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I am thinking of going back for a second degree, but I have a few concerns.. the place that I want to go to is really cheap and I recently found out that I only need 8 more classes for my degree. Well when I took a class from them last year, there were problems as to what my major and minor were going to be. I told them what I wanted my major to be Spanish with a minor in History(since I already have a history degree, it should be easy) Anyways, last year I took the history class and then I found out that I didn't NEED the history classes, but the thing is that they are using my history classes to complete my minor. Can they do that? I mean, isn't that double dipping since those were used for graduation purposes at my other school? I thought that they couldn't do that.
So my degree plan says my minor is complete. The handbook says that for a second bachelor's degree all that is need is 30 hours(10 classes) with 24 in residence. Since I took a Spanish class last year, and I have a 2000 level Spanish class, the department head counted both of them and so now I need only 8 classes. The other thing is the 2000 level class, she counted it as a 3000 class, how can she do that? I don't really want to bother them with questions or make them think that I am not grateful, but I just don't want to take the 8 classes and then find out that I need more classes...on top of this, the banner section says I have only 88 college hours, I told the department head that I was not classified as a senior but a junior since 90 credit hours should have transferred. She told me that it didn't matter because banner cannot handle the second degree stuff and sometimes it gets messed up. She said that the only thing that mattered was the hours and what the catalog says, that I need 30 hours and that's it. What do you guys think? I want to take the classes, but I am concerned that I will get done and then they will tell me that I still need to take more classes..I guess it was because they got so messed up at the beginning that now I am worrying. I had the dept. head write a letter saying that I need only 8 more classes. Has anyone here been through this before?
Who is advising you re: your credits needed? Is it the department? Then go to the central advising office for the most authoritative evaluation of your transfer credits, and everything else. There should be a central advising office that handles freshmen and transfer students, among other issues, that works directly under the Dean.
Who is advising you re: your credits needed? Is it the department? Then go to the central advising office for the most authoritative evaluation of your transfer credits, and everything else. There should be a central advising office that handles freshmen and transfer students, among other issues, that works directly under the Dean.
It is actually the department chair of my department, I was just wondering if anyone else went back for a similar degree and if all they need to take was 10 classes or 30 hours to get it.
Anyways, last year I took the history class and then I found out that I didn't NEED the history classes, but the thing is that they are using my history classes to complete my minor. Can they do that? I mean, isn't that double dipping since those were used for graduation purposes at my other school? I thought that they couldn't do that.
Actually, you have some fairly intricate questions. And not all schools handle this stuff the same way. We're in no position to tell you what's correct. And dept. chairs aren't always up on the latest details of any changes to requirements, unless it's a really small school.
Is your school on the semester system (2 semesters/year) or a trimester system? If 30 hours represents one year (2 semesters), that might be enough. If it only represents 2 trimesters, I would think 45 credits would be more like it. Read the catalogue and see if you can figure it out. Usually they want you to put more hours in to your major/specialization.
I am thinking of going back for a second degree, but I have a few concerns.. the place that I want to go to is really cheap and I recently found out that I only need 8 more classes for my degree. Well when I took a class from them last year, there were problems as to what my major and minor were going to be. I told them what I wanted my major to be Spanish with a minor in History(since I already have a history degree, it should be easy) Anyways, last year I took the history class and then I found out that I didn't NEED the history classes, but the thing is that they are using my history classes to complete my minor. Can they do that? I mean, isn't that double dipping since those were used for graduation purposes at my other school? I thought that they couldn't do that.
So my degree plan says my minor is complete. The handbook says that for a second bachelor's degree all that is need is 30 hours(10 classes) with 24 in residence. Since I took a Spanish class last year, and I have a 2000 level Spanish class, the department head counted both of them and so now I need only 8 classes. The other thing is the 2000 level class, she counted it as a 3000 class, how can she do that? I don't really want to bother them with questions or make them think that I am not grateful, but I just don't want to take the 8 classes and then find out that I need more classes...on top of this, the banner section says I have only 88 college hours, I told the department head that I was not classified as a senior but a junior since 90 credit hours should have transferred. She told me that it didn't matter because banner cannot handle the second degree stuff and sometimes it gets messed up. She said that the only thing that mattered was the hours and what the catalog says, that I need 30 hours and that's it. What do you guys think? I want to take the classes, but I am concerned that I will get done and then they will tell me that I still need to take more classes..I guess it was because they got so messed up at the beginning that now I am worrying. I had the dept. head write a letter saying that I need only 8 more classes. Has anyone here been through this before?
Schools and advisors can tell you one thing at one point in time and then something else later, but it is my understanding that once you have it in writing, you are covered. Since your department head put it in writing that you only need the 8 classes (30 hours?), then I would go with that document. Make sure your advisor has a copy of that document, and that all advising plans are in writing. In my graduate program, this was standard.
As to stating that you have already satisfied the minor and yes, the 2000 class counts as a 3000 -- this is their perogative. When I went back for a second degree, the second program looked at my transcript for the first degree and decided what prior coursework was determined to be "equivalent" to the new program. I remember not needing one of the biology classes for the second degree, even though it was a requirement, because a combination of other prior biology classes were considered to be equivalent for the credits (even though they didn't cover the same subject material). Schools really can do this, but just make sure you address your concerns with them and get answers in writing. Do they use email? If so, specifically ask this in an email, cc: a few important people (advisor, dean), and then print and save all of your correspondence. Then make sure your advisor or dean also confirms (in writing) the proposed coursework for graduation.
Last thing -- why do you want a minor? My minor in chemistry means nothing, no one ever pays attention to it. Minors are useless, and you already have an actual history degree. Why not get just a Spanish second degree, since that in itself is impressive and useful? You can tack on any classes you wish to your second degree, but don't need the minor. If you go to graduate school, a degree in history followed by a minor in history looks a little silly -- the degree is sufficient.
Schools and advisors can tell you one thing at one point in time and then something else later, but it is my understanding that once you have it in writing, you are covered. Since your department head put it in writing that you only need the 8 classes (30 hours?), then I would go with that document. Make sure your advisor has a copy of that document, and that all advising plans are in writing. In my graduate program, this was standard.
As to stating that you have already satisfied the minor and yes, the 2000 class counts as a 3000 -- this is their perogative. When I went back for a second degree, the second program looked at my transcript for the first degree and decided what prior coursework was determined to be "equivalent" to the new program. I remember not needing one of the biology classes for the second degree, even though it was a requirement, because a combination of other prior biology classes were considered to be equivalent for the credits (even though they didn't cover the same subject material). Schools really can do this, but just make sure you address your concerns with them and get answers in writing. Do they use email? If so, specifically ask this in an email, cc: a few important people (advisor, dean), and then print and save all of your correspondence. Then make sure your advisor or dean also confirms (in writing) the proposed coursework for graduation.
Last thing -- why do you want a minor? My minor in chemistry means nothing, no one ever pays attention to it. Minors are useless, and you already have an actual history degree. Why not get just a Spanish second degree, since that in itself is impressive and useful? You can tack on any classes you wish to your second degree, but don't need the minor. If you go to graduate school, a degree in history followed by a minor in history looks a little silly -- the degree is sufficient.
Oops, I meant to put I am NOW majoring in English, not Spanish. Sorry!
Anyways, I will answer your question. When I first got to the school, I DID want to major in Spanish(hence my confusion just now), well since this is a satellite campus of a state university and it is somewhat small, they really don't have very many people come back for a second degree, least of all for another university, so they put me as Spanish major/History minor. I ASKED the same question, do I need this, and I was told YES, that all I needed was 30 hours and that was it. I then changed my major so it became English major/ History minor. So I took a English class and a History one, well the English class, I passed with an A. I was also put into another English class as an observer, so I could observe the dept head and she was very nice and understanding with the students. Anyway, I started having problems with the History class. So get this, I ALREADY have a History degree and I was just taking this history class to fulfill the 10 class requirement for the second degree..well guess what? I started FAILING!
I have NEVER failed a History class in my life, the test was just all over the place, random questions that were NOT EVEN in the book!(I checked.) I brought this up to the professor, and he told me to just try harder so I did, but I STILL FAILED AGAIN, making only 2 more points higher than I did on the last test. At this point, I dropped the History class, when I expressed my concern of if I had to take History classes, I was told no that I did not have too, I asked if I could take just 30 hours(10 classes) in English and the dept head told me she would have to see, well she checked and told me she could.
It is really only because they just did not know what to do at first, that really got me. I am just afraid that something is going to mess up. For example, when I got my degree plan the first time, they DID NOT count that 2000 level English course and now they did. I got a little disheartened and I wanted a letter saying what we agreed on. I never got it so I stopped going for a year and they probably need students(the school has like 3 buildings) because when I called recently, they sent me a letter VERY quick that I only need English credits and how many. I am just afraid that I will get done with those 8 classes and then they will say that they forgot something. In the banner(where you register for classes), it says I only have 88 classes after taking one(I dropped the History) so I transferred in with 85 credits, when I should have automatically transferred in 90. When I brought that up, she just told me that the banner system does not know how to register someone coming back for a degree and I should not worry about it(but I still do). I tried to call the registrar, and they just refer me to the dept. head.
Me.
BS Engineering
MS Engineering
MBA (normal requirement is 20 courses and I go credit for 6 that I had taken for my engineering degrees)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oak1776
B.S Wildlife Biology/ Range Ecology
Going back to get teaching certification.
So I got one with a BS, and one with an MS and an MBA and you guy's can't read I guess. I had an issue with transferring credits and graduating with a second degree, not just if you had a second degree or not!
I'm currently in school getting my second degree, and I'll have taken 15 classes when I'm finished, but I'm only going for an Associates. The classes I took for my first degree met all but one of the gen ed requirements for this one. My second degree has no overlap with my first so that's about what I expected. I don't know how much overlap there is between English and History, but if you're going for a second Bachelors, 10 classes doesn't sound like nearly enough. Every school makes its own rules about credits though. As long as you get everything in writing about what's required, you can make an appeal if they do change their minds down the road. And what they're telling you about the computer system is probably true, my school uses a different one not Banner but it can't handle my already having a degree either.
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Yes, I did
In the banner(where you register for classes), it says I only have 88 classes after taking one(I dropped the History) so I transferred in with 85 credits, when I should have automatically transferred in 90. When I brought that up, she just told me that the banner system does not know how to register someone coming back for a degree and I should not worry about it(but I still do). I tried to call the registrar, and they just refer me to the dept. head.
