I have a tough question

When I was at BYU, a fellow student contracted an illness during his senior year, which made it impossible to attend classes. He did some research and discovered Regents/USNY (now Excelsior). Through independent study and CLEP he completed his bachelors through Regents, got over his illness and completed a masters at BYU and then a doctorate at the University of Utah. Regents kept him from losing an entire year when he was bed ridden.

A few years later, I convinced another friend to check out Thomas Edison when Arizona State U. made changes to his program that would have delayed his B.S. degree. He completed his TESC bachelors, enrolled in a masters of physical therapy program and is very successful in his career. My former Dean was head of assessment for the New Jersey Department of Education and told me that TESC enjoys a good reputation as an innovative institution.

Nine months versus two years? I loved BYU, but given your situation, I would have gone with Thomas Edison.

Tony Pina

 

What (specifically) is a degree in "general studies" as that is understood at BYU?

I don't completely understand that last parenthetical remark.

A graduate degree usually is an advanced degree that builds on previous undergraduate work. Most graduate programs still require applicants to have undergraduate degrees in the subject of the advanced degree, or in a closely related subject.

An (arguably disturbing) exception is the MBA. I get the impression that the bachelors in business administration is gradually dying out, and the MBA is becoming the standard first degree in business for individuals with unrelated undergraduate majors.

What's more "important", the degree or the institution?

I'd suggest that the degree is more important in most cases.

If I wanted to be an engineer, a BSEE from San Jose State would have a lot more chance of getting me into graduate school or industrial employment than a BA in sociology from MIT. (Of course, if you are choosing from among engineering graduates specifically, an MIT degree would clearly have more clout than a San Jose State degree.)

In the majority of cases, the degree defines the universe of discourse, the institution creates perceived gradations within it.

If you are considering "testing out" at TESC, you have thrown in another complicating factor.

Do you already have skills and knowledge that you would like to have certified and recognized? Are these academic-major or professionally related things that you would like to bring to an employer's attention? Do you already know stuff about accounting or marketing or something? Would a "general studies" degree succeed in demonstrating that you know those things?

 

IMHO (and experience)... which I guess would be IMHO&E...

There is little to no difference between a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science. I still can't figure out an generally accepted pattern to the distinction of "Arts" and "Science" degrees (at both the Bachelor and Master levels). In my own personal case I have two "Arts" degrees, and I have no idea why.

My undergrad was in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a minor in Physics... BA

My first graduate degree was in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Environmental Chemistry... MA

I haven't taken a language course since high school, I think I took one photography and one theater course as an undergrad, everything else (including my doctoral work) was in the hard sciences... but nonetheless, I feel very "artsy"

Anyway, that having been said, while the degree distinction isn't so important, I've found that a major designation in your field is usually better received than a General Studies or Liberal Arts one.

As for school reputation, that can be important, but it's really a function of what you are planning to do with the degree. BYU would probably carry a little more weight if you decide that is important. Although how a school’s reputation is perceived is a very individualized (and subjective) thing. Personally, I still won’t trust any WVU graduates because of a rather over indulgent St. Patrick’s day weekend that I encountered while visiting the school for a fencing tournament… just for the record, Tequila and fencing do not mix

Bottom line is, don't loose sleep over things like this. Choose a program that will give you the best/most relevant EDUCATION. The externalities of how someone perceives the wording of your diploma or the individual name recognition of your school, are really secondary considerations.

Best of luck,
Tony Maranto

 

TonyMaranto: Now that's funny about WVU! Great post.

Ricardo: I can't add much here except that my impression is that BYU has more of a reputation (at least nationwide) than TESC. Rich is correct that many people will think you're LDS. If that's a negative, well, do you want to work for bigots? If it's a positive, a little honestly borrowed glory never hurt anybody. I'd say
as far as the school's name and reputation are concerned, BYU is a clear winner. As far as assessment of prior learning and expertise are concerned, enabling rapid progress toward the next degree or just getting the bachelor's qual on your resume ASAP, what TESC does is terrific.
Which good is more germane to your future plans? Fame or time?

 

Re: Re: I have a tough question

BYU has no liberal arts or liberal studies degree per se. The Bachelor of General Studies Degree is, basically a liberal studies-type degree offered through their Continuing Education Division. It is a successor (and improvement) to their Bachelor of Independent Studies program. It is currently the only program at the University where the majority (3/4) of the degree can be completed via distance learning. Studies can select one of eight emphasis areas.

The degree was really designed for BYU students who left the university without finishing their degree and who wish to go back and finish. Although anyone can enroll in the program, 30 units must be completed at BYU.

Tony Pina

 

Yes, it's common knowledge....for those inside the 128 belt.

Speaking of which, I have no idea what the mascots of my alma maters are supposed to be. Curry College teams are the "Curry Colonels", which is a cartoon of someone who looks like they should be leading the attack on Union forces at Gettysburg. How does this tie into a small liberal arts college just outside Boston?

Likewise the UMass-Lowell "Riverhawks". I guess this has something to do with the big river near the campus, but I'm not sure (I only visited the campus twice, once to register my Veteran's paperwork and the other to pick up my diploma).


Bruce

 

It all depends...

If you are planning to go on to graduate school, then in most cases (this is my opinion) no one will give a d**m where you got your first degree. Almost the same thing goes for the Masters if you go for a Doctorate. Mostly only the highest degree is looked at. Now if you have an edge to get into a top tier grad program by going to BYU then you will have to weigh that out. Even then, it is a long shot. I know people that graduate from a top State school with almost a 4.0 GPA (A) and still cannot get into the MIT's and the other IVY league schools. Go figure the insanity and idiocy!

Hope this helps a little.

 

Two to three years after you get your degree, no one cares where you got it from, only whether or not you possess the degree. Graduates schools don't care where the degree came from, only how you performed while getting your degree or how you have performed in your employment since you got the degree. The degree is a permission slip to enrty to the empolyment world or the next level of education. Performance and success in your work outweigh the degree itself. I have a MAED from Chadron State college. Anyone ever heard of it? Very few people! They graduate less than 60 graduate degrees a year. However in my profession, I hold several national offices in the professional societies and hold one of the major postions in the country. The degree gave me permission to enter the work, performance gave me permission to advance. Remember, Ronald Reagan had a Bachelors degree from an unknown college in the midwest, no addtional training, and he became president!

 

Yep. Course, my dad comes from Rapid City.

The nation keeps it's secret national stockpile of sky in Chadron. There's an awful lot of sky out there....

 

"Performance gave me permission to advance."

I also read that Ronald Reagan was one of the presidents that best performed the role of a president, of course... he was an actor!

Michael

I just loved this comment: "The degree gave me permission to enter the work, performance gave me permission to advance."

No doubt about it!

As I said before this was a tough question. Thank you all for the great comments. I feel that time is the most important thing for me now. I can go to graduate school as soon as I have a bachelors degree. I totally agree, as it was commented previously, that the bachelors degree becomes almost irrelevant after you get a masters degree. Being that the case, the most important thing now is to speed up the process of getting the BSBA from TESC.

Ricardo Marques