Program Overview
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The Associate in Science in Business Administration (ASBA) degree has a broad management core designed to ensure college- level competence in business and the arts and sciences. Some of the topics covered include the principles of management, marketing and financial accounting. The ASBA degree prepares students to make a seamless transition into a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree program.
What Students Will Learn in the Associate in Science in Business Administration Program
The degree has a broad management core designed to ensure college-level competence in business and the arts and sciences. Some of the topics covered include the principles of management, marketing, and financial accounting. Students may take 6 credits of business electives in fields of their interest.
Students can also earn the Associate in Science in Business Administration program using the Open Course Option, where students take open, online courses offered by the Saylor Foundation at no cost and then apply what they learned in those open courses by successfully completing a portfolio assessment or TECEP® exam.
Degree Requirements
To attain the ASBA degree, the student must earn 60 credits distributed as follows: 30 credits in general education, 18 credits in management, and 12 credits in electives.
General Education Requirements
The 30-credit requirement in general education provides students with a background in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences/mathematics.
Management Core
The 18 credits required in the management core consist of basic business subjects.
Electives
The elective category may be satisfied by almost any college credit. Academic policies should be reviewed for limitation of credits.
Open Course Option ASBA
The Open Course Option is a new degree pathway that allows students to complete the majority of an Associate in Science in Business Administration degree by taking free, open, online courses from the Saylor Academy that are aligned with the University's assessment program.
The option enables students to take open courses at no cost and then apply what they learned in those open courses by successfully completing a portfolio assessment or the University's credit-by-exam program, TECEP®. Some credits can also be earned by passing a College-Level Exam Program CLEP® exam. Still others can be earned through Saylor's National College Credit Recommendation Service NCCRS and American Council on Education ACE credit exams, which have been evaluated and recommended for college credit. Students using the Open Course Option will also complete the University's online prior learning assessment courses, Introduction to Prior Learning Assessment (PLA-100), and Introduction to Portfolio Assessment (PLA-200) as well as some general education requirements through traditional courses.
The Open Course Option is primarily self-paced, so students can complete courses and assessments on their own schedule, independent from monthly semesters and deadlines.
Credit Distribution
I. General Education Featured Courses (30 Credits)
A. Intellectual and Practical Skills (12 Credits)
B. Civic and Global Leadership (6 Credits)
| SOC-101 | Our Changing World An Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| ETH-230 | Ethics in the Digital Age | 3 |
C. Knowledge of Human Cultures (6 Credits)
D. Scientific Knowledge (6 Credits)
For additional TESU course options that will satisfy this area of the degree, go to
Scientific Knowledge.
II. Management Core (18 Credits)
Required Courses
| ACC-101 | Principles of Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ACC-102 | Principles of Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| CIS-107 | Computer Concepts and Applications | 3 |
| LAW-201 | Business Law | 3 |
| MAN-210 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| MAR-201 | Introduction to Marketing | 3 |
III. Electives (12 Credits)
For TESU course options, go to Elective Courses.
| TESU accepts credits in transfer from accredited institutions as well as non-collegiate providers. View information and resources on where you may find additional learning experiences. |
Total Credit Hours: 60
Open Course Option
The Open Course Option is a new degree pathway that allows students to complete the majority of an Associate in Science in Business Administration degree by taking free, open, online courses from the Saylor Academy that are aligned with the University's prior learning assessment program.
The option enables students to take open courses at no cost and then apply what they learned in those open courses by successfully completing a portfolio assessment or the University's credit-by-exam program, TECEP®. Some credits can also be earned by passing a College-Level Exam Program (®CLEP) exam. Still others can be earned through Saylor's National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS) and American Council on Education (ACE) Credit exams, which have been evaluated and recommended for college credit. Students using the Open Course Option will also complete the University's new online prior learning assessment courses, PLA-100 and PLA-200, as well as some general education requirements through traditional courses.
The Open Course Option is primarily self-paced, so students can complete courses and assessments on their own schedule, independent from monthly semesters and deadlines.
> Tuition Information
> Getting Started
> Taking Saylor's Open Courses
ASBA Open Course Option Degree Chart
|
General Education Requirements
(30 credits)
|
Saylor Open Course |
Assessment for Credit |
| Intellectual and Practical Skills (12 Credits) |
|
Written Communication
ENC-101 English Composition I
ENC-102 English Composition II
|
ENGL001 English Composition I
ENGL002 English Composition II
|
®TECEP English Comp I
®TECEP English Comp II
|
|
Quantitative Literacy (3 Credits)
MAT-121 College Algebra
|
MA001 College Algebra
|
®TECEP College Algebra NCCRS or ACE Credit
|
|
Information Literacy (3 Credits)
SOS-110 Critical Information Literacy
|
No Saylor Equivalent
|
None
|
| Civic and Global Leadership(6 Credits) |
|
| Ethics course (pick one):
PHI-286 Contemporary Ethics
ETH-210 Environmental Ethics
Diversity course:
HIS-126 World History from 1600-present
|
PHIL103 Moral/Political Philosophy
ENVS203 Environmental Ethics, Justice
and World Views
HIST103 World History in Modern Era
|
Portfolio
®TECEP Environmental Ethics
or ACE Credit
®TECEP World History from 1600 to Present
|
| Knowledge of Human Culture (6 Credits) |
|
ECO-111 Macroeconomics
ECO-112 Microeconomics
POS-110 Introduction to Political Science
|
ECON102 Macroeconomics
ECON101 Microeconomics
POLSC101 Introduction to Political Science
|
Portfolio, CLEP or ACE Credit
®TECEP Microeconomics, Portfolio,
CLEP or ACE Credit
®TECEP Introduction to Political Science
|
Scientific Knowledge (6 Credits
|
|
CHE-111 General Chemistry I
BIO-101 Introductory Biology
|
CHEM101 General Chemistry I
BIO101 Introduction to Molecular and
Cellular Biology
|
ACE Credit
®TECEP Introduction to Biology
|
| Management Core (18 Credits) |
|
ACC-101 Principles of Financial Accounting
ACC-102 Principles of Managerial Accounting
LAW-201 Business Law
MAN-210 Principles of Management
MAR-301 Principles of Marketing
COS-101 Introduction to Computers/CIS
|
BUS103 Introduction to Financial Accounting
BUS105 Managerial Accounting
BUS205 Business Law and Ethics
BUS208 Principles of Management
BUS203 Principles of Marketing
CS101 Introduction to Computer Science I
|
®TECEP Principles of Financial Accounting
or ACE Credit
®TECEP Principles of Managerial Accounting
Portfolio, CLEP, NCCRS or ACE Credit
Portfolio, CLEP, NCCRS or ACE Credit
Portfolio, CLEP, NCCRS or ACE Credit
Portfolio, NCCRS or ACE Credit
|
| Electives (12 credits) |
|
Pick four:
CMP-354 Network Technology
OPM-351 Business Statistics
MAN-432 Small Business Management
MAN-435 Project Management
MAN-373 Managerial Communications
NEG-401 Negotiations and Conflict
Management
ENG-201 Technical Writing
STA-201 Principles of Statistics
|
CS402 Computer Communications and
Networks
BUS204 Business Statistics
BUS305 Small Business Management
BUS402 Project Management
BUS210 Corporate Communications
BUS403 Negotiations and Conflict
Management
ENGL210 Technical Writing
MA121 Introduction to Statistics
|
®TECEP Network Technology
NCCRS or ACE Credit
Portfolio
Portfolio
, ®TECEP Managerial Communications
NCCRS or ACE Credit
®TECEP Negotiations and Conflict
Management
® TECEPTechnical Writing
®TECEP Principles of Statistics
or ACE Credit
|
| Total: 60 Credits |
Enrolling in Open Courses
To earn a degree from Thomas Edison State University, students must be enrolled. Becoming an enrolled student requires the student to select an annual tuition plan. While there are no costs for taking the Saylor courses associated with the Open Course Option at Thomas Edison State University, students must also register for and successfully complete Thomas Edison State University (TECEP®) exams and portfolio assessments and other assessments to earn credit for the course requirements. In addition to the cost of TECEP® exams and portfolio assessments, there are also costs associated with the application and enrollment process and tuition costs for the required online courses.
The cost of earning the Associate in Science in Business Administration at Thomas Edison State University through the Open Course Option varies depending on several factors, which include whether the student is a New Jersey resident who qualifies for in-state tuition, how many credits the student is able to transfer to the degree program, how many credits the student has to complete to earn the degree, which assessments the student uses to earn credit and how long it takes the student to complete the degree.
Getting Started with Open Courses
Step 1: Apply and Enroll
If the student is new to Thomas Edison State University and not yet an enrolled, the first step is to apply to Thomas Edison State University and become an enrolled student. This allows the University to track the students’ progress, determine how the students transfer credits and previous training can apply to a degree, provide academic advising, and enable the student to earn a degree. Students will receive directions on how to enroll after they apply and are accepted to the University. If a student is already an enrolled at Thomas Edison State University, he or she is ready for Step 2.
Step 2: Complete Requirements for English 101 and 102
Once the student has selected a tuition plan and becomes enrolled, the next step is passing the TECEP® exams for English 101 (ENC-101) and English 102 (ENC-102). Students can prepare for these exams using Saylor courses or, if the student feels ready to take the exams without additional preparation, the student may take them directly. Please note that all credit-by-exams, including TECEP®, are pass/fail. If students are able to satisfy requirements for English 101 and 102 via transfer credit, students are ready for Step 3.
Step 3: Register for the required online courses
The only Thomas Edison State University courses students must complete in the Open Course Option are their Oral Communication, Civic Engagement, and Information Literacy General Education requirements. Students also have the option to take Introduction to Prior Learning Assessment (PLA-100), and Introduction to Portfolio Assessment (PLA-200). These courses review the concept and methods of prior learning assessment and will show students how to document and articulate prior learning through the creation of portfolio assessments. These courses will count towards the student's elective credit requirement.
Step 4: Complete Remaining Assessments for ASBA Open Course Option
Once students have completed the online courses, they should have an idea of what credits remain for them to earn via the Open Course Option. The student's next step is to work through the corresponding Saylor Academy course, and then use the applicable method of prior learning assessment listed here.
These four steps are intended to give students, especially those not familiar with Thomas Edison State University, an idea on how to get started earning credit through the Open Course Option. For more information, enrolled students should contact the Office of Academic Advising at academicadvising@tesu.edu or via the Academic Expressline: (609) 777-5680 (Monday - Friday, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. ET). Prospective students should contact our Office of Admissions and Enrollment Services at (609) 777-5680, (Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. ET) or via admissions@tesu.edu.
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