How to go about getting a college degree part-time as a hobby
October 27, 2014 10:20 PM Subscribe
Could an adult will a full time career, but a few hours a week to dedicate to the purpose, pursue getting an undergraduate degree from a university just for the fun of it? And if so how?
25 years ago I graduated from a college in Ireland with something between an AA and BS Electrical Engineering degree (no direct equivalent here in the USA), I've had a pretty good career in Silicon Valley and I'm currently an executive in a small start-up. I find myself at a point where a hobby interest in geology has me thinking that it would be great fun to dedicate a few years to earning a degree in the subject as a background task - basically as a hobby. While one goal would be to just complete some specific classes just to get a better foundation in the subject another would be to actually graduate with a degree at some point. The total length of time it might take and the cost (within reason) are not really material.
As I didn't go to school or university in the USA I'm pretty unfamiliar with how US universities operate and at this point not succeeding with navigating the websites of any of the local universities to answer my question. Is it possible to work towards a degree in this manner - especially given that I have zero US educational history? Is this something I could do at a local university like SJSU or Stanford etc. or would it have to be a correspondence course of some kind? Even pointers on the right search terms to use to research this would be helpful - I don't seem to fit any of the categories of student listed.
25 years ago I graduated from a college in Ireland with something between an AA and BS Electrical Engineering degree (no direct equivalent here in the USA), I've had a pretty good career in Silicon Valley and I'm currently an executive in a small start-up. I find myself at a point where a hobby interest in geology has me thinking that it would be great fun to dedicate a few years to earning a degree in the subject as a background task - basically as a hobby. While one goal would be to just complete some specific classes just to get a better foundation in the subject another would be to actually graduate with a degree at some point. The total length of time it might take and the cost (within reason) are not really material.
As I didn't go to school or university in the USA I'm pretty unfamiliar with how US universities operate and at this point not succeeding with navigating the websites of any of the local universities to answer my question. Is it possible to work towards a degree in this manner - especially given that I have zero US educational history? Is this something I could do at a local university like SJSU or Stanford etc. or would it have to be a correspondence course of some kind? Even pointers on the right search terms to use to research this would be helpful - I don't seem to fit any of the categories of student listed.
Yes, many colleges and universities offer fee-based classes-- sometimes called credit classes or under the Continuing Education department. Idealist has a pretty good primer here, though it's geared towards people considering graduate degrees. In general, community college classes are less expensive than private college classes in my experience, though it depends. You can see some of the different certificates and programs offered by the San Jose City College here, for example. Amassing the number of credits needed to graduate with a separate degree would take a long time, but maybe one of the shorter certificates would be appealing? Stanford's Continuing Education's website is here, though geology isn't listed and it doesn't look like they offer many (or any) for credit courses. You might also be able to sign up for online courses. If you are close to the college, of course, you would have better access to the library resources, and the material might be more locally relevant (or involve field trips!) Community colleges in the US are a fantastic resource and there are not a lot of international parallels as far as I know.
Every college should be able to tell you what their admission policies, fee-schedule, and credit policies are. I took undergraduate classes for free as a college employee at a private college; I believe the cost was several thousand dollars for non-employees with some library and online access privileges. Keep in mind that you have to allot time for reading, research, papers, and in some cases labs-- again, something to discuss with the college and the respective department.
posted by jetlagaddict at 10:44 PM on October 27, 2014
Every college should be able to tell you what their admission policies, fee-schedule, and credit policies are. I took undergraduate classes for free as a college employee at a private college; I believe the cost was several thousand dollars for non-employees with some library and online access privileges. Keep in mind that you have to allot time for reading, research, papers, and in some cases labs-- again, something to discuss with the college and the respective department.
posted by jetlagaddict at 10:44 PM on October 27, 2014
Just as a follow-up, many separate non-traditional student programs are not really what you are looking for-- those are generally aimed at older students who have never completed a bachelor's program, and who are working towards that credential. There is a distinction between the kind designed for small cohorts who may work part or full time, and who have applied for a full degree course, and the kind designed as continuing education. I agree that it can be a useful search term, but definitely be mindful that there can be serious differences.
posted by jetlagaddict at 10:50 PM on October 27, 2014
posted by jetlagaddict at 10:50 PM on October 27, 2014
Best answer: I think you should go for a regular BA or BS degree. I have been a university professor at smaller, state colleges for 20 years and have had a ton of students just like you. They are always such a pleasure to have in class.
Get a copy of your old transcripts. Go to a couple of area universities and meet with an admissions counsellor. Between your previous degree and life experiences there may be a pretty clear path to a degree for you. Ask also about testing out of classes. Many state campuses have a rule that you can pay to take the final in many courses and if you pass you get college credit. The less fancy the campus the more likely they are to give you credit for things you have already done and find the shortest route to graduation.
Keep in mind that you will still end up having to fulfill the degree requirement, which will mean an array of classes outside you major. Are you good with that? Alternatively, if all you want is an education in geology, you could probably arrange to take all the courses in the major without any others--but not earn a degree.
Enjoy yourself, a college campus is a pretty exhilarating place. And PM me if you would like to chat--I mean that.
posted by LarryC at 11:05 PM on October 27, 2014 [7 favorites]
Get a copy of your old transcripts. Go to a couple of area universities and meet with an admissions counsellor. Between your previous degree and life experiences there may be a pretty clear path to a degree for you. Ask also about testing out of classes. Many state campuses have a rule that you can pay to take the final in many courses and if you pass you get college credit. The less fancy the campus the more likely they are to give you credit for things you have already done and find the shortest route to graduation.
Keep in mind that you will still end up having to fulfill the degree requirement, which will mean an array of classes outside you major. Are you good with that? Alternatively, if all you want is an education in geology, you could probably arrange to take all the courses in the major without any others--but not earn a degree.
Enjoy yourself, a college campus is a pretty exhilarating place. And PM me if you would like to chat--I mean that.
posted by LarryC at 11:05 PM on October 27, 2014 [7 favorites]
"Non-degree status" is one thing you're asking about. That is, can you take regular Stanford undergraduate courses, without being enrolled as part of obtaining a degree there? It looks like the answer is no. But you'll want to check on the policies at each place you're considering.
As noted above, "continuing education" courses are offered by many schools, including Stanford. These are usually separate programs, offering a shorter list of courses ala carte to retirees or other people not enrolled as an undergrad or grad student. They don't count toward a degree and I think usually can't be transferred as credits toward a degree if you ended up enrolling somewhere else. The offerings of programs will vary widely, so check into the specifics at whatever places you're considering to see if they offer what you're looking for.
"Community colleges" are a US institution that typically offers introductory courses cheaply, either on an ala carte basis, or leading to a 2-year degree ("Associate's") rather than a 4-year college/university degree ("Bachelor's"). Their programs are structured around students who typically have jobs and families and often can't be full-time students. So they have night courses, they're more variable in how many courses you need to be taking to count as enrolled, etc. I don't know what the relevant ones would be where you are, but they're often at the city/county level. Definitely would be a good place to start in getting your feet wet.
If you're looking at geology specifically, you'll want to look closely at the course offerings of either a community college or continuing education program - they will offer some low-level courses, but may not offer geology, and won't offer upper-level undergrad courses that require specialized lab equipment etc.
To get the full range of geology courses, you'd need to be a degree-seeking undergraduate student at a 4-year school that has a geology department (not all do!). To do that, you'd be looking at what their admissions requirements are for "nontraditional" (older) students, and what the requirements are for how many courses (actually, how many credit-hours, where a single course might be worth 3 or 4 credit-hours) you need to take each semester to maintain your enrolled status. This will tell you if they'll let you be a half-time student taking only 2 courses a semester, for example. I think schools usually require at least 2 courses a semester, but that may not be the case - check each school.
Courses at a community college will be cheaper than anywhere else (probably) so one approach is to start there, take your low-level requirements, and then transfer to a 4-year school. You would coordinate this by talking to people at the two schools to be sure your credits will transfer, for example that the community college math course will count for your prerequisite for an upper-level geology course at the 4-year college.
LarryC is right too.
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:08 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
As noted above, "continuing education" courses are offered by many schools, including Stanford. These are usually separate programs, offering a shorter list of courses ala carte to retirees or other people not enrolled as an undergrad or grad student. They don't count toward a degree and I think usually can't be transferred as credits toward a degree if you ended up enrolling somewhere else. The offerings of programs will vary widely, so check into the specifics at whatever places you're considering to see if they offer what you're looking for.
"Community colleges" are a US institution that typically offers introductory courses cheaply, either on an ala carte basis, or leading to a 2-year degree ("Associate's") rather than a 4-year college/university degree ("Bachelor's"). Their programs are structured around students who typically have jobs and families and often can't be full-time students. So they have night courses, they're more variable in how many courses you need to be taking to count as enrolled, etc. I don't know what the relevant ones would be where you are, but they're often at the city/county level. Definitely would be a good place to start in getting your feet wet.
If you're looking at geology specifically, you'll want to look closely at the course offerings of either a community college or continuing education program - they will offer some low-level courses, but may not offer geology, and won't offer upper-level undergrad courses that require specialized lab equipment etc.
To get the full range of geology courses, you'd need to be a degree-seeking undergraduate student at a 4-year school that has a geology department (not all do!). To do that, you'd be looking at what their admissions requirements are for "nontraditional" (older) students, and what the requirements are for how many courses (actually, how many credit-hours, where a single course might be worth 3 or 4 credit-hours) you need to take each semester to maintain your enrolled status. This will tell you if they'll let you be a half-time student taking only 2 courses a semester, for example. I think schools usually require at least 2 courses a semester, but that may not be the case - check each school.
Courses at a community college will be cheaper than anywhere else (probably) so one approach is to start there, take your low-level requirements, and then transfer to a 4-year school. You would coordinate this by talking to people at the two schools to be sure your credits will transfer, for example that the community college math course will count for your prerequisite for an upper-level geology course at the 4-year college.
LarryC is right too.
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:08 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
If you already have a degree from somewhere else, and you're not taking financial aid, many colleges will allow you to work at your own pace. Depending on the school's opinion of your previous degree, you may be counted as a transfer student and go in to your program with a sophomore standing and be exempt from some basic classes. Or you may not-- my stepfather went back to school literally 50 years after his only previous year of college, and had to repeat freshman writing/composition! You may also be able to argue that your career qualifies you for academic credit-- some schools offer an equivalency that may shorten your time to a degree. My experience with online classes is that they're significantly easier time-wise as a working adult, and I could take more units via online instruction than in a classroom, and that might also make it easier.
In any case, it really, really depends on the school and program. You should find an admissions or transfer counselor and ask them.
posted by blnkfrnk at 11:11 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
In any case, it really, really depends on the school and program. You should find an admissions or transfer counselor and ask them.
posted by blnkfrnk at 11:11 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
You would be a non-traditional student and there were many of them at my college taking the same classes as all us "kids." I would start with figuring out which colleges you want to go to and seeing if they offer part-time programs. When I was in college, some of my classes were only available in the middle of weekdays. You'd be looking for a program that offers night/weekend classes, I assume, if you are still working your job.
What might be easier is starting at a community college. I suspect it's more common for there to be part-time students at community colleges who need night/weekend classes. And then, later, you can transfer all your credits to a full university to get a bachelor's degree. Given that your transcripts are going to be very dated and from another country, it might help establish a record to gain acceptance into a university. But, you could just do the equivalent of two years at a community college for an associate's degree, if you wanted. It's certainly not as "valuable," but, well, community college will be way less expensive. If you decide to start at a community college and finish your bachelor's at another school later, you'll probably be looking at saving a lot of money. Also, on the subject of money, Stanford would be a hell of a lot more expensive than a California state school with an in-state resident discount.
You could also be a non-matriculated student taking classes without working toward a degree, but I think if you're going to do this, you should go for the degree.
posted by AppleTurnover at 11:20 PM on October 27, 2014
What might be easier is starting at a community college. I suspect it's more common for there to be part-time students at community colleges who need night/weekend classes. And then, later, you can transfer all your credits to a full university to get a bachelor's degree. Given that your transcripts are going to be very dated and from another country, it might help establish a record to gain acceptance into a university. But, you could just do the equivalent of two years at a community college for an associate's degree, if you wanted. It's certainly not as "valuable," but, well, community college will be way less expensive. If you decide to start at a community college and finish your bachelor's at another school later, you'll probably be looking at saving a lot of money. Also, on the subject of money, Stanford would be a hell of a lot more expensive than a California state school with an in-state resident discount.
You could also be a non-matriculated student taking classes without working toward a degree, but I think if you're going to do this, you should go for the degree.
posted by AppleTurnover at 11:20 PM on October 27, 2014
IME, Continuing Education departments offer a grab-bag of courses - sometimes they're offered for credit and applicable towards a degree, sometimes they're industry-back qualifications, sometimes they're interest courses not offered with degree credit (but may have some other kind of credit scheme) like Painting 101. You will need to speak to an admissions counsellor to work it out.
Some universities are very friendly to mature students, and offer a good selection of courses during the evening, weekends, or in a shorter, intensive block. Usually, the degrees offered in this way are popular, more general, or applied subjects - e.g., psychology, business administration, accounting. I would have to imagine that geology, because it's sort of more of a niche subject (and a sciencey one) might be more typically offered during the day, and that at least some of your courses might be at inconvenient times. But that can be easily cleared up by talking to an admissions person, as LarryC said.
Going part-time for ages as a working adult can be fun for the first year or so, but after a while, studying in dribs and drabs gets to be exhausting -- while your peers (and/or SO) are going on holidays, you're cramming for exams. It's a real adjustment to lifestyle, and can get old, even if you love the subject. A lot of mature students try to get at least one or two full-time semesters in to shorten the overall duration.
As LarryC said, admissions staff will assess your transcript and may give you credit for at least some courses you've already completed. You might have to provide information about those courses (e.g. a syllabus, or a description of the courses from the course calendar of the years you attended). If you're granted transfer credit, those courses could, e.g., count towards the elective requirements for the degree -- so you might get away with only doing the core curriculum of your subject, which might take 2-3 calendar years (if you take courses continuously and get at least a few summer intensives in there).
posted by cotton dress sock at 11:21 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
Some universities are very friendly to mature students, and offer a good selection of courses during the evening, weekends, or in a shorter, intensive block. Usually, the degrees offered in this way are popular, more general, or applied subjects - e.g., psychology, business administration, accounting. I would have to imagine that geology, because it's sort of more of a niche subject (and a sciencey one) might be more typically offered during the day, and that at least some of your courses might be at inconvenient times. But that can be easily cleared up by talking to an admissions person, as LarryC said.
Going part-time for ages as a working adult can be fun for the first year or so, but after a while, studying in dribs and drabs gets to be exhausting -- while your peers (and/or SO) are going on holidays, you're cramming for exams. It's a real adjustment to lifestyle, and can get old, even if you love the subject. A lot of mature students try to get at least one or two full-time semesters in to shorten the overall duration.
As LarryC said, admissions staff will assess your transcript and may give you credit for at least some courses you've already completed. You might have to provide information about those courses (e.g. a syllabus, or a description of the courses from the course calendar of the years you attended). If you're granted transfer credit, those courses could, e.g., count towards the elective requirements for the degree -- so you might get away with only doing the core curriculum of your subject, which might take 2-3 calendar years (if you take courses continuously and get at least a few summer intensives in there).
posted by cotton dress sock at 11:21 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
Looks like SJSU has a program called Open University where you can take a limited number of courses, from a limited list, without being an enrolled SJSU student. There are several geology courses listed (here's their fall schedule), though all but one are daytime courses. (Looks like the procedure for registering is: show up on the first day of class, get permission from the instructor, and then wait to hear whether there's space for you in the class?)
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:34 PM on October 27, 2014
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:34 PM on October 27, 2014
A couple notes:
a) A typical class will have 3 hours of lecture per week, and you should expect to spend a fair amount of time outside of lecture. A starting estimate would probably be 9 hours per week (3 per credit hour) reading, studying, and working on assignments. An easier class may take less, a very quick student may take less, but that's the usual amount recommended. So that's roughly 12 hours per week you should budget for just one class.
b) Pretty much nobody expects an adult to get a geology degree while working full time, so many classes that you need for the full degree may only be offered during usual daytime hours. Is your job flexible on which hours you work, as long as you get the work done, or do you need to be at work 9-5 or whatever? If you can't be available during daytime hours, you may be out of luck. Most evening/weekend degree programs are geared toward degrees with much better job prospects.
If you just want the learning experience and don't care so much about the actual degree, I think most schools will be happy to take your money as a non-degree student. Then you just squeeze in whatever interesting classes fit with your schedule.
posted by ktkt at 11:35 PM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
a) A typical class will have 3 hours of lecture per week, and you should expect to spend a fair amount of time outside of lecture. A starting estimate would probably be 9 hours per week (3 per credit hour) reading, studying, and working on assignments. An easier class may take less, a very quick student may take less, but that's the usual amount recommended. So that's roughly 12 hours per week you should budget for just one class.
b) Pretty much nobody expects an adult to get a geology degree while working full time, so many classes that you need for the full degree may only be offered during usual daytime hours. Is your job flexible on which hours you work, as long as you get the work done, or do you need to be at work 9-5 or whatever? If you can't be available during daytime hours, you may be out of luck. Most evening/weekend degree programs are geared toward degrees with much better job prospects.
If you just want the learning experience and don't care so much about the actual degree, I think most schools will be happy to take your money as a non-degree student. Then you just squeeze in whatever interesting classes fit with your schedule.
posted by ktkt at 11:35 PM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
Actually, I should correct myself a bit -- at some schools, it can be extremely difficult to get into certain classes if you are not a full time student. For example, at Berkeley, I think you can only take classes over the summer or through the extension school. Summer's no problem, but during the school year, regular UC students have priority over extension school students for registration in classes, so if a class fills up, extension school students are just SOL.
posted by ktkt at 11:41 PM on October 27, 2014
posted by ktkt at 11:41 PM on October 27, 2014
Looks like City College of San Francisco (a community college) has a range of geology courses too. It sounds like CCSF is having some trouble with their accreditation, might keep an eye on that. But if there's a course that fits your schedule, another option for getting feet wet.
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:46 PM on October 27, 2014
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:46 PM on October 27, 2014
In the past, it was possible to audit college courses without enrolling in a degree program, though I wouldn't be surprised if some have closed this loophole in this age of revenue generation education. Nonetheless, you can simply informally sit in on lectures for many courses, and complete your own readings and essays outside of the formal system, if you don't especially need the piece of paper at the end.
posted by fairmettle at 4:22 AM on October 28, 2014
posted by fairmettle at 4:22 AM on October 28, 2014
Are you going to be able to attend lectures/classes during office hours? If not, the Open University is exactly what you are looking for (assuming they offer a courses in the area you're interested and I'd imagine they do as they have a really broad range.)
I mention it as you graduated in Ireland, Dublin City University also offers a distance/part-time degrees, but a much smaller choice of subjects and not geology.
posted by bimbam at 5:26 AM on October 28, 2014
I mention it as you graduated in Ireland, Dublin City University also offers a distance/part-time degrees, but a much smaller choice of subjects and not geology.
posted by bimbam at 5:26 AM on October 28, 2014
Too bad you're not in New England, as the Harvard Extension School is excellent for this.
posted by one more robot at 5:43 AM on October 28, 2014
posted by one more robot at 5:43 AM on October 28, 2014
Here's the problem. California State schools aren't interested in awarding second degrees:
Post-baccalaureate/Second Bachelor's - SJSU is not accepting post-baccalaureate applicants in any major program (except for Nursing). A post-baccalaureate student has earned a bachelor's degree and is seeking to complete another bachelor's degree.
So transferring old credits won't work. Which is fine! You can work around that relatively easily.
1. Take CLEP to knock out the basic level courses.
2. Enroll in SJCC for any other basic level courses and to start your new major. You will be a transfer student.
3. Graduate with an AA degree and transfer to SJSU. Finish your degree up there.
You can probably enroll into any private school, but the costs associated with that could be crippling. So don't do that.
Another option is, if you don't care if a degree is awarded, is to just show up in the back of the room for classes.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:21 AM on October 28, 2014
Post-baccalaureate/Second Bachelor's - SJSU is not accepting post-baccalaureate applicants in any major program (except for Nursing). A post-baccalaureate student has earned a bachelor's degree and is seeking to complete another bachelor's degree.
So transferring old credits won't work. Which is fine! You can work around that relatively easily.
1. Take CLEP to knock out the basic level courses.
2. Enroll in SJCC for any other basic level courses and to start your new major. You will be a transfer student.
3. Graduate with an AA degree and transfer to SJSU. Finish your degree up there.
You can probably enroll into any private school, but the costs associated with that could be crippling. So don't do that.
Another option is, if you don't care if a degree is awarded, is to just show up in the back of the room for classes.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:21 AM on October 28, 2014
You could do an online degree, but only do it from a legitimate college or university. Do not waste your money on for-profit schools. Here's a good one at the University of Florida: University of Florida, online BS in Geology
San Jose State does have a geology program. why not send them an email, explaining that you would like to take a course or two a semester. Better yet, go talk to someone there. You might first want to talk to an admissions counselor there and see if any of your other credits transfer. You probably don't want to spend your time taking basic stuff, like English 101, and you can test out of those if they don't give you credit for previous courses.
Although it's not technically part of my job I do a lot of academic advising, feel free to get in touch by memail if you have more questions.
posted by mareli at 6:28 AM on October 28, 2014
San Jose State does have a geology program. why not send them an email, explaining that you would like to take a course or two a semester. Better yet, go talk to someone there. You might first want to talk to an admissions counselor there and see if any of your other credits transfer. You probably don't want to spend your time taking basic stuff, like English 101, and you can test out of those if they don't give you credit for previous courses.
Although it's not technically part of my job I do a lot of academic advising, feel free to get in touch by memail if you have more questions.
posted by mareli at 6:28 AM on October 28, 2014
Best answer: Hello!
I am a graduate student who works for my college as a "transition success coach." What this means is that I help students take their existing credits (from out of state, community college, and/or international colleges) and help get them into a 4 year university.
The basic structure of a 4 year degree is in two parts: the first are the liberal studies, which are the English, math, science, humanities, and other courses that round you out as a person and show that you've met minimum requirements. These courses typically are separate from the second set of courses, which are the courses you would take specifically for your degree focus, in your case Geology.
Many students take both types at the same time, and finish in 4 years (this is a brief example of the typical 4 year degree here in the US) As an older student you will usually be given much more time to finish and whichever school you choose will tell you their maximum time frame. An online program would be best, considering your work and location.
When deciding which school to attend, consider the different levels of accreditation and whether you will start and finish with that school, or potentially transfer to another school.
For example: The University of Phoenix (UP) is accredited and a degree from them has helped many students find a job. If, however, you start at UP and decide to transfer to a brick and mortar 4 year university you may find that UP's accreditation is not at the same level as the 4 year university. At the college I work for I can not accept any Math course taken at UP's online campus because those tests are not proctored. Imagine working hard to pass a tough math class (as well as paying for it) just to find out that no school will accept it for credit.
Another example is DeVry. A degree from them will certainly be beneficial, however if you start with them, you may find that no 4 year university will accept their credits. This is not to say that DeVry isn't a good school, it just means that their accreditation is not at the same level and, thus, you will find yourself starting completely over. It will be important to have an idea as to whether or not you will stay with the online school you start with, because these types of hurdles most definitely exist. I only bring these examples up because the accreditation issue was brought up in a post earlier and I thought it best to explain that a school's accreditation is mostly a factor when a student is trying to get someone to accept that school's coursework for credit, during a transfer. It is important that the school has accreditation, but less important which accreditation.
All that being said, here is what I'd say to you, specifically:
Please get your international transcripts verified and translated.
This does two things:
1) It makes your international transcripts "official"
2) The service not only translates your courses, it tells me what the US equivalent is for each class and whether or not you earned a degree.
If indeed you got something between an Associates and a Bachelor's then the paperwork the service produces would tell me "associates earned" or "Bachelor's earned."
If you earned either of those then I would be able to wipe out the liberal studies requirements altogether which would just leave the classes specific to the geology degree. In a sense, it would mean that 2 of the 4 years would be considered as having been completed. This significantly reduces the amount of time required before you graduate, as well as the amount of money you would have spent pursuing both the liberal studies and degree specific requirements of a 4 year degree.
There are only a few companies that do this, they all cost about $75, and the one I like the best is AACRAO. I'm not sure what the turnaround time is, but having your transcripts from Ireland processed could potentially mean starting you off much further along the degree track which, again, means saving you both time and money.
My college does not offer a Geology degree online, but I am still willing to take a look at your transcripts (once processed) and give you an explanation of what it means for you. Just MeMail me.
posted by MansRiot at 8:07 AM on October 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
I am a graduate student who works for my college as a "transition success coach." What this means is that I help students take their existing credits (from out of state, community college, and/or international colleges) and help get them into a 4 year university.
The basic structure of a 4 year degree is in two parts: the first are the liberal studies, which are the English, math, science, humanities, and other courses that round you out as a person and show that you've met minimum requirements. These courses typically are separate from the second set of courses, which are the courses you would take specifically for your degree focus, in your case Geology.
Many students take both types at the same time, and finish in 4 years (this is a brief example of the typical 4 year degree here in the US) As an older student you will usually be given much more time to finish and whichever school you choose will tell you their maximum time frame. An online program would be best, considering your work and location.
When deciding which school to attend, consider the different levels of accreditation and whether you will start and finish with that school, or potentially transfer to another school.
For example: The University of Phoenix (UP) is accredited and a degree from them has helped many students find a job. If, however, you start at UP and decide to transfer to a brick and mortar 4 year university you may find that UP's accreditation is not at the same level as the 4 year university. At the college I work for I can not accept any Math course taken at UP's online campus because those tests are not proctored. Imagine working hard to pass a tough math class (as well as paying for it) just to find out that no school will accept it for credit.
Another example is DeVry. A degree from them will certainly be beneficial, however if you start with them, you may find that no 4 year university will accept their credits. This is not to say that DeVry isn't a good school, it just means that their accreditation is not at the same level and, thus, you will find yourself starting completely over. It will be important to have an idea as to whether or not you will stay with the online school you start with, because these types of hurdles most definitely exist. I only bring these examples up because the accreditation issue was brought up in a post earlier and I thought it best to explain that a school's accreditation is mostly a factor when a student is trying to get someone to accept that school's coursework for credit, during a transfer. It is important that the school has accreditation, but less important which accreditation.
All that being said, here is what I'd say to you, specifically:
Please get your international transcripts verified and translated.
This does two things:
1) It makes your international transcripts "official"
2) The service not only translates your courses, it tells me what the US equivalent is for each class and whether or not you earned a degree.
If indeed you got something between an Associates and a Bachelor's then the paperwork the service produces would tell me "associates earned" or "Bachelor's earned."
If you earned either of those then I would be able to wipe out the liberal studies requirements altogether which would just leave the classes specific to the geology degree. In a sense, it would mean that 2 of the 4 years would be considered as having been completed. This significantly reduces the amount of time required before you graduate, as well as the amount of money you would have spent pursuing both the liberal studies and degree specific requirements of a 4 year degree.
There are only a few companies that do this, they all cost about $75, and the one I like the best is AACRAO. I'm not sure what the turnaround time is, but having your transcripts from Ireland processed could potentially mean starting you off much further along the degree track which, again, means saving you both time and money.
My college does not offer a Geology degree online, but I am still willing to take a look at your transcripts (once processed) and give you an explanation of what it means for you. Just MeMail me.
posted by MansRiot at 8:07 AM on October 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
I would look into educational programs at museums if your goal is just to learn a lot about geology and you don't care all that much about the credential. My dad spent his Saturday mornings at our local natural history museum doing paleontology courses for years (he went weekly for at least 3 or 4 years). They gave homework, had field trips (that he was permitted to bring me along on, which was usually really fun), and I suspect he learned as much as he would have in a college setting.
I don't know if you have a museum or other public institution with a strong geology program near you, but you might start by looking for one of those. Even if they don't offer a structured educational program, they'll probably have good referrals for local schools and programs that could be a good fit for your interests.
You could also think about getting trained as a docent for a local natural history museum.
posted by snaw at 8:07 AM on October 28, 2014
I don't know if you have a museum or other public institution with a strong geology program near you, but you might start by looking for one of those. Even if they don't offer a structured educational program, they'll probably have good referrals for local schools and programs that could be a good fit for your interests.
You could also think about getting trained as a docent for a local natural history museum.
posted by snaw at 8:07 AM on October 28, 2014
Don't do a geology degree online. You need good boots and a solid rock hammer for a geology program that's worth a damn.
posted by oceanjesse at 5:02 PM on October 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by oceanjesse at 5:02 PM on October 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks everybody for some great and lengthy answers. I've sent away for my old transcripts from Ireland and I'll see if they're worth any credits. Thanks for the MeMail offers , I'm sure I'll have some follow-up questions.
Good boots and rock hammer are already onboard!
posted by Long Way To Go at 7:07 PM on October 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Good boots and rock hammer are already onboard!
posted by Long Way To Go at 7:07 PM on October 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Good advice here. Talk to the department chair in the major you wish to pursue. (I say this as a chair myself.). We're the ones who know which courses will be offered, when, and which profs you want to take (or avoid!). And chairs in the CSU (like at SJSU) will be responsive to a student like you.
My recommendation would be to go straight to SJSU. The CSU is cheap (relatively); and though there isn't necessarily a difference in course quality between jc and CSU, there often is. (So, at my 4-year school, I know the odds are very high that a major transferring in as a junior from jc won't be ready for upper-division work at my school. So I route them into a good intro course, even if they had one at the jc.)
posted by persona au gratin at 3:34 AM on October 29, 2014
My recommendation would be to go straight to SJSU. The CSU is cheap (relatively); and though there isn't necessarily a difference in course quality between jc and CSU, there often is. (So, at my 4-year school, I know the odds are very high that a major transferring in as a junior from jc won't be ready for upper-division work at my school. So I route them into a good intro course, even if they had one at the jc.)
posted by persona au gratin at 3:34 AM on October 29, 2014
For a geology degree, many schools will require some amount of fieldwork out of the classroom. You'll want to check on when this will be if you have a tight schedule.
posted by yohko at 3:00 PM on October 29, 2014
posted by yohko at 3:00 PM on October 29, 2014
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The term to look for is "non-traditional student". However, you shouldn't really be looking for permission to do what you want - rather, you should see if you aren't explicitly prohibited. Universities don't really care what you do outside of class (and actually, generally don't care what you do at all), so long as you pay your tuition and do your coursework.
posted by saeculorum at 10:41 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]