I've been thinking a lot about a potential doctoral program in the next few years and I wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts on or experience with Valdosta State University's Ed.D. in Adult Education. VSU is an incredibly affordable option for an Ed.D. (and masters degrees) but I rarely see them mentioned on here or the sister board. I didn't know if there were reputational reasons for that. 

https://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/educat...-programs/

It ticks a lot of boxes for me:

1. Brick and mortar school.
2. Public state university.
3. Incredibly affordable for a doctoral program that meets the criteria of No. 1 and No. 2. ($300/hr for 54 hours = $16,200, which is cheaper than an ACE Ed.D.)
4. Has a Human Resources Development track, which aligns with my goals.

It's not accelerated, which I know is a downer for some, but I would appreciate the semester-based structure so I didn't feel like I had to rush through it and I could pay tuition as I go.

Anyway, like I said, I don't see them mentioned much and wanted to see if anyone had any positive reinforcement or red flags.

Hi everyone!
I’m excited to join DegreeForum and start learning from the community. I’ve been spending a lot of time researching alternative education pathways, credit-by-exam options, and ways to structure affordable, flexible learning especially for people who are juggling work, family, or career transitions.

What I really appreciate about this forum is how transparent and helpful everyone is when it comes to mapping out degree plans, comparing schools, and sharing real experiences. It’s hard to find honest guidance these days, and you all have built something incredibly useful.

I’m here to learn, contribute where I can, and connect with others who are navigating the same education journey. If anyone has recommendations for the best threads for newcomers or tips on organizing a degree plan from scratch, I’d love to hear them.
Looking forward to being part of the community!

Purdue University Global has launched their online Doctor of Business Administration degree.

The program is 90 quarter credit hours. Most courses are 4 quarter credit hours, though a few are 5 or 2. Purdue uses quarter hours unlike most US programs which use semester hours. The systems convert on a formula of 1.5 quarter hours = 1 semester hour.

The core is 66 qh, of which 34 qh are 700-level discrete coursework, 16 qh are having one each of a graduate accounting, marketing, economics, and finance course, and 16 qh are 800-level doctoral project coursework. The doctoral project is an applied research project, for which students will need permission from the research site and from PG’s institutional review board.

The remaining 24 qh are in a concentration in Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Management, or a Custom Option. Human resources topics are included under Management. Each concentration is six courses, each 4 qh: four 500-level courses, one 700-level Advanced Topics course, and one 800-level Advanced Research Topics course.

Maximum prior learning credit into the program including transfer credit is 32 qh, and “You may not receive transfer credit for any 700- or 800-level course.” We’ve seen PG accept credit from a completed master’s into a doctoral program, so my guess is they will do so here. If you’re doing price comparison napkin math to plan to bring new transfer credit into the program, note that most courses elsewhere are 3 semester hours, whereas all the courses transferable into the PG DBA are 4 quarter hours (which equals 2.67 semester hours).

The program consists of traditionally scheduled online courses. It is not offered through PG’s competency-based ExcelTrack modality,

Purdue Global is a member of the Purdue University system, but is a separate university from the flagship Purdue University in West Lafayette. Purdue Global is regionally accredited. Although other programs in the Purdue Global business school hold specialized accreditation from the ACBSP, ACBSP rules hold that “New degree programs, majors or emphases must be in effect for at least two years and have graduates before accreditation will be granted.”’

Admission requires “a master’s degree in business or a related field with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher from an accredited institution.”

Tuition is 485 per quarter credit hour. If a student can transfer in the maximum 32 qh, 485 x 58 = 28 130. PG advertises several tuition discounts, including for Indiana residents, military, military spouses, and veterans, employees of corporate partners, and degree alumni of any Purdue System institution.

Doctor of Business Administration (landing page)
Doctor of Business Administration (catalog entry)

I was probably going to signup for Study.com in the near future anyway...however I'm not psychologically ready right now...because I am studying for a couple TECEPs in a few days and have been focused on them.

Well now I'm panicking that I am not prepared, and curious about Study.com's Test Prep option.

(It says RISK-free for 30 days, NOT free for 30 days like I was thinking lol) 

I see there are different plans and also discount codes and I'm afraid if I "sign up wrong" I'm not going to be eligible for a discount or I won't be able to keep progress if I pick wrong and have to change, etc.

So, I was thinking if I go ahead and signup for Study.com sooner than I was hoping to, I can get help with the tests I have to take in a few days, and then I'll be free to start taking new courses/tests anyway so I might as well just jump into Study.com after that.

I will need Upper Level courses so I was going to do the College Saver one, eventually.
But apparently there are $59 Premium and $59 Test Prep plans too... which it seems like I should pick for my needs at the moment, but now I'm looking at it and maybe it's only ONE test you can prep with for the $59? In which case that doesn't really work.


TLDR: 
Should I just sign up for the cheapest version that will give me access to study materials for the TECEPs I have coming up and worry about upgrading the plan later?

Or, since I am going to end up needing UL courses soon anyway should I just start the College Saver plan now (even though that terrifies me because I'm not ready)?!! lol

 Is your progress saved when you change plans?
 Does signing up for one plan lock you into it for 30 days? Or can I upgrade at a pro-rated rate?

It took me about 2.5 years to complete 86 credits while working a very demanding full-time job. I'm sure if I realy had to I could've shaved off atleast 9 months. Chosing the right TESU courses is very important and there are a few I wish I did differently.  The information from this site helped me tremendously. My graduation date is 12/12.  

I am also considering my masters but I hate writing.

Thank you to everyone who gave me advice on this site. I will try my best to pay it forward and also help others on their journey.

Free Nonprofit Certificates | NonprofitReady
Free CFRE Courses and Credits | NonprofitReady.org

I am completing a BSBA - Finance at TESU. I'm transfering in around 100 credits already and I've been able to find transfer equivalents (CLEP/DSST/Study.com) for all remaining courses but BUS2100 and FDR4400. 
I read on a 2023 thread that BUS2100 can be handled by the CSM course but I cannot find anything to handle the FDR4400 without taking it at TESU. 

I'm looking to pay the $3,400 and only take the capstone + info lit class and graduate. 

Can I swap a upper level accounting or finance course for FDR4400? 

Thanks all.

National University: Financial aid opportunities, flexible 4- and 8-week classes, and a 25% tuition reduction for Penn Foster High School graduates.
 
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC): Accredited public university, 135+ degrees and certificates, low in-state tuition rates for Maryland residents, reduced tuition for military service members, their spouses, and dependent children and up to 25% discount on out-of-state tuition, scholarships for eligible students, no SAT®, GMAT or GRE requirements, multiple start dates, and a waiver for application fees.

https://www.pennfoster.edu/blog/how-to-a...igh-school

Save more with Alumni Rewards Discounts!
Whether you're a diploma graduate boosting multiple job skills or a degree graduate planning to stack your degrees, our Alumni Rewards Discounts can offer you unmatched career training at unbeatable savings–a value of up to $300 per program. Contact Admissions at 1-800-957-5412 to re-enroll and claim your Alumni Rewards Discount.

Monthly Pay Total Tuition Price
Alumni Tuition Discount AppliedIf Monthly Pay LESS THAN $799
$100 Alumni Discount
If Monthly Pay BETWEEN $800 - $1199
$200 Alumni Discount
If Monthly Pay GREATER THAN $1200
$300 Alumni Discount

https://www.ashworthcollege.edu/admissio...n/savings/

I'm not sure of the Ashworth one. i'd imagine Penn Foster students would be eligible as Penn Foster is the parent company & maybe it could even work vice verse? Ashworth Alumni being eligible for the above two school discounts? I'm not sure. This is all just speculation.

Hello everyone,

I want to start off by saying that I found this forum the other day when looking into getting a college degree online.  After reading through many threads, I can say that this is truly a remarkable community.  Many are here only to help others which is very admirable and selfless.  I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but I feel it is essential to give as many details about myself as I can to obtain the best guidance possible.  

I did quite a bit of research using this forum, and I have to admit the amount of information is quite overwhelming.  I am hoping this community can help point me in the right direction to pursue a Business Degree in Finance.  This is something I have put off for quite a while after I became successful in my career, but now it is something I want to accomplish.  My ultimate goal is to obtain my MBA, but first things first.

To start I will give some of my professional experience as I have read that this can be applied toward college credits in certain situations.  I have been in the banking industry for 25 years.  I have held a multitude of positions beginning my career as a teller until today where my title is SVP - Director of ACH Operations at a large regional bank.  I am unsure if any of my professional experience could be applied toward a finance degree, but it would be great if possible.  I also read that professional certifications could potentially be applied toward college credits as well.  I currently have my Certified Treasury Professional (CTP), Accredited ACH Professional (AAP), and Accredited Payments Risk Professional (APRP) certifications.  I am also preparing to take the Accredited Faster Payments Professional (AFPP) exam in February.  I expect to obtain that one as well because I believe in over preparing for these types of certification exams because you can only take them one time a year. 

I went to a community college briefly in 2006/2007 and below are the classes I completed.  I don't know if it makes a difference, but I had a 4.0 GPA. 
ENGL 1301; PSYC 2301; ITSC 1401; MATH 0308; MATH 0310; MATH 1314; SPCH 1311; ENGL 1302

Addendum & Template (answer in brief, compact, concise phrases - don't need long sentences):

Your Location: Houston, TX
Your Age: 46
What kind of degree do you want?: Finance
Current Regional Accredited Credits: My transcript says 25 credits, but I am not sure if all apply based on the courses listed above
Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits: I tried to find information on this but wasn't very successful in deciphering everything
Any certifications or military experience?: Yes, CTP, AAP, APRP, and soon to be AFPP certifications
Budget: I don't necessarily have a budget, but the less I would have to pay the better (obviously).  However, if I need to pay a little more to complete it faster I will
Commitments: Job and Family
Dedicated time to study: Depending on the week 10-20 hours, so probably an average of 15 hours weekly
Timeline: I would like to start in March of 2026
Tuition assistance/reimbursement: I will not need tuition assistance

I appreciate anyone who looks at this and welcome any advice.  

Thanks,
Brent

The University of Maine at Farmington is now offering a Graduate Certificate in Professional Writing in competency-based education via YourPace. It was previously offered via traditional online courses.

The program is 12 semester hour credits, each course 3 credits. These courses are core:

ENG 500 Writing in the Workplace
ENG 505 Writing for the Internet
ENG 515 Grant Writing

For the elective course, students can choose between:

ENG/ART 510 Graphic Design
EDU 577 Rethinking Writing in the Age of AI

Tuition is $2450 per eight-week session.