Both Programs are similar, and accepted as Business Degrees with Information Systems specialization.
Both Programs require 120 credits, lets look at the similarities and differences.
- Excelsior requires 60 credits in Arts and Sciences (Gen Ed)
- TESC requires 48 credits in Gen Ed
- Excelsior requires 45 credits in the Business Requirement
- TESC requires 54 credits in the Business Requirement
- Excelsior requires 15 elective credits (1 being Information Literacy)
- TESC Requires 18 elective credits
Breakdown of Credits:
General Education:
English Requirement:
- Excelsior requires 3 credits in Written English Requirement
- TESC requires 6 credits in English Composition
Humanities Requirement:
- Excelsior requires 9 credits in Humanities, which may include Ethics, in addition to credit for the Written English Requirement
- TESC requires 12 credits in Humanities, including Managerial or Business Communications
Social Sciences / History Requirement:
- Excelsior requires 15 credits in SS/H, including Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, and may include Organizational Behavior
- TESC requires 12 credits in SS, including Microeconomics and Macroeconomics
Natural Sciences / Mathematics Requirement:
- Excelsior requires 6 credits in NS/M including a math course at the level of Precalculus and above, and Statistics
- TESC requires 9 credits in NS/M including Precalculus Mathematics or Quantitative Analysis and Statistics
Gen Ed Elective:
- Excelsior requires an additional 27 credits in Arts and Sciences
- TESC requires an additional 9 credits in Gen Ed electives
Business Component:
Both Schools require the following courses:
- Financial Accounting (Principles of Financial Accounting)
- Managerial Accounting (Principles of Managerial Accounting)
- Introduction to Business Law (United States Business Law)
- Computers (Computer Concepts and Applications/Introduction to Computers/CIS)
- Principles of Management
- Principles of Marketing (Introduction to Marketing)
- Financial Management (Business Finance)***
- Business Policy
Excelsior requires the following additional Business courses:
- Production/Operations Management
- Organizational Behavior (Can be used toward Business or Arts and Sciences)
- Ethics (Can be used toward Business or Arts and Sciences)
TESC requires the following additional Business courses:
- Business in Society or International Management
- (Ethics is STRONGLY recommended, but NOT required)
Business Electives:
- For Excelsior, if Organizational Behavior and Ethics are used toward Arts and Sciences, then an additional 6 elective credits in Business must be fulfilled, if they are used toward Business, no additional elective credits are required. Additionally 3 advanced level business credits must be achieved
- For TESC, an additional 9 business electives are required
- Please Note: IS Courses MAY be utilized toward business electives for both colleges, please consult your advisor
IS Concentration Requirement:
Excelsior requires 18 credits in the following subjects, of which 9 credits are to be in the advanced level
- Business Programming Language
- Database Management
- Data Communications or Telecommunications or Networking
- Systems Analysis and Design
- Other MIS Electives
- Please note, the first 4 requirements can be fulfilled by 2 credit courses
TESC requires the 18 credits following subjects
- Programming Language (3 credits)
- Systems Analysis and Design (3 credits)
- Other MIS Electives (please refer to hyperlink)
Free Electives:- Excelsior requires 15 elective credits, including 1 credit in Information Literacy (courses from Physical Education are excluded)
- TESC requires 18 free elective credits
***I believe these 2 would be derived from the same courses
Here are my references:
Excelsior BMI Requirements - Attachment
Excelsior MIS Description - Attachment
TESC Credit Distribution -
Thomas Edison State College | BSBA in Computer Information Systems Credit Distribution
As always, please consult your advisor/counselor before pursuing your degree.