Finishing my degree

My actual Towson transcript (20 classes + 5 this fall), checked class by class against each degree's official requirements.

Classes still needed

TESU online

21–25 · $7.5–10.5k · Mar '28

Towson Film

~14 · $16–20k · May '28

Towson Mktg

~23 · $27–28k · Dec '28

TESU has more classes than Film, but they're self-paced and online, so it still finishes first and costs the least.

Is General Studies good enough?

It's a real, accredited bachelor's. It checks the "bachelor's required" box and works for grad school. But the diploma says "General Studies," which reads as no focus to employers. A named major like Marketing tells them what I can do.

Charter Oak General Studies

~16 classes · $4–5k

TESU Marketing

21–25 classes · $7.5–10.5k

So a real Marketing degree costs about $4–5k and ~7 classes more than General Studies. No school offers a named major for General Studies money: every business degree has the same ~13-class core.

Every named-major option, ranked

TESU Marketing

$7.5–10.5k · online

Excelsior Business

$10–13k · private

Charter Oak Business

$11–13k · no mktg

Charter Oak Marketing

$11–13k · ~25 classes

Towson Film

$16–20k · campus

UMGC Marketing

$17–19k

Towson Marketing

$27–28k · campus

TESU is the cheapest real major, fully online, public, same accreditor as Towson, and I'm already applied, ID-verified, and my transcript is sent.

How sure is this?Towson numbers come from Towson's own degree audit. TESU is my class-by-class match to its catalog; TESU's official evaluation in December gives the exact list. Fall grades (Dec 14) can add 1–2 classes, mainly if MKTG 341 is under a C.

My pick

TESU: Business Admin, Marketing

Classes left21–25

Graduate~Mar 2028

Cost$7.5–10.5k

Format100% online

Public NJ state university, same accreditor as Towson, plus business accreditation (ACBSP). Most of the business core is $99/month self-paced courses (1–3 weeks each). Only ~8 classes have to be TESU's own.

Already done counts

ENGL 102 → Writing IPOSC 103 → CivicGEOG 102 → DiversityFMST 101 → Social sci.PSYC 101MUSC 114EMF 215 → HumanitiesEMF 140 → HumanitiesDFST 101BIOL 120 + lab (4 of 6 science)5 more film classes → electives

Likely, TESU confirms in December

COSC 109 → Computer ConceptsTSEM 102 → Writing IIFMST 325 (D) → EthicsMKTG 341 → Intro Marketing (needs C)EMF 311 ·fall

countslikelyin progress

Taken, doesn't count here 3

ECON 201 (D): core needs CMATH 102 / 105: need College Algebraextra film classes past 15 elective credits

These still earn credit toward 120, just not toward a requirement. Electives are already full.

Still need 21–25

Gen ed

Public SpeakingSophia
College AlgebraSophia
1 scienceSophia
SOS-1100 Info LiteracyTESU, required
Writing II (unless TSEM 102 counts)Sophia

Business core

Financial AccountingSophia
Managerial AccountingSophia
MacroeconomicsSophia
MicroeconomicsSophia
StatisticsSophia
Quantitative Skills for BusinessSophia/TESU
Business LawSophia
Principles of ManagementSophia
Principles of FinanceSophia/TESU
Managerial CommunicationsTESU
International ManagementStudy.com/TESU
CapstoneTESU
Computer Concepts (unless COSC 109 counts)Sophia
Intro to Marketing (only if MKTG 341 < C)Sophia

Marketing (6)

Marketing ResearchTESU
Applied Marketing PracticesTESU
Electronic EnterpriseTESU
New Product DevelopmentTESU
Digital & Social Media MarketingTESU
Small Business ManagementTESU

Timeline → ~Mar 2028

Dec 2026Official credit evaluation: exact list, before any tuition

Jan 5 – Mar 28, 2027First TESU term, flat $4,652 for 9–18 credits

2027Sophia business core at my own pace, ~1.5 classes a month

Late 2027 – early 2028Marketing classes + capstone → graduate

Towson: stay in Film

Classes left~14

GraduateMay 2028

Cost$16–20k

FormatIn person

Fewest classes. But on campus, production-heavy, mostly loans, and it's a film degree. Last 30 credits must be at Towson, so CCBC only helps in spring. From my official Towson degree audit.

Already done all 20 count

TSEM 102ENGL 102POSC 103PSYC 101GEOG 102FMST 101FMST 325MUSC 114DFST 101BIOL 120 + labMATH 102MATH 105COSC 109ECON 201EMF 120EMF 140EMF 215EMF 221EMF 222EMF 265EMF 275 ·fallEMF 311 ·fallEMF 360 ·fallEMF 377 ·fallMKTG 341 ·fall

Still need ~14

EMF 367 or 373
Intermediate production+1 more if EMF 360 fails
Advanced Production I
Advanced Production II
Media elective
EMF elective
2nd science
~7 upper-level electivesneed 32 upper-level, have 15

Timeline → May 2028

Spring 2027Science + electives (Towson or CCBC online)

Fall 2027Production + film, on campus

Spring 2028Advanced Production II → graduate

Towson: switch to Marketing

Classes left~23

GraduateDec 2028

Cost$27–28k

FormatIn person

The worst option. Screened major: a C or better in 6 entry courses before the marketing classes open. Film classes become extra electives. CCBC can cover only ~14 credits (Towson's 90-credit cap). From Towson's What-If report + catalog.

Already done counts

TSEM 102ENGL 102POSC 103PSYC 101GEOG 102FMST 101MUSC 114DFST 101BIOL 120 + labMATH 102COSC 109MKTG 341 ·fall (needs C)

Taken, doesn't count here 13

EMF 120EMF 140EMF 215EMF 221EMF 222EMF 265EMF 275EMF 311EMF 360EMF 377ECON 201 (D)FMST 325MATH 105

Still need ~23

ACCT 201
ACCT 202
ECON 201retake, need C
ECON 202
LEGL 225
Business statistics
MATH 115 or higher
BUSX 301
EBTM 300
FIN 331
MNGT 361
EBTM 365
BUSX 460internship
MNGT 481
MKTG 411
MKTG 425
MKTG 431
MKTG 441
MKTG 451
MKTG 485
MKTG elective
MKTG elective
2nd science

Every other option I checked

Same transcript, each school's 2026–27 catalog and tuition page.

Charter Oak: Marketing~25 classes · $11–13k

69-credit major, C or better in all of it, and from Fall 2027 30 credits must be Charter Oak's own classes ($329/credit). Worse than TESU on every count.

Charter Oak: Business Admin~20–22 classes · $11–13k

Same 30-credit rule. Concentrations are Entrepreneurship, General Business or Project Management, no marketing.

Charter Oak: General Studies~16 classes · $4–5k

Cheapest and fewest classes, but the degree says "General Studies." Rejected.

Excelsior: BS Business (Marketing)~20–23 classes · $10–13k

Private. Transfer credit needs a C or better, so my D's are lost. $3,200 per trimester flat.

UMGC: Marketing~17–18 classes · $17–19k

Strong name in Maryland, but 30+ credits must be at UMGC at $337/credit.

WGU: Marketing~28–30 classes · $12–24k

Takes very few of my credits. Ruled out.

TESU: Marketing21–25 classes · $7.5–10.5k

The cheapest school with a real marketing major. Only 15 credits must be TESU's own, so most of it runs through $99/month courses.

Sources: Towson transcript, degree audit + What-If reports (Nov 8), Towson 2026–27 catalog; TESU BSBA Marketing 2026–27 catalog + gen-ed list; Charter Oak 2026–27 catalog + CSCU Policy 1.30; Excelsior, UMGC, WGU tuition and program pages.