW

I'll fly through a single credit course to check it out, looks like its all via 3rd party MOOC's, execpt for the IT offerings (they appear in house, at least cyber and intro programming are that I see)

There are other courses you don't see with your filtering criteria; they are also free, but the University of Helsinki schedules them for specific terms, such as spring term and autumn term. For instance, Data Structures I and II in English take place during spring term (they are long over already), and the same courses in Finnish take place during autumn term. And others as well; I'll make a Wiki soon about how to go about this whole Finnish creds topic Wink

What is the "ideal" filter tag set?

Also, good idea on wiki entry.

If "most" ppl are using it as RA "filler", I suggest a drill-down to the "brain-dead courses" in ascending order of difficulty/time investment, EXACTLY to meet the USA RA credit need for TESU ... +0.5, to +1, ETCS on top, for safety!

RE: Degree Plan, help? I - animuscerebri - 05-26-2025

It's a little tricky. Actually, I do "manual" research on a regular basis. For instance, this is one of the classes I took at the University of Helsinki, which was term-based (Data Structures and Algorithms I): https://studies.helsinki.fi/courses/course-implementation/otm-f36af785-3311-4b6f-bfd3-2aa6add9d2f9
It sometimes shows up in the course catalog, but the course is over now. I guess that's the reason why it no longer appears. You'll be able to take it next year - spring term. Or you wanna take the Finnish version in fall and do translating to English via Google Chrome's internal translation tool.
There are a bunch of these upper-level courses, but some of the cool ones no longer show up.