I am trying to finalize my plan for UMPI’s Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration - Project Management & Information Systems. I have attached a spreadsheet mapping UMPI's courses to the courses I think will best fulfill them. I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me confirm whether my plan is valid. Please note that I understand that a maximum of 90 credits can be transferred to UMPI. My spreadsheet lists more than this because mapping out all of my transfer credit options will help me decide exactly which courses to take at UMPI. In my spreadsheet, courses that I have already taken are highlighted in green, while courses I have questions about are highlighted in orange and correspond to the following questions:
Which Sophia course would fulfill both the 1C section of the general education curriculum and the COM210 Organizational Communication course for the business administration curriculum?(UMPI’s official transfer equivalency database lists Sophia’s Workplace Communication course as equivalent to BUS210 Organizational Communication, which UMPI’s general education web page lists as a cross-listing of COM210. However, the “Sophia.org Equivalency List” wiki page lists Sophia’s Public Speaking course as the only equivalent to COM210. Additionally, the “UMPI BABA Project Management Degree Plan” wiki page lists Sophia’s Workplace Communication course as equivalent to PCJ215 Business Communication.)
Can Coursera’s IBM 0018 Data Analyst Professional certification still be taken for transfer credit for BUS440 Business Analytics?(While Coursera lists the ACE credit recommendation as having expired on 9/30/2024, ACE’s website lists it as extending to 9/30/2027.)
Should I take Sophia’s Project Management course or will it cause issues with the later project management courses at UMPI? (The “University of Maine at Presque Isle” wiki page says to not take this course if you are doing the project management & information systems concentration because it will cause issues with the later project management courses at UMPI. However, the “UMPI BABA Project Management Degree Plan” wiki page suggests that you take it.)
Can Coursera’s IBM 0022 Data Analysis and Visualization Foundations Specialization certification still be taken for transfer credit for BUS345 Database Management Systems? (According to both Coursera and ACE, the ACE credit recommendation will expire on 1/31/2025.)
Please also feel free to let me know if there are any courses that you recommend taking at UMPI or any that you recommend avoiding at UMPI. Thank you!
1. The Traditional Route: Starting University Without a Clear Goal
At 18, I enrolled in a brick-and-mortar university, following the standard path laid out for most young adults. I had no specific direction in mind and chose a course largely based on subjects I liked in school without researching future outcome in terms of careers or anything else about my course. It quickly became clear, though, that it wasn't for me, but due to fear of not having any other alternatives I stuck it out. After about a year and a half of struggling, I reached a breaking point with the program, and at the slightest inconvenience, I decided to drop out. 2. Finding Purpose in the Working World: A New Focus During COVID
After leaving university, I explored different careers, working various jobs to see where my interests might truly lie. During COVID, I had the chance to work in a healthcare setting. That experience made me realize how much I enjoyed working directly with people, caring for them, and helping them. Working in healthcare sparked a desire to pursue a meaningful career in a related field, giving me a newfound sense of purpose. This helped me narrow down my goals, even though I’m still refining them at least I now I knew what I did and did not like. 3. The Challenge of UK Education: Looking Beyond for Flexibility
The UK education system felt very rigid for someone in my situation. Since I dropped out halfway through the year, I’d have to repeat the entire second year and pay for it out of pocket, with no student loan eligibility(normally not the case, only for my situation). As this wasn’t financially feasible, nor was this course aligned with my goals I chose to pursue a more flexible way of getting my degree. The only UK university that offered some flexibility in credit transfers was costly, had limited course options, and classes only started in Sep or February. I don't really remember how but teh first program of thsi kind I stumbled upon was WGU and it gave me a spark of hope. 4. A World of Options: Discovering American Online Universities
While searching for alternatives, I stumbled upon Western Governors University (WGU), which offered tech degrees at the time. I loved the pay-per-term model, where you could complete as many courses as possible within six months for a single fee, but they didn’t accept foreign students at that point. This exploration motivated me to research other options outside the UK. I soon found forums filled with information on Thomas Edison State University (TESU), Excelsior College, and others. I initially leaned toward TESU, but their credit requirements felt restrictive. Eventually, I chose Excelsior, as they allowed the highest number of transfer credits. 5. Starting at Excelsior College: An Unexpected Detour
In spring 2023, I took my first class at Excelsior—a one-credit course on information literacy. While I started strong, life circumstances made it difficult to meet all the upper-level credit requirements affordably. This setback demotivated me, and I took my first break from studies. I had my transcript evaluated and completed a few courses through Sophia, but after some plans fell through, I decided to change jobs. The new role came with better pay, benefits, and valuable learning experiences, giving me the determination to revisit my academic goals with fresh energy. 6. Finding the Right Fit: Enrolling at UMPI
In January, I officially enrolled at the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI). My first term ran from March to April, and I admit I was a bit unprepared for the commitment. While I completed three classes—Intro to Psychology, English Composition I, and American Government—I faced a new challenge: procrastination. English was a bit tough, as I hadn’t done much formal writing since 2016, but the government class, with its excellent professor and video feedback, was a breeze. Although I initially budgeted to complete all my courses in one term(HA), I soon realized I’d need more time and took a second term to wrap things up. 7. My Journey to Graduation: A Mix of Determination, Deadlines, and Discovery
I started this journey with three courses: Introduction to Psychology, English 1, and American Government. English was a bit challenging since I hadn’t done much writing since 2016, but it was manageable. American Government turned out to be an absolute breeze, thanks to an excellent professor who provided feedback through video, which I loved. Introduction to Psychology was familiar material, so while it wasn't that exciting, I didn’t struggle.
When I began, I had budgeted to finish all 10 classes in one term. However, I quickly realized I had underestimated the effort needed, and, admittedly, my motivation! Facing a tighter budget and short on time, I set my sights on finishing the remaining seven classes in my second term. 8. The Second Term: Full Speed Ahead
I kicked off the term with Lifespan Development and Social Psychology. Lifespan Development was straightforward; I’d typically receive feedback in a day or two, which made it easy to tackle. I did have to redo a few assignments, but with the detailed feedback provided, it was mostly a matter of refining my work. I wrapped this course up in about two to three weeks. Social Psychology, however, was tougher. The professor was a bit stricter with grading, and feedback took longer—around 3-5 days. To keep momentum, I decided to submit drafts while adding Research Methods, a class with Professor Jenkins. His teaching style was fantastic—challenging yet incredibly rewarding. He became my go-to for another course, as he gave thorough instructions that, if followed, made everything fall into place. 9. A Race Against the Clock
At this point, I was about four or five weeks in with only three classes completed, so I needed to step things up. Around mid-June, I submitted the final for Lifespan Development and added HPR101 on June 12. HPR101 was a quick class; I submitted my final draft on the 17th and moved on to English 2. I also added Drugs and Behavior on June 14 after finishing the draft for Social Psychology.
Juggling these classes all at once was intense! Due to the policy that restricts adding classes in the last two weeks, I got creative and used both draft and final submissions to keep my pace. By the deadline, I had five courses open simultaneously: HPR101, Drugs and Behaviour, Research Methods, Social Psychology, and English 2. HPR101, Social Psychology, and Research Methods mostly just needed final tweaks based on the feedback I’d received. I also tackled Psychobiology toward the end of the term—one of my favourite classes. 10. The Final Stretch and a Huge Relief
By June 28, I had officially completed all the required classes. It was such a relief! The only things left were a 2D arts requirement and a Spanish credit, which I needed to transfer from Sophia to meet all degree requirements. As money was tight, finishing the program in one term was crucial, so I procrastinated on Sophia through July, August, and September. This month, I finally tackled it, transferred the credits, and can now see a "No Requirements Remaining" status on my progress page! 11. Looking Forward and Graduation Next Steps
I applied for graduation and am curious about the next steps—do I wait for an email notification, or will my certificate arrive in the mail? I also wonder if there’s a mailing fee, as ordering a transcript previously cost me over $50.
My GPA is above 3.7, and I’m thrilled and grateful for this journey. I’m already making plans for the future, like a potential Master’s in Biomedical Science via distance learning at the University of Greenwich, which I learned about through work. Immense Gratitude
Finally, I just want to share my immense gratitude for this forum. Even when I didn’t ask questions myself, someone else had already asked, and I could find guidance here. This community made achieving this once-distant dream possible.
So I'm born in Canada but my ethnicity is Indian and I can speak Punjabi well (my Hindi speaking is iffy) and I went to India twice in the past two years (this year I stayed for three and a half months) and I had communicated well with literally countless people and when people from India come here, they comment on how well I speak Punjabi yet my interviewer gave an intermediate-low. I was totally fine with not getting the top score (Superior) as during the test, because of it being an interview and all, I definitely slacked a little due to nervousness but come on, I'm literally a native speaker.
My score only equates to 3 ACE credits.
I paid $30 USD for a test review but I doubt that's going to do me any good.
Reading the definition of intermediate low, that's a score I'd expect to get for Hindi if I were to take it, not Punjabi.
This may be common knowledge by now for people looking into the MAOL from UMPI but Ill just share what was just sent to me.
Hi - This is the link to the MAOL page on the web: https://www.umpi.edu/yourpace/academic_programs/maol/ Within that page, there is a link to the MAOL application as well as a link to the MAOL curriculum. Students that migrate from the undergraduate to graduate level need to take one session off between the two programs. This time is used to confer the undergrad degree.
Also, I have attached a copy of the MAOL degree report - it is possible to substitute up to 3 undergrad classes to the graduate program. I see that you are taking two of those classes right now. Please be sure to read the notes on the bottom of the page carefully.
At this time, the MAOL program is the only graduate program in the YourPace program. I understand there are other programs under consideration, but that is the only active one now.
Hello, I am considering TESU and have been doing research however, I can't find a concrete answer to transfers..
Lets say I have 60 credits from community college(regionally accredited ACCJC), and I have 45 credits ACE(study.com), Can I transfer in 105 towards a single bachelors at TESU? Or will I be capped at 90?
It doesn't clarify if credits from the 3 different sources are additive, specifically past 90.
Further more, what constitutes a 4 year? Is there a list of colleges they consider 4 year? Is there a difference between community RA and 4 year RA?
So, many folks talk about doing a WGU or South degree and being able to accelerate in order to finish in a year or less. I am going to propose a new topic of discussion.
Namely, the idea of a masters that is "quick" due to having the fewest number of required classes or credits. We all know many professional masters degrees with 50 or more credit hours. But the standard MA or MS is usually 30-36 hours. Roughly 10-12 classes with or without a thesis or comp exam. But let's look at the bleeding edge on the other end of the spectrum.
Marywood University http://www.marywood.edu is a private (RA) Catholic College out east which advertises an "Executive Masters in Non-Profit Leadership and Public Management". It is only 18 hours long (6 classes) and can be done in 2 semesters and claims to be NASPAA accredited. Formerly it had been listed an an 18 hour executive MPA in non-profit administration. The only specific requirement for the "executive" track is to have 5 or more years of work experience, as opposed to their traditional 30 credit hour masters program...
Now I am not wanting this to be a thread on Marywood, but I want to know if there are other accredited (RA or NA) US based masters out there that are "quick" based on total course load.
In other words do you know of other masters degree programs (not certificates) that are fast not because you can accelerate WGU style, but because they are significantly shorter than the expected 30-36 credit hours.
Any Online MPA's at a reasonable price that are also NASPAA (Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs & Administration) accredited (or threads here related to this topic)?
I am unsure if folk here are interested, but the University of Tasmania offers free MOOCs in various subjects. A few of these courses are free of charge such as Living with fire, Children rights and safety, Bushfires, Aged care, Healthcare redesign, Dementia, Traumatic Brain injury, and Multiple Sclerosis.
The free courses don't grant credit, whereas there are some credit short courses starting at 99 AUD.
Hi all! It's me, your least favorite non-degree seeking student.
I leave for OCS in January, which means I need to finish my undergrad journey. For those of you following, I finished the requirements for a bachelor's degree in Poly Sci at Penn State (which, combined with my 204 earned credits resulted in an end to my financial aid) on my PSU transcript last May, and have been working on extra classes to raise my uGPA for future Law School plans. Unfortunately, I got deployed last semester at UMPI and only completed 3 courses, so this is my last chance. For those interested, my courses and grade breakdowns going back to high school (the LSAC is a sadistic organization)
My current uGPA, by my own math, is 3.739. I'm enrolled in one class at penn state to finish a history minor this semester, and will almost certainly get an A in that, raising my uGPA to 3.746
With 9 As at UMPI this semester, my uGPA will be a 3.80. The median at my target school, Columbia law, is a 3.90 and will likely be even higher by the time I apply. The 25th percentile uGPA is a 3.81.
It will take me 51 A's to hit that median score, or about one UMPI course per day. For reference, I work about 40 hours a week, stand duty twice a week on top of that, and am also working on my PT scores for OCS an hour a day and taking swim lessons four times a week. Any advice?
