For Mom

My plan to finish my degree

I checked my actual Towson transcript, class by class, against every option. Here's where I'm going, how I'll finish, and how it compares.

My choice

Thomas Edison State University
B.S. in Business Administration, Marketing

~50 of 76my credits count
21–25classes left
~March 2028graduate
Onlineat my own pace

Why this is the right fit

A real major. The diploma says Business Administration, Marketing. That's the field I'm already working in.

A legitimate school. Public New Jersey state university since 1972, accredited by Middle States (the same as Towson), and the business program has its own business accreditation (ACBSP).

Built for students like me. TESU is known for accepting transfer credit, so most of my Towson work carries over.

Fits my life. Fully online with no set class times, so I can keep working while I finish.

How I'll finish

Done · Nov 2026Applied, ID verified, Towson transcript sent
Dec 2026Finish fall semester at Towson. TESU sends its official credit evaluation, before I pay any tuition
Jan 5, 2027First TESU term starts (3–4 classes). Enrolled before I leave Towson
All of 2027Business core at about 1.5 classes a month, self-paced. Monthly progress updates to you
Late 2027 – early 2028Marketing classes and final capstone
~March 2028Graduate

Every option, side by side

Film and Marketing are the two Towson paths. Tap to see what transfers, what's left, and how each one finishes.
TESU · Business Admin, Marketing
Online and self-paced. Most of my gen eds carry over, and film classes count as electives.
DegreeB.S. Business Admin, Marketing
Classes left21–25
Graduate~March 2028
FormatOnline, self-paced
Must take at TESU15 credits (I'll take ~24)
Cost~$7.5–10.5k
Already done · counts
ENGL 102POSC 103PSYC 101GEOG 102FMST 101MUSC 114DFST 101BIOL 120 + labEMF 140EMF 2155 film classes → electives
Likely counts · TESU confirms in Dec
COSC 109 → Computer ConceptsTSEM 102 → Writing IIFMST 325 → Ethics
Taking now · fall
MKTG 341 → Intro to Marketing (needs C)EMF 311
Taken · doesn't fill a requirement here
ECON 201 (D)MATH 102MATH 105extra film classes
Still to take
  1. Financial Accountingself-paced
  2. Managerial Accountingself-paced
  3. Macroeconomicsself-paced
  4. Microeconomicsself-paced
  5. Statisticsself-paced
  6. Quantitative Skills for Businessself-paced
  7. Business Lawself-paced
  8. Principles of Managementself-paced
  9. Principles of Financeself-paced
  10. College Algebraself-paced
  11. Public Speakingself-paced
  12. 1 scienceself-paced
  13. Managerial CommunicationsTESU
  14. International ManagementTESU
  15. Information Literacy (SOS-1100)TESU
  16. Marketing ResearchTESU
  17. Applied Marketing PracticesTESU
  18. Electronic EnterpriseTESU
  19. New Product DevelopmentTESU
  20. Digital & Social Media MarketingTESU
  21. Small Business ManagementTESU
  22. Business CapstoneTESU
Up to 3 more if COSC 109, TSEM 102 or MKTG 341 don't count. "Self-paced" = low-cost online courses TESU accepts in transfer.
Towson · Film (my current major)
Fewest classes left and every credit I've earned counts. On campus and production-focused.
DegreeB.S. Film, Audio, Media Arts
Classes left~14 (44 credits)
GraduateMay 2028
FormatOn campus
RuleLast 30 credits at Towson
Cost~$16–20k
Already done · all counts
TSEM 102ENGL 102POSC 103PSYC 101GEOG 102FMST 101FMST 325MUSC 114DFST 101BIOL 120 + labMATH 102MATH 105COSC 109ECON 201EMF 120EMF 140EMF 215EMF 221EMF 222EMF 265
Taking now · fall
EMF 275EMF 311EMF 360EMF 377MKTG 341
Still to take
  1. EMF 367 or 373
  2. Intermediate production+1 if EMF 360 isn't passed
  3. Advanced Production I
  4. Advanced Production II
  5. Media elective
  6. EMF elective
  7. 2nd science
  8. ~7 upper-level electivesneed 32 upper-level, have 15
How it finishes
Spring 2027Science + electives (Towson, or CCBC online)
Fall 2027Production and film classes on campus
Spring 2028Advanced Production II → graduate
Towson · switch to Marketing
Same major as my TESU plan, at Towson. Gen eds carry over; film classes become extra electives.
DegreeB.S. Marketing
Classes left~23
GraduateDec 2028
FormatOn campus
RuleC or better in 6 entry classes first
Cost~$27–28k
Already done · counts
TSEM 102ENGL 102POSC 103PSYC 101GEOG 102FMST 101MUSC 114DFST 101BIOL 120 + labMATH 102COSC 109
Taking now · fall
MKTG 341 (needs C)
Taken · becomes general electives
EMF 120EMF 140EMF 215EMF 221EMF 222EMF 265EMF 275EMF 311EMF 360EMF 377ECON 201 (D)FMST 325MATH 105
Still to take
  1. ACCT 201
  2. ACCT 202
  3. ECON 201retake for a C
  4. ECON 202
  5. LEGL 225
  6. Business statistics
  7. MATH 115 or higher
  8. BUSX 301
  9. EBTM 300
  10. FIN 331
  11. MNGT 361
  12. EBTM 365
  13. BUSX 460internship
  14. MNGT 481
  15. MKTG 411
  16. MKTG 425
  17. MKTG 431
  18. MKTG 441
  19. MKTG 451
  20. MKTG 485
  21. MKTG elective
  22. MKTG elective
  23. 2nd science
How it finishes
2027Business entry classes (some at CCBC), then apply to the major
Fall 2027 – Fall 2028Three semesters of business and marketing on campus → graduate
Other schools I checked
All accredited, all online, same transcript.
TESU · Professional Studies~20 classes · early '28

Same school with a flexible major that uses more of my film credits. Diploma reads Professional Studies.

Charter Oak · General Studies~16 classes · late '27

Fewest classes and lowest cost, with a flexible major. Diploma reads General Studies.

Charter Oak · Marketing~25 classes · '28

Connecticut public college. 69-credit major, and from Fall 2027 30 credits must be taken there.

Charter Oak · Business Admin~20–22 classes · '28

Concentrations in Entrepreneurship, General Business or Project Management.

Excelsior · Business, Marketing~20–23 classes · '28

Private, online. Transfer credit needs a C or better, so my two D's wouldn't carry over.

UMGC · Marketing~17–18 classes · '28

Maryland's online state university, structured 8-week classes. 30+ credits taken at UMGC.

WGU · Marketing~28–30 classes

Flat-rate, competency-based. Accepts fewer of my specific credits.

General Studies & Professional Studies

Both are real, accredited bachelor's degrees and the fastest way to finish. The difference is the name on the diploma: a named major like Marketing points to a specific field, which is why I'm choosing it for a few more classes.

How sure is this?

Towson numbers come from Towson's own degree audit and What-If reports on my record.

TESU numbers are my class-by-class match to TESU's official 2026–27 requirements. TESU's evaluation in December gives the exact list, and my fall grades (Dec 14) can shift it by 1–2 classes.

Sources: my Towson transcript, degree audit and What-If reports (Nov 8), Towson 2026–27 catalog; TESU 2026–27 catalog and general-education list; Charter Oak 2026–27 catalog; Excelsior, UMGC and WGU program pages.