Another University program available on TSTC Harlingen's Campus!

Times...they are a-changin'. 

Earlier I announced some specifics for the University of Texas at Brownsville's BA of Business Administration in Management to be housed on Texas State Technical College Harlingen's campus this Fall 2010.  There are a few colleges and universities that have already begun to implement a pathway to their bachelor degree(s) and Graduate programs without the inconvenience of leaving the Rio Grande Valley.  

Welcome Our Lady of the Lake University - San Antonio! 

Our Lady of the Lake University started with the implementation of a local graduate program, the Doctoral Degree in Leadership Studies program, that proved to be a hit.  They now have plans to introduce a Bachelor of Applied Studies in Computer Information Systems and Security (which is certified by the National Security Agency) at TSTC Harlingen.  This program is offered through OLLU's Weekend College Program and will meet eight times per semester which comes out to be every other Saturday and housed here in Harlingen.  According to Charles Puente, the Program Management and Advisor for Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio Weekend College, students with an Associate in Applied Science technical field will receive approximately 54 to 60 credits toward their Bachelor degree!  That's practically two years worth of credits.  

Of course, the total amount of courses that transfer over depend on your associate degree field. Professor Ahlberg, the Department Chair of the BAS.CISS program, tells me that the TSTC program with the most transferable courses is the Computer Networking and Security Technology (CNST) with a total of 60 transferable credits (including the Academic Core).  

So far, the breakdown of courses available only extends to Fall of 2010.  A cohort of 15 students must be established before OLLU can continue the planning process for the remaining semesters.  Professor Ahlberg explained a portion of it to me earlier today.  Students who participate in this program can expect to receive 6 courses per year for an average of 3 years.  Granted, this is a slower process than the traditional amount of time for a Bachelor degree BUT what one sacrifices in time, one makes up for in convenience.  After you complete your academic core, and transfer over your associate degree credits, the average student will be looking at approximately 22 courses left (which is 1/2 the battle for a bachelor degree).  

I'm still doing some more research into it in order to provide everyone with a transfer equivalency chart. This will allow us to see exactly what we have to play with. In the meantime, I welcome any questions you may have.  

Our Lady of the Lake University Department Chair and advisors will be on campus to answer questions regarding their program on:

Wednesday, June 16

1 - 6 PM

Building "S" - 122

Thursday, June 17

10 AM - 3 PM

Building "S" - 122

To RSVP for the event/forum...please follow this link.

For a list of degrees offered from OLLU at TSTC or OLLU online...please follow this link. 

Don't forget to "Like" us on Facebook! 

Posted via email from Joshua Hernandez's posterous

Surviving Online Courses

Taking an online course is very very very different from the traditional classroom environment, which you may have guessed (or noticed).  Many students come through my office inquiring about online courses or requesting general advice on completing them without dying. :-/

I've taken MANY online courses through TSTC, DeVry, AIU and UTB. Every college had different requirements and course set-up.  I've put together my top three pieces of advice:

1) READ the syllabus.  This course information sheet will be your best friend when attempting to knock out an online course.  It will have ALL the important information like Instructor Contact Info, Course Requirements and Materials, and above all...it will state the weight of all assignments, quizzes, and tests.  

2) Print out the Grade section.  Every course I've taken online has a section that clearly outlines the items you must turn in for a grade.  This section is typically an automatic creation due to the software program(s) (Learning Management Systems) that schools use.  It is very helpful when an instructor says you are "required" to participate in discussion boards/forums but in all actuality, she isn't officially giving you a grade for it.  

3) Print out the Grading Rubric. The reason for this is that since the course is online, the only way to "officially" measure a student's knowledge is to compare assignments, tasks, etc. with a grading rubric.  This grading rubric is what instructors must go by when grading your assignments.  The BEST thing to do is review the rubric prior to completing the assignment and specifically mention those requirements. With online grading, there is a huge sense of "business is done in writing" approach. Instructors need to prove their reasoning behind the grades they give. 

The above may sound like odd items of advice, but I promise you...it helps. I've learned a lot from my experience and trust...lessons have been learned. 

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Posted via email from Joshua Hernandez's posterous

Earn one Associate and two Bachelor degrees in 3 years!

Looking to cut your education years in 1/2? Follow this plan, and you can earn ONE Associate of Applied Science degree and TWO Bachelor degrees in 3 years! 

Many students linger in college, it's practically a part of society's norm. College is typically the "Let Loose" years for the average students.  On the opposite side of that norm are the students that want to get in and out without sacrificing time, money or convenience.  This blog shows you how to do just that.  

The two institutions involved are Texas State Technical College Harlingen, and the University of Texas at Brownsville.  

Step 1:   Enter the Education & Training Program at TSTC Harlingen. This 2 year program has the most Academic Core courses included in the degree plan than any other program at the college.  Once you receive your Associate of Applied Science in Education & Training, you will have 33 credit hours of the academic core (your basics) under your belt. This leaves you with 15 credit hours left, which translates into five courses. You must spread those five courses out during your time at TSTC, which means that you need to take 15 credit hours every semester, instead of the usual 12.  Trust me, one extra class won't hurt, and by doing so, you will finish your basics at the same time as you get your degree. 

Step 2:   Enroll at the University of Texas at Brownsville and pursue the Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences (BAAS) Interdisciplinary Studies degree as well as the Bachelor of Applied Technology (BAT) Workforce Leadership and Training Degree. This means you plan on getting a double-major.  Your Associate degree that you earned at TSTC will automatically give you 33-36 credit hours towards your bachelor degree(s), which shaves off one year of school.  Lucky you. 

Step 3:   Reference the included picture, those are the classes you MUST take in order to receive each degree.  Notice that they are all the same, with the exception of those two highlighted in red.  All you have to do now is add one of those courses to each semester (which would only be for two semesters), and you will waste ZERO time.  

Note: ALL the referenced UTB courses are available COMPLETELY online. This would be the "convenience" part. ;-)

All you must do, is be serious...not fail ANY course, and keep strong! In the end, you will have one associate degree, two bachelor degrees, and only sacrificed 3 years of your life. :-) 

Please note though, that there are a few more options for you as far as degree choice goes...connect with me on facebook or comments on this blog to learn more.  

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Enjoy. 

Posted via email from Joshua Hernandez's posterous

College 101 Workshops work...

As our time in the General Studies in Technology Program grows, our adaptation of administering the "College 101" workshop series has altered.  We have included more students populations to include the Helping A TSTC Student Succeed (HATSS) Program, External Articulation Population, High School Equivalency Program (HEP), and the General Studies in Technology GED component.  

Our original survey has been modified to reflect a more precise assessment of freshman student knowledge.  The survey now includes questions on Financial Aid Probation, "6-drop" rule, etc.  Being able to administer this general survey/assessment to our students prior to taking our workshop, then again after receiving the workshop information and seeing the results is astonishing.  

The question still remains as to how many students who are NOT classified as freshman, will actually pass this survey/assessment.  The General Studies in Technology Program advisors and mentors went on a quick 100-student survey spree during the Summer of 2009. The targets were random students in order to not lean one way or the other and receive an accurate portrayal of the knowledge of an "average" student.  

We have presented ourselves with the same task, except the focus will be on students who are NOT freshmen.  This survey will be conducted Summer of 2010 with another 100 students from Texas State Technical College Harlingen.  We'll see what the results bring. Perhaps we will be able to assist students who are still mid-way to completing their educational goals.

The workshop series has been such a success that there are plans to implement the workshop series into the Allied Health programs on campus.  We are looking forward to contributing to the support provided for Texas State Technical College Harlingen students! 

Posted via email from Joshua Hernandez's posterous

THE list of courses from UTB taking place at TSTC Harlingen

Download now or preview on posterous

Utb_at_TSTCfall10.pdf (69 KB)

Come One, Come All! 

The list has arrived (See Attached)...included in this post are courses being offered by the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB) but being hosted at Texas State Technical College Harlingen (TSTC).  Remember, these courses come with UTB's tuition and instructors. TSTC is only providing the classroom space. 

If you are planning on completing your Academic Core from TSTC, please try to speak to an Advisor prior to registering for ANY KINE course. That course will not count toward your academic core completion.  

There has been a lot of collaboration between the two colleges in order to make this a reality. Please also remember that a UTB advisor comes to the Academic Achievement Center virtually every Thursday, so feel free to contact us to set up an appointment for you.  

Posted via email from Joshua Hernandez's posterous