Crushing UMPI’s BA English Degree with Alt Credits 🚀
Alright, folks, buckle up! If you’re eyeing the BA in English (Professional Communication) at the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI), you’re about to get a study guide to get your degree like it’s a perfectly tuned Arch Linux setup. 📚 This guide lays out a degree plan, current as of June 2023, to breeze through UMPI’s requirements using alternative credits from Sophia.org and Study.com. It’s fast, cheap, and lean—exactly how we like it.
Big thanks to the DegreeForum crew (ss20ts, ashkir, and others) for paving the way with their wisdom. Think of this as a pre-configured dotfiles repo for your degree: minimal effort, maximum results. Let’s dive in and make this degree yours! 😎
Heads-up: Always verify with UMPI advisors (email: umpi-yourpace@maine.edu) to confirm these courses still transfer. Databases can be as flaky as a poorly maintained package manager.
Table of Contents
- What’s the UMPI BA English All About?
- Tips for Owning This Degree
- The Degree Plan: Your Roadmap
- Wrapping Up: You’re a Degree Wizard!
What’s the UMPI BA English All About?
The UMPI BA in English (Professional Communication) is a 120-credit program that mixes lit, writing, and workplace skills. You’ll need:
- 40 credits of General Education Curriculum (GEC).
- 21 credits of English core courses (most upper-level must be at UMPI).
- 27 credits of professional courses (again, most upper-level at UMPI).
- 32 credits of general electives (your playground for alt credits).
- 30 residency credits at UMPI (12 in the major, 9 at 300-level or above).
The kicker? You can transfer up to 90 ACE credits from Sophia and Study.com, meaning you only need 30 credits at UMPI. That’s like running a minimal install and adding just the packages you need. 🛠️ This plan gets you to 84 transfer credits, leaving 36 to take at UMPI (6 extra for flexibility).
Tips for Owning This Degree
Here’s how to approach this like a pro sysadmin:
- Start with Sophia.org 🚀: It’s the fastest, cheapest way to knock out credits. Sophia limits you to two open courses, so finish one with touchstones (written assignments) before starting another.
- Move to Study.com: After Sophia, use Study.com for remaining courses. They cap you at two exams per month, so plan your timeline.
- Prioritize UMPI for Upper-Level: Most English and professional courses (300-level and above) must be taken at UMPI to meet residency requirements.
- The GEC: Check out my UMPI GEC Roadmap for the fastest way to clear those 40 credits with alt providers.
- Electives Are Your Friend: Use Sophia for electives to hit exactly 32 credits. Their 1-credit courses are perfect for fine-tuning.
- Verify Transfers: UMPI’s Transfer Equivalency Database is your go-to, but it’s not always perfect. Cross-check and email advisors if something’s off.
- Track It: Copy this plan into Excel or Sheets (CTRL+C/CTRL+V) to keep tabs on your progress.
Let’s get to the good stuff: the degree plan.
The Degree Plan: Your Roadmap
This plan is built for speed and efficiency, using Sophia and Study.com for transfer credits and UMPI for required residency courses. Here’s how it breaks down.
General Education Requirements (40 Credits) 📝
The GEC is a 40-credit hurdle, but you can clear it with alternative credits. I’ve got a full guide on this—check out my UMPI GEC Roadmap for the leanest courses (think Sophia’s Intro to Stats, Ethics, and Spanish I). You’ll transfer in all 40 credits here, no UMPI courses needed.
| Category | Credits | Provider | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Education | 40 | Sophia/Study.com | See GEC Roadmap for details. All transferable. |
English Requirements (21 Credits) 📚
These are your core English courses. Most are upper-level and must be taken at UMPI, but you can sneak in one via Study.com or CLEP.
| Course | Credits | Provider | UMPI Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG 211: Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 | UMPI | 3 | Take at UMPI (upper-level). |
| ENG 151: Introduction to Literature | 3 | Study.com or CLEP | 3 | Study.com: English 103: Analyzing and Interpreting Literature. Fastest option. |
| ENG 259: Contemporary World Literature | 3 | UMPI | 3 | Take at UMPI (upper-level). |
| PCJ 180: Introduction to Professional Communication & Journalism | 3 | UMPI | 3 | Take at UMPI. |
| ENG 241: Enlightenment and the Rise of Anglo-American Literatures & Cultures | 3 | UMPI | 3 | Take at UMPI (upper-level). |
| ENG 242: Modern & Contemporary Anglo-American Literatures & Cultures | 3 | UMPI | 3 | Take at UMPI (upper-level). |
| ENG 391: Studies in the English Language | 3 | UMPI | 3 | Take at UMPI (upper-level). |
| Total | 21 | 3 | Only ENG 151 is transferable. |
Professional Requirements (27 Credits) 💼
These courses focus on workplace skills. Three can be transferred, but the rest are UMPI territory.
| Course | Credits | Provider | UMPI Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ART 108: Graphic Design | 3 | UMPI | 3 | Take at UMPI. |
| PCJ 214: Magazine and Feature Writing | 3 | UMPI | 3 | Take at UMPI (upper-level). |
| PCJ 215: Business Communications | 3 | Sophia or Study.com | 3 | Sophia: Business Communication or Study.com: Communications 120. Both quick. |
| PCJ 315: Professional Communication | 3 | UMPI | 3 | Take at UMPI (upper-level). |
| PCJ 316: Advanced Professional Communication | 3 | UMPI | 3 | Take at UMPI (upper-level). |
| PCJ 396: Field Experience Practicum | 3 | UMPI | 3 | Take at UMPI (upper-level). |
| EPCJ 493: Teaching & Learning in a Proficiency-Based System | 3 | UMPI | 3 | Take at UMPI (upper-level). |
| BUS 240: Change Management | 3 | Study.com | 3 | Business 304: Leading Organizational Change. Quick win. |
| BUS 260: Leadership | 3 | Study.com | 3 | Business 209: Mentoring & Leadership Development. Another easy one. |
| Total | 27 | 9 | PCJ 215, BUS 240, BUS 260 are transferable. |
General Electives (32 Credits) 🎉
This is your sandbox. Load up on Sophia courses to hit exactly 32 credits. Their 1-credit courses (e.g., Student Success) are great for precision.
| Category | Credits | Provider | UMPI Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Electives | 32 | Sophia | 32 | Pick any Sophia courses. Use 1-credit options to fine-tune. |
Total Transfer Credits (Up to 84 Credits) ✅
Here’s how it all adds up:
| Category | Total Credits | Transfer Credits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Education | 40 | 40 | All via Sophia/Study.com. |
| English Requirements | 21 | 3 | ENG 151 only. |
| Professional Requirements | 27 | 9 | PCJ 215, BUS 240, BUS 260. |
| General Electives | 32 | 32 | All via Sophia. |
| Total | 120 | 84 | Leaves 36 credits at UMPI (6 extra for flexibility). |
Wrapping Up: You’re a Degree Wizard!
Boom! You’ve got a lean, mean plan to crush UMPI’s BA in English like it’s a perfectly scripted bash file. With 84 credits from Sophia and Study.com, you’re minimizing your time at UMPI while hitting all residency requirements. Here’s your final checklist:
- Follow the GEC Roadmap for those 40 credits.
- Knock out ENG 151, PCJ 215, BUS 240, and BUS 260 with alt providers.
- Load up on Sophia electives for 32 credits.
- Take the rest (36 credits) at UMPI, focusing on upper-level English and professional courses.
- Verify transfers with UMPI’s Transfer Equivalency Database and email advisors if needed.
- Track your progress in Excel or Sheets (CTRL+C/CTRL+V the tables).
You’re basically ricing your degree at this point, making it sleek and efficient. Got questions? Ping the DegreeForum community or UMPI advisors. Now go grab that diploma like a boss! 🧙♂️
This plan is based on UMPI’s BA English requirements as of June 2023 and DegreeForum insights. Confirm with advisors to avoid transfer hiccups.