UMPI BS Computer Science YourPace: Projected Launch Strategy & Credit Stacking Guide

[Jonathan Whatley]

Program Structure: What We Know
The traditional BS Computer Science (presential) requires 120 credits comprised of (please correct me if I am wrong, I could not find the complete class to presential BSCS at UMPI):

The complete class lists for the current, on-campus programs are available on the UMPI catalog Academic Programs page.

On-campus Computer Science majors can choose between two different concentrations, Information and Data Management (that’s one concentration) and/or Software and Data Management.

I don’t know that it’s ever been said whether both concentrations or some different concentration would be available when launched on YourPace. Someone once said the YourPace CS program was expected to lean toward business somehow, which could suggest different coursework from either current concentration.

ACE Transfer Policy Changes (May 2025)
Question for the community: Has anyone confirmed whether UMPI's May 1, 2025 policy changes actually permit 90 credits (75%) of ACE transfers for the BS Computer Science program, or has the acceptance been more restrictive than initially reported?

The policy shift on that date reportedly restricted some upper-level course transfers, but clarification is needed on whether lower-level courses from Sophia Learning and Study.com continue to be accepted as of late 2025.

In principle, yes, 90 credits of ACE can come in. But for any degree plan you’re making, you will want to look at your proposed ACE courses and corresponding UMPI requirements side-by-side to see that they match. Basically the changes have been that increasingly, some specific courses from ACE providers are shunted off to elective credit, whereas they had previously fulfilled specific course requirements in a degree plan.

Tier 1 – Sophia Learning (Lower Cost + Easier Testing) […]

Starting with Sophia offers a strategic advantage: all exams are open-book, making course completion
Timeline: 1-2 months

Recommended credits: 48-50 credits

Courses to prioritize: 
Introduction to Java Programming (4.5 cr), 
Introduction to Networking (4.5 cr), 
Introduction to Relational Databases (4.5 cr), 
Introduction to Web Development (4.5 cr), 
plus general education requirements (Psychology, History, Sociology, Ethics, etc.)

All those courses are 3 semester hour credits, and UMPI uses semester hours. You must be confusing them with a quarter hour system used at a minority of other schools (3 semester hours typically converts to 4.5 quarter hours).

These references

• https://umpi.sophia.org/
  
• https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/UM...quivalents
  
• https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/So...lency_List
  

indicate that first three IT courses you list come in as COS 1XX Computer Science Elective. That means they will not satisfy any specific course requirement in the CS major. They’ll go into the same pile of electives as a course in basket weaving.

The fourth, Sophia Introduction to Web Development, does currently seem to transfer as UMPI COS 200 Introduction to Web Design. That would fulfill one course in the on-campus Software Development concentration (but not the other concentration, and who knows whether that course subject will be part of the YourPace program). By the way, numerous reviews for Sophia Introduction to Web Development say it’s poorly designed and has an enormous workload.

Tier 2 – Study.com College Saver Plan (CS-Specific Courses)

Study.com's College Saver plan provides access to specialized computer science courses that map directly to UMPI's BS CS requirements. […]

Courses to prioritize: 
Intro to Programming (CS109, 3 cr), 
Data Structures (CS201, 3 cr), 
Discrete Math (3 cr), 
Computer Architecture (CS306, 3 cr), 
IT Fundamentals (3 cr).

No, none of these courses map directly to UMPI’s BS CS requirements. How could you even make that claim having told us you could not find UMPI’s BS CS requirements? This reads like an AI hallucination.

This reference

• https://study.com/college/school/umpi.html
  

shows that

Study.com Introduction to Programming does currently go to UMPI COS 110 Programming Fundamentals, which is part of the on-campus CS major core

but

Study.com Data Structures goes to UMPI COS 2XX Computer Science Elective
Study.com Discrete Math goes to UMPI MAT 1XX Mathematics Elective
Study.com Computer Architecture goes to UMPI COS 2XX Computer Science Elective
Study.com Fundamentals of Information Technology goes to UMPI COS 103 Introduction to Information Technology, which is NOT part of either on-campus CS program

None of the latter four courses get you any closer to a UMPI CS major.

Tier 3 – Saylor.org ($5 per course)

A critical question: Is Saylor worthwhile?

Saylor offers 17 computer science courses: https://learn.saylor.org/course/index.php?categoryid=9 .

That list isn’t limited by whether they have current ACE credit recommendations or not. 

However, detailed analysis shows only 6-7 of these courses directly transfer to UMPI's BS Computer Science as lower-level courses (those that transfer): 
Introduction to Computer Science (Java), 
Python Programming, 
C++ Programming, 
Data Structures/Algorithms, 
Computer Architecture and Organization, and Computer Networks. 
The remaining 10-11 courses are upper-level and will not transfer.

This is getting increasingly obviously untethered from facts. This reference

• https://www.acenet.edu/National-Guide/Pa...65f38bf0e1
  

shows that Saylor has only two Computer Science courses with a current ACE credit recommendation, Software Engineering and Computer Communications and Networks. The courses you list either never had a Saylor ACE course, or they had a corresponding course that expired between 2022 and 2025 (April 30 2025, long enough ago to indicate the recommendation is dead, as opposed to having been renewed but the renewal paperwork hasn’t cleared).

Feasibility: 
With YourPace's self-paced, competency-based format, students capable of dedicating 30-60 hours weekly can realistically complete these 30 credits in 8 weeks.

It’s very possible computer science courses will be significantly less accelerable than YourPace courses to date in business, social sciences, and liberal studies.

Sophia/Study.com status: 
Are Sophia Learning and Study.com courses still being accepted as transfer credit by UMPI for non-BLS programs post-May 2025? Any recent denials or issues?

Yes they are being accepted as transfer credit, but they’re often shunted off to electives rather than meeting specific course requirements in majors (or concentrations or minors).

UMPI is NOT an option to international students, yet.

This is also mistaken. UMPI YourPace has been perfectly open to international students from day one. They do require foreign credential evaluations for foreign transcripts, except for most Canadian transcripts.