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TESU Dual Degrees Input needed - hallk33 - 05-05-2019

Hello all,

Advising recently told me that it is impossible to pursue two bachelor degrees concurrently. They indicated that they only possible option was either to finish one degree and then earn another 24 credits for the next degree or by adding a second concentration which they stated isn't a second degree.

I'm very confused because it seems like there have been numerous people to earn a second degree at TESU in this forum. I'm looking for your experiences, did you earn a second degree concurrently or did you complete one after the other. 

In my case I was pursuing a BSBS in Operations Management and a BSAST in Technical Studies. Both plans were listed as active in my academic profile. I was admitted to the Bachelor to Master program for the MS in Technical Studies. Advising and registration contacted me after I was having difficulty getting the Masters classes to apply to my degrees. Those courses can only fit into the electives section which I already have filled (and apparently there is no way to change this smh). When they contacted me I was informed that I should have been conditionally admitted to the Masters program until I complete a Bachelors degree but that they had mistakenly fully admitted me. I thought that this was a minor oversight that won't affect my until they said and we removed the BSAST because it is is impossible to pursue two bachelor degrees at once. That the BSAST should have never been added to my program because I couldn't be working on it concurrently.

What is going on here? I wasn't aware that you couldn't pursue more than one bachelor degree as it seems like people here have done so and because TESU allowed me to add the second program. I'm really hoping that this is just goofiness related to confusion about the BSAST or advising not knowing how to do their job but I'm looking for input.


RE: TESU Dual Degrees Input needed - dfrecore - 05-06-2019

A dual degree is different than 2 separate degrees; a dual degree is 2 degrees within the same "school." The BSAST is in the School of Applied Science & Technology, while the BSBA is in the School of Business & Management.

If you want a dual degree, you'd want things like a BSBA & BSOL (School of Business & Management), or BSAST & BS in Cybersecurity (School of Applied Science & Technology), or a BA in Psychology and BA in Sociology (Heavin School of Arts & Sciences).


RE: TESU Dual Degrees Input needed - bjcheung77 - 05-06-2019

I think the person you were talking to didn't know what was required. You should be able to complete two degrees at the same time as per this website link, it shouldn't matter if the degrees belong into the same school or not. https://www.tesu.edu/academics/catalog/award-of-degrees


RE: TESU Dual Degrees Input needed - hallk33 - 05-06-2019

(05-06-2019, 11:29 AM)dfrecore Wrote: A dual degree is different than 2 separate degrees; a dual degree is 2 degrees within the same "school."  The BSAST is in the School of Applied Science & Technology, while the BSBA is in the School of Business & Management.

If you want a dual degree, you'd want things like a BSBA & BSOL (School of Business & Management), or BSAST & BS in Cybersecurity (School of Applied Science & Technology), or a BA in Psychology and BA in Sociology (Heavin School of Arts & Sciences).

Ok thanks for the terminology correction. So a dual degree is actually just adding a second area of study to a degree. 

Do you know anything about the restriction of not being able to pursue two separate degrees at once?

(05-06-2019, 02:36 PM)bjcheung77 Wrote: I think the person you were talking to didn't know what was required.  You should be able to complete two degrees at the same time as per this website link, it shouldn't matter if the degrees belong into the same school or not.  https://www.tesu.edu/academics/catalog/award-of-degrees

I did point out this page while I was on the phone with them. They said it wasn't possible to pursue two degrees at once. That this page was only applicable after you earned the first degree. They said that the only way it was possible to work on two degrees concurrently was by adding a second concentration which is not two degrees. 

I think they were hung up on this part "These credits must be earned after the date the most recent degree, regardless of academic level, was conferred." The way I interpret that is there is nothing restricting me from working on two degrees at the same time but I must finish one degree first and then complete another 24 credits in the second AOS to finish the second bachelors.


RE: TESU Dual Degrees Input needed - dfrecore - 05-06-2019

(05-06-2019, 04:26 PM)hallk33 Wrote:
(05-06-2019, 02:36 PM)bjcheung77 Wrote: I think the person you were talking to didn't know what was required.  You should be able to complete two degrees at the same time as per this website link, it shouldn't matter if the degrees belong into the same school or not.  https://www.tesu.edu/academics/catalog/award-of-degrees

I did point out this page while I was on the phone with them. They said it wasn't possible to pursue two degrees at once. That this page was only applicable after you earned the first degree. They said that the only way it was possible to work on two degrees concurrently was by adding a second concentration which is not two degrees. 

I think they were hung up on this part "These credits must be earned after the date the most recent degree, regardless of academic level, was conferred." The way I interpret that is there is nothing restricting me from working on two degrees at the same time but I must finish one degree first and then complete another 24 credits in the second AOS to finish the second bachelors.

So another correction of terminology: this person is discussing a 2nd degree, which again is different than a dual degree, or simultaneous degrees.

Here's what you want to discuss:
First Simultaneous Baccalaureate Degrees

  • Students who desire to have two Thomas Edison State University baccalaureate degrees awarded in the same graduation cycle may do so providing 24 credits are different in the second degree's core/area of study.



RE: TESU Dual Degrees Input needed - hallk33 - 05-06-2019

(05-06-2019, 05:05 PM)dfrecore Wrote:
(05-06-2019, 04:26 PM)hallk33 Wrote:
(05-06-2019, 02:36 PM)bjcheung77 Wrote: I think the person you were talking to didn't know what was required.  You should be able to complete two degrees at the same time as per this website link, it shouldn't matter if the degrees belong into the same school or not.  https://www.tesu.edu/academics/catalog/award-of-degrees

I did point out this page while I was on the phone with them. They said it wasn't possible to pursue two degrees at once. That this page was only applicable after you earned the first degree. They said that the only way it was possible to work on two degrees concurrently was by adding a second concentration which is not two degrees. 

I think they were hung up on this part "These credits must be earned after the date the most recent degree, regardless of academic level, was conferred." The way I interpret that is there is nothing restricting me from working on two degrees at the same time but I must finish one degree first and then complete another 24 credits in the second AOS to finish the second bachelors.

So another correction of terminology: this person is discussing a 2nd degree, which again is different than a dual degree, or simultaneous degrees.

Here's what you want to discuss:
First Simultaneous Baccalaureate Degrees
  • Students who desire to have two Thomas Edison State University baccalaureate degrees awarded in the same graduation cycle may do so providing 24 credits are different in the second degree's core/area of study.

That's for pointing this out. I thought I had read it before but then when I was on the phone I couldn't find the information. I think I skipped that section because it means Associates.


RE: TESU Dual Degrees Input needed - cookderosa - 05-08-2019

My apologies for offering an opinion on something you didn't ask about - but you're pushing your goal post really, really, really far out there. Not only is a second bachelor's degree unnecessary, but doing the bachelor's to master's puts you in an (expensive) impossible situation if you don't finish. The likelihood of another college accepting graduate credit that was earned as part of an undergraduate degree is almost zero.

I know you didn't ask- but your advisor won't advise you against overspending or lingering- two very bad situtions in higher ed. You know most people *never* graduate, so my advice is to help you get OUT of college. If I were in your shoes, I'd pick the technical degree for my bachelor's and the management degree for my masters. You'll have a much shorter time of it and the cost will be dramatically less.


RE: TESU Dual Degrees Input needed - hallk33 - 05-09-2019

(05-08-2019, 04:34 PM)cookderosa Wrote: My apologies for offering an opinion on something you didn't ask about - but you're pushing your goal post really, really, really far out there.  Not only is a second bachelor's degree unnecessary, but doing the bachelor's to master's puts you in an (expensive) impossible situation if you don't finish. The likelihood of another college accepting graduate credit that was earned as part of an undergraduate degree is almost zero.  

I know you didn't ask- but your advisor won't advise you against overspending or lingering- two very bad situtions in higher ed.  You know most people *never* graduate, so my advice is to help you get OUT of college.  If I were in your shoes, I'd pick the technical degree for my bachelor's and the management degree for my masters.  You'll have a much shorter time of it and the cost will be dramatically less.

I appreciate the feedback. If I were to transfer the graduate credits being accepted depends on the the school accepting them not if they were taken as part of the Bachelor to Master route. 
If I were to pick the technical degree for my bachelors it would take be significantly longer. A management based, like a MBA, masters will not help my career out much and I wouldn't be able to apply any credits to a bachelor degree because it doesn't fit in the technical degree and TESU says I have already fulfilled the area where those credits would apply in the BSBA. I don't know why they are unwilling to move these. I am currently petitioning this with the dean.

I talked with advising today. It appears that the person who removed the BSAST was mostly wrong. Yes you can pursue 2 degrees concurrently. However there is an "unwritten rule" that the registrar follows that will not allow you to apply "general management courses" under the BSBA to other degrees. No this doesn't make any sense that they can enforce an unwritten rule. I am currently appealing this decision to the dean.


RE: TESU Dual Degrees Input needed - cookderosa - 05-13-2019

(05-09-2019, 10:57 PM)hallk33 Wrote:
(05-08-2019, 04:34 PM)cookderosa Wrote: My apologies for offering an opinion on something you didn't ask about - but you're pushing your goal post really, really, really far out there.  Not only is a second bachelor's degree unnecessary, but doing the bachelor's to master's puts you in an (expensive) impossible situation if you don't finish. The likelihood of another college accepting graduate credit that was earned as part of an undergraduate degree is almost zero.  

I know you didn't ask- but your advisor won't advise you against overspending or lingering- two very bad situtions in higher ed.  You know most people *never* graduate, so my advice is to help you get OUT of college.  If I were in your shoes, I'd pick the technical degree for my bachelor's and the management degree for my masters.  You'll have a much shorter time of it and the cost will be dramatically less.

I appreciate the feedback. If I were to transfer the graduate credits being accepted depends on the the school accepting them not if they were taken as part of the Bachelor to Master route. 
If I were to pick the technical degree for my bachelors it would take be significantly longer. A management based, like a MBA, masters will not help my career out much and I wouldn't be able to apply any credits to a bachelor degree because it doesn't fit in the technical degree and TESU says I have already fulfilled the area where those credits would apply in the BSBA. I don't know why they are unwilling to move these. I am currently petitioning this with the dean.

I talked with advising today. It appears that the person who removed the BSAST was mostly wrong. Yes you can pursue 2 degrees concurrently. However there is an "unwritten rule" that the registrar follows that will not allow you to apply "general management courses" under the BSBA to other degrees. No this doesn't make any sense that they can enforce an unwritten rule. I am currently appealing this decision to the dean.

<<If I were to transfer the graduate credits being accepted depends on the the school accepting them not if they were taken as part of the Bachelor to Master route>>

I've read hundreds of transfer policies to the contrary, but nevertheless, good luck with your appeals and petitions.


RE: TESU Dual Degrees Input needed - terryd5150 - 04-03-2020

So is it possible to earn two different Bachelor's degrees from TESU at the same time?

For example: a BSBA and a BACS?