A rose by any other name?

Use the title "Bachelor of Science, major."

Forget the bizarre nonsense.

"in general studies with a concentration in individualized studies with an emphasis in major" How long did it take a ** bureaucrat to come up with that?

** note - I removed the term microphallused before bureaucrat because, after consideration, I determined that some might find it inappropriate.

 

The key is to avoid misleading people.

What is the definition of an "academic major"? The closest I have found comes from the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act. In this case, the requirement listed is 24 semester-credits in the named subject area.

I would say that if an application form (for example) asks specifically for "Major" then one is obliged to use "General Studies."

 

"BSGS Computer Science"?

"Bachelor of Science, Computer Science Concentration"?

 

I agree that this approach is the least misleading. It also won't get hits on Hotjobs (or other search tools) and probably won't be understood by many recruiters or hiring managers.

Why couldn't you use Bachelor of Science, General Studies (Business, Psychology) for example? This would keep you out of trouble but make it easier for recruiters to find you.

...or at least relevant to the job search.

Cheers,
Mark

 

I agree with Mark. You have to include your area of concentration in some form. Monster, Hotjobs, specific company resume banks, etc. will not show your resume in a search if you don't have the keywords used by the employer/recruiter. When you pass the initial resume screening and are invited to an interview, you can fill out your appication with, "BS in General Studies". On your resume, however, use:

BSGS in Computer Science Studies
BS in General Studies (Computer Science Studies concentration)
BSGS in Individual Studies (Computer and Business emphasis)

If you can afford the space on your resume, perhaps include a short summary of your coursework in the concentration. Competition is tough in the job market these days; don't get passed up because an HR rep thought you had a liberal arts degree instead of a degree with the technical specialization they were looking for!

Best Regards,
Bill

 

Whatever

Well, I have 43 credits in Psychology, 31 are at the upper level, more than most folks with a "major" from a B&M school, this includes a breadth of study in research, developmental, abnormal etc. I will promise you that when I graduate from COSC (Hopefully in April or May) I will be letting folks know, specifically, that although the general studies moniker is attached, my bachelors degree is concentrated in Psychology. And if ANYONE asks me in passing, I will certainly tell them that my degree is in psychology. Obviously, if applying form employment based on the GS degree, my transcript will give my employer all they need to have in the way of explanation.

 

Although the COSC website states, Students earn a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science depending upon the number of liberal arts credits completed. While the degree is in general studies, students specialize in an area of concentration at the Bachelor’s level…, the transcript does not state General Studies anyplace.

I list a BS in Individualized Studies – Technology & Business on my resume. The transcript lists a BS Concentration: Individualized Studies and never references the classes/tests that we used for your personalized Individualized Studies. You can list Individualized Studies – Mexican Hat Dancing and Cow Tipping and it does not matter because the classes are never referenced.

 

I am so gonna concentrate my units in cow tipping!

 

Or to paraphrase, it is ok to misrepresent your degree because the chances you will be caught are small. The degree has a major of General Studies. To characterize otherwise is to misrepresent it. Once again I ask why people pursue a degree they are not happy with? Why not choose a degree you don't have to misrepresent? Convience?

 

When I interviewed and hired people, subject of course to the nonsense and hoops through which HR made the jump, I really didn't care what their degree said.

If you wanted to be a programmer and your degree was in Music I certainly wanted to know you could program. One could demonstrate that by prior employment, transcripts, or showing me actual code.

So I don't care if one has a BSGS, BSEE, BS, BA, or any other degree. If it said BS Excelsior, or BS COSC Programming and sandwich making as long as one had the basic understanding of programming and sandwich making demonstrated by any of the above I would hire them assuming they were otherwise acceptable.

I have an MLIS, library and information studies. All of the ads in the Chronicle ask for an ALA accredited MLS. Of course they will accept any Masters degree accredited by the ALA, so the exact initals are of little consequence. Now I can only assume if degrees which must be from an accredited program can be variously entitled then I assume one's BS could be as well.

I personally don't consider it misrepresentation, if you have a BS you have a BS. If you say it is in English when your concentration is in Electrical Engineering then that is misrepresentation but if you list the concentration such as BS SRU Polish Literature and it is concentration this emphasis Polish Literature than that seems OK to me. At least you know something about Polish Literature.

 

I am not paraphrasing, you are twisting words. To say I have a degree in General Studies would be to misrepresent myself.

If I said I had a degree in General Studies and an employer asks to see my transcript and dimploma, I would proven wrong. Where does it say general studies? It does not. Attached is a picture of the transcript that states Indivivualized Studies, what does your transcript from COSC say?

How can you say it is a degree in anything BUT Individualized Studies?

By the way, I am not sure what size this picture will come out so please excuse me if it is too big or small.

 

Hi Randell

Thanks for posting the partial scan. I remember from the old COSC website that they spent quite sometime going over the fact that it was a BS/BA in General Studies. I know many people, myself included passed them over based on that fact.

It is extremely interesting that the transcript doesn't state what COSC said it would. I haven't a clue why they would do that. I don't believe they are required to do so by the accreditor because neither EC nor TESC do that. It may be internal politics at the state level with other state colleges and universities.

In any event, based on your scan I apologize for my previous posts. It is extremely weird how COSC isn't clear about their degree designations, but it certainly isn't their student's responsibility. If my transcript showed what your's does I would certainly call it a B.S. in Individualized Studies. It would get trickier when an application asked for major. I would simply put down concentration in Individualized Studies/Business and Technology.

Is it possible for you post a full scan of the transcript? I realize you would need to eliminate any personal info, but I think it would be a big service to potential COSC students.

Once again my apologies and my thanks for providing the additional information.

 

Hi Mdoneil

We are not talking about it being a BSGS or other unusual degree designation. We are discussing what the major is. Previously COSC explained in a very detailed way that it was specifically a BA/BS in General Studies. Now it appears that despite this they label it as BA/BS in the concentration on both the transcript and diploma. This seems strange, but if this is their way of dealing with internal policies who is to question them? Certainly my two previous posts make no sense in light of this additional information and I apologize for that. I guess if nothing else it is helpful to current and future COSC students to have this additional information.

 

Thank you for your sincere comments. Attached is a picture of my transcript (my scanner does not work).

 

here is the second page of teh transript. Each page s about 50K so it may take some time to view.

 

I just downloaded the ptransript page and it is not really clear. I had to shrink the image to get it under the 50K limit. If you right click on the image, select copy, and paste it to a Word document, it can be expanded.

Hope this is of some help.

 

Thanks Randell for the photos.

My transcripts (new version, since I was around when they were grennbar copies) goes Bachelor of Arts : Concentration Individualized Studies <b>(Natural Sciences)</b>.

Further note is I used COSC as a credit bank since 1979, credits used for the degree are further noted with '*'.

Wonder how they will mark my second bachelor's credits (only joking Paul).