Exams available for Excelsior BS-CIS Core Requirements?

Can someone who's enrolled in the BS-CIS program at Excelsior post the approved course list that can be used towards the core requirements?

I spoke with one of the Excelsior technology Advisors today. I was told that they could not provide this list to me until I am enrolled. However, they told me that others who are enrolled could share it with me...

I'm in a bind; I need to submit an education plan for my work to approve reinbursement of my training plans for the next year; and it is already overdue. If I wait to submit my education plan until after my Admissions credit evaluation is complete, then enroll; it would be too late to get something started for this year. Also, I would then be wasting much of the first year of my enrollment fee... and I'd like to be able to complete the degree requirements in one year.

I am mostly interested in using proficiency exams to fulfill the Core requirements, but I may also need some distance learning options for some of them. I am looking strongly at some of the courses/exams from Athabasca University...

I'd prefer to use exams other than those from ICCP... From what I've heard, the ICCP exams may be pretty outdated...

Can someone please help? I would be eternally gratefull.

Here's what I've got so far:

1. Intro to Computers
- DSST: Introduction to Computing
- Could be waived for sufficient Vendor Certification credits?

2. Computer Architecture or Assembly Language
- Ohio Univ: ETCH236A: Microprocessor and Computer Basics
- Athabasca ??

3. High-Level Structured Language
- ICCP C, C++, COBOL, Pascal, or Procedural Programming
- Athabasca: COMP268: Intro to Comp Prog (Java)
- Others??

4. Database Concepts
- ICCP: Data Resource Management
- TECEP: CIS-311-TE: Database Management
- Athabasca ??
- Others??

5. Data Communications
- ICCP: Internetworking and Communications
- ECE: CIS350: Business Data Communications
- Athabasca: COMP347: Computer Networks I ??
- Others??

6. Operating Systems
- ICCP: Systems Programming
- Athabasca ??
- TECEP ??
- Ohio Univ ??
- Others??

7. Systems Analysis and Design
- ICCP: Systems Development
- Athabasca: COMP381: Systems Design and Implementation ??
- TECEP ??
- Ohio Univ ??
- Others??

8. Data Structures
??

I've taken guesses at some of the Athabasca courses/exams that could be used toward the core requirements... If anyone could confirm them, that would be great.

Thanks,
Pat F.

 

This is what I did for some of the exams:


4. Database Concepts
TOOK: TECEP: CIS-311-TE: Database Management - passed it the first time with a B.
AVOID: ICCP: Data Resource Management


5. Data Communications
TOOK: ICCP: Internetworking and Communications - failed it the first time, got 73 the next time.
I would recommed the new Excelsior Data Communications course.


7. Systems Analysis and Design
Right now I'm taking the: Athabasca: COMP381: Systems Design.
It is not hard and I'm actually learning useful stuff. I'm half-way done and should finish within 6 weeks.
Didn't learn shit studying for the ICCP exam.
AVOID: ICCP: Systems Development - failed it 3 times; don't go near this piece of shit of an exam.


I would avoid ICCP for 2 reasons:

1. You are going to waste money because there is a great chance you might fail the first (and even second) time.
2. You don't learn anything studying for these exams. They recommend the "Bird Study Material", which are a joke and outragously priced at $168.00 per course.

Any questions, let me know.

 

Thanks MikeMCSD!

Are you considering other courses or exams from Athabasca?

When looking at their course lists, I thought that "COMP361 Systems Analysis and Design" would be the recommended course instead of "COMP381 Systems Design and Implementation"...

Do you know if there are others from Athabasca that can meet the core requirements? I was thinking that "COMP347: Computer Networks" could be used for the Data Communications requirement. Also, what about "COMP378: Introduction to Database Management" for Database Concepts, "COMP314: Computer Organization" for Computer Architecture, and "COMP272: Data Structures and Algorithms (Java)" for Data Structures?

How are their distance learning options? I see that some of the courses are offered as "Individualized study - Online" and some are "Grouped study - e-Class".

How is the COMP381 course your taking? Does it allow for much flexibility in your schedule? i.e. do you have to meet and turn in assignments on specific days of the week? or is it flexible enough for you to work on it when your work allows?

Thanks,
Pat F.

 

I meant the Computer Science (COMP) 361 Systems Analysis and Design, which I'm taking now:

http://www.athabascau.ca/html/syllabi/comp/comp361.htm#Outline

You can work at your own pace and by yourself. You do the 4 assignment and email them to your tutor. He marks them in a few days. I'm going to finish soon.

This is the last course I need for my Excelsior CIS degree so you can imagine how pissed I was over the ICCP sys dev exam and all the money I wasted, $800.00+.

 

I just received a more detailed course description list for the core requirements from Excelsior... So, here is a list of courses / exams that could be taken from Athabasca University (& others) for the core BS CIS requirements:

1. Intro to Computers
- Could be waived for sufficient Vendor Certification credits?

2. Computer Architecture or Assembly Language
- Ohio Univ: ETCH236A: Microprocessor and Computer Basics
- Athabasca: COMP314: Computer Organization

3. High-Level Structured Language
- Athabasca: COMP268: Intro to Comp Prog (Java)

4. Database Concepts
- TECEP: CIS-311-TE: Database Management
- Athabasca: COMP378: Intro to Database Management

5. Data Communications
- ICCP: Internetworking and Communications
- ECE: CIS350: Business Data Communications
- Athabasca: COMP347: Computer Networks I

6. Operating Systems
- ICCP: Systems Programming
- Athabasca: COMP315 Advanced Operating Systems (Linux)

7. Systems Analysis and Design
- ICCP: Systems Development
- Athabasca: COMP361: Systems Analysis and Design

8. Data Structures
- Athabasca: COMP272: Data Structures & Algorithms (Java)

Thanks,
Pat F.

 

I don't know how valuable this might be, but community colleges will often let you challenge their courses. I just finished challenging a bunch of programming and computer science courses at my local community colleges, and got a certificate in programming without spending one minute in class.

They cost me $100 each to challenge, and they will all transfer into Excelsior as general electives, except the Computer Science I, which is a Math/Natural Science..

I am not going for the CIS degree, though when I started all of this, that was my intent.

I guess there is more than one way to test out, you know?

Sean

 

The ICCP exams are something I would want to avoid. I am debating between the BSCIS and the BS Business MIS from Excelsior.
Maybe I'll look at Athabasca for some required credits if I go for the CIS program.
Too bad there are no other exams besides ICCP to fulfill some of of the requirements

 

You have a question mark about Intro to Computers being waived. Does anyone know if this is true or not?

Can't you pick some other programming language they offer or is Java the only accepted course from this school that meets this requirement?

I also noticed that some of these courses have their own prerequisites, so you may need to take other courses first before enrolling in the courses listed above.

 

I finally received my unofficial credit review back from Excelsior. It didn't have any detail about how my courses / exams were applied. However, it did not show that I need to fulfill the "Intro to Computers" requirement. I am assuming that the "70-068 IMPLEMENTING & SUPPORTING MS WINDOWS NT SERVER 4.0 IN THE ENTERPRISE" exam was applied to this. At least this is what I saw from someone else's forum posting...

Re: Java; there are other languages that could be taken, i.e. C/C++ -- and Athabasca also has a programming course/exam available for C/C++: (COMP307 C/C++ for Programmers). I believe this is also approved by Excelsior as a course/exam to fulfill the programming requirement... However, it looks like the COMP268 Introduction to Computer Programming (Java) course is the prerequisite...

Thanks,
Pat F.

 

I've had better success with the ICCP exams than most. I passed Data Communications a few years ago, first time. Of course I was in the Army Signal Corps.... (3 credits)

I also recently took the core -- and was awarded a total of 9 credits for it.

I took the DRM and failed it. If it does not meet the Data Structures item (it is not listed as meeting the req. in the Excelsior Prefered Provider catalog.... then I will not retake it.

 

Also consider CompTia and MS certification exams. Ask your advisor what cert tests will meet which requirements.

 

In the TESC "Signals" publication a few months ago, they mentioned that a TECEP for Operating Systems would be available by June 2004:

http://www.tesc.edu/data/publications/signals_winter_2004.pdf

 

These are the courses I need to complete my BS CIS:

"Arts & Sciences Component
You need 15.00 credits in the arts and sciences to include:
- 12.00 semester credits in the Arts & Sciences Electives
- 3.00 credits in Ethics

You need to complete 2.0 Mathematics course(s) from the following list:
- Discrete Mathematics
- Calculus I
- Calculus II
- Statistics
- Quantitative Methods
- Linear Programming
- Decision Support Systems
- Logic (from either a Philosophy or a Mathematics department)

Computer Information Systems Component
- 26.00 total credits (13 credits must be upper level in Computer Information Systems to
include courses in:
- Computer Architecture/Assembly Language
- Database Concepts
- High-Level Structured Language
- Data Structures
- Data Communications
- Operating Systems
- Systems Analysis and Design

'Information Literacy Requirement'"

The total is 42 units. I can start in August, so if I need to complete it all in 2 semesters, I would need to carry a 21 unit per semester work load (7 courses per semester).

I know courses should be available for everything I need and exams for some.

Of the exams that are available, is the exam prep material adequate for you to learn the material needed pass the exams or do you already have to have most of the knowledge from past experience?
If preparing for exams is much faster than taking courses, then I'd like to take all the exams possible and minimize the number of courses.

Anyone have more recommendations on specific exams that work well to meet the requirements above and if the $720 courses at Excelsior are better than the courses at other schools (Athabasca, TESC etc.) where I could also take online courses?

 

Yesterday I registered for my first Excelsior WebCT based course. I have previously used UOP only courses but did not like their format (Newsgroups, not web driven). Excelsior's webct courses appear to be hosted by Indiana State U and seem to be accessible with just a standard web browser (some free plug ins like adobe, flash, shockwave, etc.). I'm doing thier CIS 210 Object Oriented Programing to fullfill the Higher Level Structured lanaguage. I was going to take thier Operating Systems course at the same time but the class was full.

Excelsior cost on these classes is a far better deal than UOP and many other online courses. The active duty military (I'm a veteran) get an even cheaper rate.

I've taken:

Life Span Development Psycology, World Population, and Organizational Behavior -- all Excelsior Exams using the recommended study matarials (sold at the college book store). I have some good experience, test well, and was able to do without reading the entire set of books. I know others who tried to cut out some of the recommeded study and did not do as well as I: A, B, & A on the above coures picking up 6UL and 3LL credits.

I plan to take the Ethics & Statistic ECE exams.

NOTE: Excelsior does not appear to be awarding any new credit for ICCP exams but seems to be honoring previous awards. IANAL, but suspect it is because ICCP has lost ACE's favor.

Here's my remaining needs:

Arts & Sciences Component
You need 31.00 credits in the arts and sciences to include:
- 3.00 credits in Ethics (I've got the books, but need to study)

You need to complete 2.0 Mathematics course(s) from the following list:
- Discrete Mathematics
- Calculus I
- Calculus II
- Statistics (Approved to the ECE Exam, but might take the Excelsior WebCt class if I like the the one I start the first week of May. I hear ECE is developing more WebCt version of these coures to help thier students meet the requirements.)
- Quantitative Methods
- Linear Programming
- Decision Support Systems
- Logic (from either a Philosophy or a Mathematics department)

Computer Information Systems Component
You need to complete the following core requirements:
- Computer Architecture/Assembly Language
- High-Level Structured Language (Start a ECE webct in 1st week of may for this.)
- Data Structures
- Operating Systems