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+--- Thread: Need a Bach, to get into Masters Program (/Thread-Need-a-Bach-to-get-into-Masters-Program)
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Need a Bach, to get into Masters Program - MicroToGo - 06-17-2018
Brand new to the forums, but have been reading and learning a great deal from you very informative folks.
I'm needing to get a Bachelor's degree in order to get into an online Masters Program in Psychology, in order to add ABA therapy services for our practice.
There is no specific degree I need, just a Bachelor's to enter the program. Since the Masters is in Psych, it would be
great to satisfy some of those requirements during my undergraduate process, but time to get into the program is a
bit more important. We would like to add the service option within 3 years, give or take.
I'm hoping you seasoned degree pros can add some clarity for a solid starting point.
So far, the following applies to me.
1) GED, with no college or other credits to transfer.
2) I'm 54 and currently own a therapy clinic with my wife for 10 years (she's the therapist, I manage it)
3) Prior for 25 years, I owned and operated a computer service company, but phased it out in 2015.
4) I currently have about 6 hours a day to study for "test out" courses.
5) My goal is about a year to get into the Masters program, if possible.
6) My strengths is in business and IT, but learning psych due to the therapy practice and personal interest.
Any program paths you can suggest that would best fit this goal set?
Note: I'm familiar with the big 3 from reading your posts, and cost really isn't as much an issue as time. Thomas Edison seems like a more clear option, but unclear as to the degree process.
Thanks in advance.
RE: Need a Bach, to get into Masters Program - Ideas - 06-17-2018
You can do it within a year.
You have options. The BALS is probably a little cheaper and quicker, but in your situation I would probably get a business degree or psych degree.
Do you mind writing papers?
In addition to the Big Three, consider a business degree from WGU (or even an IT degree if you think you can fly through enough of the material).
RE: Need a Bach, to get into Masters Program - davewill - 06-17-2018
In your shoes, I'd do a BALS, then use as many psychology courses as I could to fill the requirements. You should also consider the BA Psych. In fact you could start out on the BA Psych route, and switch to BALS if you run into any roadblocks that would slow you down too much. Pretty much everything you'd take for BA Psych is applicable to BALS.
BSBA is tempting because you already have some background, but once you start the business courses, BSBA is really the only degree you can use them in. And since you've got a passion for psych, you should do as much of that as you can. Make sure that you don't need any specific prerequisites for the Master's program. If you do, be sure to work them into your degree plan.
RE: Need a Bach, to get into Masters Program - dfrecore - 06-17-2018
I also would recommend the BALS, taking as many courses as possible in Psych, or else the WGU IT degree - both can be fast, depending on how you do it. The WGU IT won't get you any Psych courses, but there's nothing to say that you can't learn Psych on the side as you're doing the IT work. Just depends on how quickly you think you can finish most quickly.
If I were you, in order to make sure that you REALLY want to get the MA in Psych, I would just go to Study.com, sign up, and start taking as many Psych courses as possible.
RE: Need a Bach, to get into Masters Program - cookderosa - 06-17-2018
(06-17-2018, 11:30 AM)MicroToGo Wrote: Brand new to the forums, but have been reading and learning a great deal from you very informative folks.
I'm needing to get a Bachelor's degree in order to get into an online Masters Program in Psychology, in order to add ABA therapy services for our practice.
There is no specific degree I need, just a Bachelor's to enter the program. Since the Masters is in Psych, it would be
great to satisfy some of those requirements during my undergraduate process, but time to get into the program is a
bit more important. We would like to add the service option within 3 years, give or take.
I'm hoping you seasoned degree pros can add some clarity for a solid starting point.
So far, the following applies to me.
1) GED, with no college or other credits to transfer.
2) I'm 54 and currently own a therapy clinic with my wife for 10 years (she's the therapist, I manage it)
3) Prior for 25 years, I owned and operated a computer service company, but phased it out in 2015.
4) I currently have about 6 hours a day to study for "test out" courses.
5) My goal is about a year to get into the Masters program, if possible.
6) My strengths is in business and IT, but learning psych due to the therapy practice and personal interest.
Any program paths you can suggest that would best fit this goal set?
Note: I'm familiar with the big 3 from reading your posts, and cost really isn't as much an issue as time. Thomas Edison seems like a more clear option, but unclear as to the degree process.
Thanks in advance.
You should start with the end in mind. I'm unfamiliar with ABA Therapy, but if it is professionally regulated in your state, work backward from the license requirements. Once you can find out what (if any) requirements restrict your options for a master's degree, you can do your bachelor's. Yes- you can do a bachelor's in a year, no problem - yes liberal arts or psych, all fine. The problem is that you don't have enough information to be sure that the NEXT step will be seamless. If you are open to "any" grad school- that's awesome and makes things easy. If you're limited to a handful of specific school types that would have certain accreditation / clinical oversight / etc. then that is VERY worth knowing before day 1. No matter the rules, you can work within them.
RE: Need a Bach, to get into Masters Program - dfrecore - 06-17-2018
Dumb question here - why can't your wife's degree earn the ABA Therapy designation? I'm not seeing why you have to be the one to get this.
RE: Need a Bach, to get into Masters Program - MicroToGo - 06-18-2018
Thanks all for the suggestions.
1) I did sign up for the Excelsior system in order to expedite using the test out options and they had a psych degree. I signed up to my local CC for many of the courses that will end by years end and I will just test out of all the rest. I'd rather really have the classes on the psych stuff to really absorb it all.
2) I looked into the end game as was suggested by a few and noticed most of the psych courses I will take are requirements for the Masters programs, so might as well get them done.
3) "dfrecore", it has to be me because my wife is already completely booked up with her own client schedule. If I had her do it, she wouldn't have the time to study, nor would it benefit us financially because I can't multiply her.. darn it. Our goal is to add additional billable hours and keep it in the family..
RE: Need a Bach, to get into Masters Program - dfrecore - 06-18-2018
(06-18-2018, 05:52 PM)MicroToGo Wrote: Thanks all for the suggestions.
1) I did sign up for the Excelsior system in order to expedite using the test out options and they had a psych degree. I signed up to my local CC for many of the courses that will end by years end and I will just test out of all the rest. I'd rather really have the classes on the psych stuff to really absorb it all.
2) I looked into the end game as was suggested by a few and noticed most of the psych courses I will take are requirements for the Masters programs, so might as well get them done.
3) "dfrecore", it has to be me because my wife is already completely booked up with her own client schedule. If I had her do it, she wouldn't have the time to study, nor would it benefit us financially because I can't multiply her.. darn it. Our goal is to add additional billable hours and keep it in the family..
Ah, ok. I wasn't getting that you were going to take on the clients yourself, since you said you ran her practice. Got it. Although wouldn't it be nice to clone her!?!?
Here are 2 spreadsheets for the TESU BALS, and TESU BA in Psych. My advice would be to take all of the Psych courses, but use them in the BALS, and then you've covered all of your bases. The exception would be Ethics in the Social Sciences, which is probably not necessary anyway, and it's $1500 at TESU to take it. Just leave that one off, and do the rest (although not certain that you need 6cr of Social Psych either, so I'd just do 1 of those).
RE: Need a Bach, to get into Masters Program - miah - 06-18-2018
(06-18-2018, 05:52 PM)MicroToGo Wrote: Thanks all for the suggestions.
1) I did sign up for the Excelsior system in order to expedite using the test out options and they had a psych degree. I signed up to my local CC for many of the courses that will end by years end and I will just test out of all the rest. I'd rather really have the classes on the psych stuff to really absorb it all.
2) I looked into the end game as was suggested by a few and noticed most of the psych courses I will take are requirements for the Masters programs, so might as well get them done.
3) "dfrecore", it has to be me because my wife is already completely booked up with her own client schedule. If I had her do it, she wouldn't have the time to study, nor would it benefit us financially because I can't multiply her.. darn it. Our goal is to add additional billable hours and keep it in the family..
Have you looked into Fort Hays State University (FHSU)? They charge instate tuition rates for online students and are quite reasonable imho. Plus I also think they accept ACE and such as noted here: https://www.fhsu.edu/registrar/It-s-All-Academic/ and it appears they were part of the Alternative Credit Project- https://www.fhsu.edu/cpl/alternative-credit-project.html - Just something else to consider....as there may be other less costly options out there aside from EC if you can get the timing to work the same...
RE: Need a Bach, to get into Masters Program - davewill - 06-18-2018
(06-18-2018, 05:52 PM)MicroToGo Wrote: Thanks all for the suggestions.
1) I did sign up for the Excelsior system in order to expedite using the test out options and they had a psych degree. I signed up to my local CC for many of the courses that will end by years end and I will just test out of all the rest. I'd rather really have the classes on the psych stuff to really absorb it all.
2) I looked into the end game as was suggested by a few and noticed most of the psych courses I will take are requirements for the Masters programs, so might as well get them done.
3) "dfrecore", it has to be me because my wife is already completely booked up with her own client schedule. If I had her do it, she wouldn't have the time to study, nor would it benefit us financially because I can't multiply her.. darn it. Our goal is to add additional billable hours and keep it in the family..
The Master's program may want you to have grades for those prerequisite courses, anyway, so taking them from a traditional college is good. Do be aware that TESU will not consider anything from a CC as upper level, even if that course would have been from another source. Doesn't matter too much if you're going for BALS, but if going for BA Psych, you'll need some of those to be UL Dfrecore's sheet should identify where UL psych courses can be gotten.