Information Technology Degree from COSC

Hi, all, I am working my way to matriculating into COSC and getting a BS in Information Systems. I chose this particular degree due to the fact that I currently work in IT, and feel very "stuck" where I am. Long story short, I am doing the same type of work for the last 13 or so years (helpdesk/desktop support), and I'm feeling very burned out. I'm hoping for a renewed interest in IT, and feel the only way I can get it is through the process of getting a degree in the field. Though this process I hope to finally figure out what I really want to do in IT.

That being said, I am working towards fulfilling the General Studies requirements and the Liberal Arts requirements (just finishing up a Bio w/lab course (A average, I'm proud to say), and will be attempting to take the American Gov't Clep exam again (failed the first time). I was hoping to connect with others who are currently working toward this degree, or who have finished, so I could get some pointers. What I don't quite understand about COSC is the whole area of portfolios. Since I have been in the IT field a long time, I am hoping to get some credits for work experience.

I am getting ahead of myself, but for once I'm truly enthused about going back to school (have started and stopped at least three times before with nary a degree to show for it), and would love some insight. I'm curious as to how the concentration requirements were handled by those who have been through this. Did you take an online class, test out, create a portfolio?

I'm feeling rather alone in all this as I'm not very good at networking with others, and have virtually no free time between work and school (5 hours every Saturday), that I am turning to the online message boards for help.

Thanks for reading my diatribe, would love to hear from you!

 

I completed my BS from COSC and the credits I uesd for my concentration (Individuized Studies) was a combination of CLEP/DANTES/ECE and upper level classses.

I also failed the Gov CLEP and just took a gov class. I completed my degree by taking mostly CLEP exams and getting credit for computer certs (MCSA,MCSE,A+,N+).

To fill the gen ed requirements, I followed a simple plan from another post of mine-

Here's to your Health was probably the easiest. What is easy to one person may be a killer to another. I went to the website that lists the passing rate for military and started with the exams that had the highest passing rate. I was able to pass almost 20 exams in 2 months without really any studying. Good luck.

websites-
http://www.dantes.doded.mil/dantes_web/examinations/dssts.htm
http://www.dantes.doded.mil/dantes_web/examinations/clepgeneral.htm
http://www.dantes.doded.mil/dantes_web/examinations/clepsubject.htm
http://www.dantes.doded.mil/dantes_web/examinations/ece2.htm

If you have any other questions, let me know

 

Here's to your Health?

According to COSC, it doesn't seem like Here's To Your Health counts towards anything...on the list of Exams Accepted by COSC, there is an N/A next to HTYH. It is not accepted for Liberal Arts, so what is it accepted for? In looking over the lists on the links you have in your posting, some of them aren't even on the listing of accepted exams by COSC. While I have enjoyed my current class, I'm really hoping to go the testing route for the majority of my other credits. Once I get to my concentration, I will have to take some courses, which will only help me to better understand what I really want to do. I appreciate your response, and I'm sure I'll have more questions as I get more into this process. Thanks!

 

It does not count toward liberal arts, it counts as an elective

 

Here is a list from teh COSC website-
http://www.cosc.edu/Advising/StandardizedExams.cfm

COSC offers credit for all exams listed here. If it is not a liberal art, it is an elective.

 

Ahhh..

gotcha. This is my current strategy:

Finish General Studies requirements (1.5 courses to go)
Complete Liberal Arts requirements (30 credits to go)
Complete Concentration including electives

Did you create any portfolios and use them for credits towards the degree? The only certification I have is A+, which counts for only 1 credit (and I think that's probably an elective).

With regard to this form http://www.cosc.edu/Forms/InformationSystems.pdf, how did you satisfy the requirements? How many Cleps or Dantes exams cover the concentration requirements?

Thanks!

 

Re: Ahhh..

I did not do an IT concentration, I did an Individualized Studies concentration (Business & Technology).

 

My apologies...

you wrote that in your initial posting...my powers of concentration are lacking today. I should probably look into an Individual Studies degree myself...we'll see.

Thanks again for your input.

 

ITChick, as far as I know all their degrees are General Studies degrees and they dont mention any major or concentration on diploma. This thing bothered me when I was looking at COSC. Not sure how you see that.

 

Hrm...

I did not realize that. I just assumed, considering they list concentration areas, that the degrees would reflect the concentration (ie, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology)....which is my initial choice. I will have to investigate this further. Thank you for calling this to my attention. Have a good one!

 

Re: Hrm...

The ins and outs and pros and cons of COSC, and similar schools, have been well covered in this forum but you'll have to do a search to find that info.

FWIW, you're right to want out after 13 years.

 

Re: Hrm...

This is kind of a tough issue. Technically the degree is general studies. COSC however only puts the concentration on the transcript and the diploma. I am stickler for accuracy, but I would simply list the degree as it shows on the diploma and transcript.

 

Re: Hrm...

I think the degree that you can put is BS General Studies (concentration Information Systems). I dont think one can call this BS Information Systems or BS in IT as that would be wrong and would not match with what the college actually calls it. This is the only thing that I did not like about COSC programs. I wish they simply have BS Computer Science or BS Information Systems/Technology. In that case I would enrol with COSC in a flash.

 

Re: Re: Hrm...

Wrong, it is a BS in Indiviualized Studies. Look at this thread, it was discussed in detail-
http://www.degreeinfo.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12091&highlight=transcript

 

Re: Re: Re: Hrm...

Sorry I jumped the gun...I was refering to the name of the degree without a concentration.

 

Are you sure????

 

Re: Re: Hrm...

Please realize Randell1234 is a COSC graduate and is the most knowledgable on this topic. Short of going directly to COSC with any question, he has both a COSC diploma and transcript.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Hrm...