NAVY Sailor Test Out Excelsior Bachelors of science in Social Science ( Liberal Arts)

I am currently a Navy Sailor with a PS rating and i am trying my best for the officer package.
I wanted to ask current Excelsior students, alumina, and other who know about this as to how to opt out of
Bachelors of Science in social science with focus on international relation.
Currently, the navy only pays for you to be part time student, so I want to test put of as much as I can. I love my enlisted sailor but its time I go for the officer, as I like everyone have the right to better myself.

The following, which I got from excelsior hand book, are the requirement for Bachelors of Science in social science with focus on international relation
I. Core Requirements

A. An introductory-level survey course in interdisciplinary social sciences such as: [SOC 110 Introduction to Interdisciplinary Social Science]

B. A course on theories of societal organization such as: Social Theory [SOC 319 Understanding Society: The Theories of Karl Marx, W.E.B. DuBois and Others]

C. Social Sciences Research Methods such as: [SOC 465 Social Science Research]

D. Research and Writing in the degree such as: [LA 496 Research and Writing in the Liberal Arts]

E. Social Sciences Capstone the Social Sciences degree requires the completion of the Excelsior College capstone course [LA 498SS Social Science Capstone], with a grade of C or better. The capstone course must be taken at Excelsior College and cannot be transferred in.

After The core requirement the following should be met
A. International Politics: [POL 231B Introduction to World Politics and Conflict, POL 320 Geopolitics of Energy and Global Climate Change, POL 350 beyond War and Peace: International Relations]

B. Globalization such as: [ECON/SOC 341 Globalization, BUS 435 International Business, BUS 480 Global Business Strategy]

C. Choose one course from at least four different areas:

International Law such as: [POL 311 Public Policy Issues]

International Relations such as: [POL 320 Geopolitics of Energy and Global Climate Change, POL 350 Beyond War and Peace: International Relations, HIS 332 History of U.S. Foreign Affairs Since 1898, HISx340 World Conflicts Since 1900 exam]

International Economics such as: [ECON 360 International Economics, BUS 435 International Business, BUS 480 Global Business Strategy]

Middle Eastern Politics/History such as: [POL 363 International Politics of the Middle East and North Africa, HIS 342 Contemporary Middle East History]

China and East Asian Politics/History such as: [POL 390 Rise of China, HIS 344 Contemporary Chinese History and Culture, HIS 352 U.S. - Vietnam War]

Latin American Politics/History

European Politics/History such as: [HIS 341 Contemporary European History and Politics, HIS 353 Holocaust]

African Politics/History: [POL 363 International Politics of the Middle East and North Africa]

If credit are not completed then electives should be taken
D. International Relations electives: [SOC 362 Genocide and Ethnic Conflict, CJ 328 Crimes Against Humanity, CJ 350 International Terrorism, BUS 502 Global Business Environment, CJ 355 Analyzing Intelligence, Terrorism and National Security, CJ 452 Security Planning and Assessment, CJ 454 Terrorism in the 21st Century, HIS 351 Cold War]

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That said, I already have an associated degree from Truman College in Arts. Yes I got that degree to advance in my rank. It gave me a rank of e3 when I joined the navy (on a side note if anybody needs help or advice in that pm me)
My already acquired credits are as follow


ART 103 Art Appreciation B 3.00
BIOLOGY 121 Biology I T 5.00
BIOLOGY 226 Human Struc and Func I C 4.00
BIOLOGY 227 Human Struc and Func II A 4.00
CHEM 121 Basic Chemistry I A 4.00
CHEM 201 General Chemistry I A 5.00
CHEM 212 Survey Of Organic & Biochem A 4.00
ENGLISH 101 Composition A 3.00
ENGLISH 102 Composition B 3.00
HISTORY 232 Modern Euro Hist 1500-1830 T 3.00
LIT 110 Introduction To Literature T 3.00
MATH 204-1 Calculus For Bus Soc Sci T 5.00
MCROBIO 233 General Microbiology C 4.00
MUSIC 121 Introduction To Music A 3.00
NURSING 101 Fundamentals Of Nursing C 7.00
PSYCH 201 General Psychology A 3.00
SOC 205 Social Problems A 3.00
SPEECH 101-1 Fund Of Speech Communicationn B 3.00
VOC TR 1901 Mock Hospital Skills Lab S 1.00

Total Credit :70 and already have my associates. As you can see i was already in my nursing class when i left college and joined the enlistment rank. That's because its something my parent deeply wanted me to do and I wanted to honor their wish ( on a side note , we are not a military family )

with all of that said , now I need experts opinion what classes can I test out. I know that the academic adviser at excelsior can help me a bit but they aren't helping totally . they want me to take their class , but i want to test out of as much as I can and quickly send my officer package.
i can do clep , Penn Foster , DSST, DANTES and any testing available . thanks

oh and I forgot to mention , I am Stationed at Chicago, so Hi everybody from Chicago, we just have our winter coming up and its very chilly.

 

A PS as in, a Personnel Specialist? I was a Personnelman (PN2). Some time around when I was separating they announced a merger with DKs and so your rate was born! In any case, I'm not a testing expert but I have done a fair amount of Penn Foster work. The first thing that I would mention is that Penn Foster, for Excelsior, is going to be as good as the ACE recommendations. So it is important that you verify each of your courses in the ACE catalogue to make sure it is currently recommended for credit. A lot of their courses dropped off though a whole lot were just renewed.

Next, while Excelsior is certainly a solid choice, you should also be aware that PF has an articulation agreement with Charter Oaks. So, that might be an avenue to consider as well.


Another issue is that the courses you already have don't seem to translate very well to the degree plan you've laid out. You have a good assortment of credits in the natural sciences but are pursuing a degree in the social sciences. You can certainly do that, but it's going to result in a duplication of efforts. If your goal is to have a BS in Social Science and no other major will do, then do what you need to do. But if your goal is just to get a bachelors so you can apply for OCS then I'd focus on the quickest path to the bachelors (you can always specialize at the graduate level). Consider, for a moment, the B.S. in Natural Sciences and Mathematics at TESC. There is a requirement for 30 credits in the area of concentration which states:

Well, I see biology and I see chemistry on your list. Earning 12 credits in say, physics or environmental science, would take you most of the way there with the GenEd being completely testable. Alternatively, the B.A. in Liberal Studies lists as a possible avenue for the degree's 30 credit liberal studies requirement:

EXAMPLE II: 30
Social Sciences
(15)
Natural Sciences
(9)
Humanities
(6)

Whether you consider alternative options or stick with your original degree plan you'll notice that the biggest gap you have is upper division credits. Even if you went with the TESC B.A. in Liberal Studies you would need 18 credits (of your 30 in Liberal Studies) to equate to the 300 or 400 level. So, PF might not help you at all unless you can find an ACE recommended upper division course in their offerings. You'll be able to knock out a fair number of them through UExcel. There you will find some UL offerings in Social Science and History that should suit your needs. You may also find some good courses/testing options through NCCRS.

I'm also not really an expert in these things as I didn't design my own program. I would distill my advice down to: "Consider the fastest path to a bachelors even if that means changing programs, focus on meeting those upper level requirements and use UExcel and NCCRS to knock out a goodly number of them."

Good luck, shipmate.

 

sorry for the late reply ,
I actually read and then re read your post more than 3 times.
yes you are Right PS is a personal Specialist.
and yes you are right on the on the dot , the aim is to quickly apply for OCS ( officer package).
Now I am thinking about doing a Bachelors in Science, but again , i want a road map to test put of it as soon as possible.
thank you so much for your input and for your service of our country . Proud to Know I am serving such a with such helpful people.
please inform me if you have any other information that can help me here .
Thanks

 

Any updates guys ? i am really looking to complete this degree since we are going on a tour to Persian gulf

 

I was in the Reserves and tested out of 54 credits in 6 weeks to get my BS from Charter Oak State College.
August
08-14-2002 DANTES Intro to Criminal Justice
08-14-2002 DANTES Intro to Law Enforcement

September
09-04-2002 DANTES Intro to Computing
09-04-2002 DANTES Organizational Behav
09-04-2002 DANTES Envir and Humanity
09-09-2002 DANTES – HR Management
09-09-2002 DANTES Tech Writing
09-09-2002 DANTES Intro to Business
09-12-2002 DANTES Here’s to you Health
09-17-2002 CLEP History and Social Science
09-19-2002 ECE Labor relations
09-22-2002 DANTES Ethics
09-22-2002 DANTES MIS
09-26-2002 ECE Production/Operation Mgt
09-30-2002 CLEP English w/essay

November
11-11-2002 ECE Research Methods in Psy

It can be done and since you are in the military CLEPs and DANTES are free. I think COSC has a better "Liberal Arts" option so you have more test choices to earn a degree. I just wanted a BS to apply to graduate school and I really didn't care what it was called.

 

I was in the Reserves and tested out of 54 credits in 6 weeks to get my BS from Charter Oak State College.
August
08-14-2002 DANTES Intro to Criminal Justice
08-14-2002 DANTES Intro to Law Enforcement

September
09-04-2002 DANTES Intro to Computing
09-04-2002 DANTES Organizational Behav
09-04-2002 DANTES Envir and Humanity
09-09-2002 DANTES – HR Management
09-09-2002 DANTES Tech Writing
09-09-2002 DANTES Intro to Business
09-12-2002 DANTES Here’s to you Health
09-17-2002 CLEP History and Social Science
09-19-2002 ECE Labor relations
09-22-2002 DANTES Ethics
09-22-2002 DANTES MIS
09-26-2002 ECE Production/Operation Mgt
09-30-2002 CLEP English w/essay

November
11-11-2002 ECE Research Methods in Psy

It can be done and since you are in the military CLEPs and DANTES are free. I think COSC has a better "Liberal Arts" option so you have more test choices to earn a degree. I just wanted a BS to apply to graduate school and I really didn't care what it was called.

 

B's is 6 weeks , that's something I am very much interested in , out of curiosity that's just 56 credit where did you get the other 60-70 credit for the degree and you and I are om the same path I really don't care about the degree (except that I don't like a business degree , weird coming from a sailor who also owns a small business in downtown Chicago ) ? I just want to apply for the ocs .

 

BS in 6 weeks , that's something I am very much interested in, out of curiosity that's just 56 credit. Where did you get the other 60-70 credit for the degree ?
You and I are on the same path. I really don't care about the degree (except that I don't like a business degree , weird coming from a sailor who also owns a small business in downtown Chicago) I just want to apply for the OCS .