Basic Program spring Year Three

As a Virginian: What a wonderful time to be reading and discussing Locke.

Just a thought. I will not engage in political argument.

I noticed that this forum does not seem to have a thread compiling unusual, niche college majors. I thought it could be useful to start one. Most programs listed below are online unless stated otherwise.

• Hawaiian Studies - Kapiʻolani Community College
  
• Iñupiaq Studies - IỊisaġvik College (in-person, but many courses have online options)
  
• Alaska Native Studies - University of Alaska Anchorage
  
• Firearms Technology - Sonoran Desert Institute
  
• Applied Fisheries - University of Alaska Southeast
  
• Diving Business Technology - College of the Florida Keys (in-person)
  
• Marine Engineering, Management, & Seamanship - College of the Florida Keys (in-person)
  
• Turfgrass Science and Management - Penn State World Campus
  

• Veterinary Technology - Windward Community College
  
• Chemical Dependency Studies - Northwest Indian College
  
• Histotechnology - Indiana University
  

• Puppet Arts - University of Connecticut (in-person)
  
• CHamoru Studies - University of Guam (in-person)
  
• Maritime Studies - University of West Florida
  
• Theme Park and Attraction Management - University of Central Florida
  
• Marine Resource Management - College of the Florida Keys (in-person)
  
• Native Environmental Science - Navajo Technical University
  
• Petroleum Engineering - University of North Dakota
  
• Packaging - Michigan State University (in-person)
  
• Electronic Music Production and Sound Design - Berklee Online
  
• Turfgrass Science - Penn State World Campus
  

• Astronomical and Planetary Sciences (BS)
  
• Architectural Studies (BSD)
  
• Biochemistry (BA & BS)
  
• Biomedical Engineering (BSE)
  
• Biophysics (BS)
  
• Chemistry (BA)
  
• Ocean Futures (BS)
  
• Pharmacology and Toxicology (BS)
  
• Physics (BA & BS)
  

• Beef Cattle Production - University of Nebraska - Lincoln
  
• Quantum Technology Applications and Management - University of Sussex
  
• Micronesian Studies - University of Guam (in-person)
  
• Hydrology - New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
  
• Film Scoring - Berklee Online
  
• Space Studies - University of North Dakota
  
• Arctic and Northern Studies - University of Alaska Fairbanks
  
• Turfgrass Management - Penn State World Campus
  
• Petroleum Engineering - University of North Dakota
  
• Pharmaceutical Bioengineering - University of Washington
  
• Sustainable Transportation - University of Washington
  

• Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law - University of Nebraska - Lincoln
  
• Air and Space Law - University of Mississippi
  
• Agricultural and Food Law - University of Arkansas
  

• Soil Science - Mississippi State University
  
• Petroleum Engineering - University of North Dakota + Texas A&M University
  
• Aerospace Sciences (not to be confused with Aerospace Engineering) - University of North Dakota
  
• Space Resources - Colorado School of Mines
  
• Diné Culture and Language Sustainability - Navajo Technical University
  
• Engineering Technology (Surveying Concentration) - University of Maine
  

• Chess in Education - Webster University (in-person)
  

I need to take English Composition I and II.  I've read through this thread but don't have my answer:  https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...YOUR-input

I plan to transfer them to UMPI.  I've read to take them at UMPI as they *were*, emphasis "were", much faster at UMPI.  However, some recent threads have indicated the Prof teaching Eng Comp II at UMPI is extremely difficult to please, even when following the rubric exactly as stated.  Someone stated they were half way through the 8 week session and not even half way through Eng Comp II.  To me, that's unacceptable and not something I want to deal with.  I realize I'm likely to experience other Profs that will be unpleasant, however, that's an unknown variable and this issue with this particular Prof has been documented multiple times ...  why take that risk if I don't have too.

I've also heard Eng Comp II at Sophia is basically the same situation except there seem to be more Profs that are difficult to deal with even when the rubric is followed exactly.  There also seems to be many complaints to Sophia about these Profs.  I'm unaware if the issue has been resolved or remains as a concern.

I'm willing to do more work when the instructions are clear and the Prof follows the rubrics, provides good feedback and is fair to everyone.

For my given use case, should I try Sophia or skip it?  What about Study.com or Straighterline?

Btw, I also need the following and plan to take those at Sophia unless there's a good reason to take them at SDC or SL:  

• US Govt
  
• Human Biology
  
• Human Biology Lab
  
• Enviro Science
  
• Spanish I
  
• Spanish II
  
• Ancient Philosophers - I have 3 Ethics classes however I'm unsure if UMPI will accept them as GEC credit.
  

Some journalists have written that COVID-19 led to a surge of online enrollment that we're still seeing today. However, I don't think we can tell how much of an effect COVID-19 had because online enrollment was already increasing before the pandemic, and the big enrollment surge we saw in 2020 substantially dropped in 2021.

Note: Online and distance education are not synonymous. All online courses are distance education courses, but not all distance education courses are online.

Between 2016 and 2017, the percentage of online graduate programs grew by 6.1%. According to a 2019 report, public institutions accounted for 53% of online students (at least one course taken online). Prior to the pandemic, 83% of chief academic officers said that they planned to increase emphasis on growing online programs. 

Note: In 2021, 58% of exclusively distance education students were at for-profit colleges, which is a different statistic from taking at least one course by distance. 

https://cps.northeastern.edu/wp-content/...n_2019.pdf

Specifically, the percentage of undergraduate students enrolled in at least one distance education course was

• 36 percent in 2019;
  
  
• 75 percent in 2020; and
  
  
• 61 percent in 2021.
  

• 15 percent in 2019;
  
  
• 44 percent in 2020; and
  
  
• 28 percent in 2021.
  

• About one quarter (26%) of students took classes exclusively online.
  
  
• Another 28% had some but not all of their classes online.
  
  
• 46% of students did not take any online courses.
  

• 24.7% of higher education students were enrolled exclusively online in 2024 (National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 2024).
  
  
• Exclusively distance enrollment remained stable at 28% for undergraduates through 2024-2025 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2025).
  

• Participation in some distance education reached 33% of undergraduates (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024).
  
  
• Traditional classroom-only enrollment accounted for 39% of undergraduates (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024).
  

I've read a couple of studies that suggest that most American college graduates are functionally illiterate. Sometimes, people misread things, but when multiple college-educated people can't understand a basic question, that is concerning. The current panic is over Gen Z, but it's clear that this problem extends to Millennials and Gen X.

I asked, "For those who were searching for online programs 10+ years ago when options were fewer, why didn't you go to a for-profit college?"

People who did choose for-profit colleges answered the question, even though the question was not for them. People who were searching for face-to-face programs answered the question, even though the question was explicitly not for them. 

https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/...n-2006.pdf

https://www.persuasion.community/p/the-a...illiterate

https://fortune.com/2026/01/09/gen-z-col...epardness/

Hello,

As my employer is paying for partial costs, they will only pay if they are accredited through the National Clearinghouse as that is whom they verify college when doing background checks. Is this something they are working on currently?

I'm at a point in my life where I've raised my kids and now want to work on myself. I never finished my degree and am looking at online courses. I only want to go part time as I have a demanding job, and I want to try this out. I was looking at TESU as they seem to offer more online courses than UMPI and I can go for an associates. What is the best course for someone who wants to "try out" college part time? I'm thinking General Studies.

Lake Land College, a community college in Mattoon, IL, will begin three new competency-based programs in Fall 2026. All three programs are manufacturing-focused, allowing for some interesting CBE coursework opportunities such as "Motor Control Systems I" and "Pneumatic Troubleshooting I."

These are the competency-based programs that Lake Land College is introducing:

• Associate's - Applied Engineering Technology
  
• Certificate - Automation Specialist I
  
• Certificate - Automation Specialist II
  

Google says 75% of the company's new code is AI-generated

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/go...r-AA21tqmC

In 18 months, Google went from 25% AI-generated code to 75%.

Imagine where we'll be in 6 months.

How bout this transfer plan for UoPeople's Associate's in Business Admin:

Core Gen Ed (StraighterLine)

• English Composition I
  
• English Composition II
  
• Introduction to Sociology
  
• Introduction to Psychology
  
• American Government
  
• Environmental Science
  

• Principles of Management
  
• Introduction to Business
  
• Business Ethics
  
• Macroeconomics
  
• Financial Accounting ✅ (strongly recommended here)
  

• From University of the People / IBM
  ? ~12 credits
  

• UNIV 1001
  
• Business Law
  
• Principles of Marketing
  
• Organizational Behavior
  
• (One filler depending on transfer gaps, sometimes Microeconomics or elective)