The concept is simple, fast degrees help you reach your goals faster.
Some accelerated degree programs allow you to start from scratch, while others allow you to build upon the credits you have already earned along the way. Either way, the goal is the same: Finish your degree faster.
Surprising Fact #1: Life Experience Credit
I won’t go into detail about it until later in this article, but some accredited universities now award college credit for life experience. The requirements vary widely by university, but as an example, I was able to get college credit for 21 credit hours (nearly one year of college) by submitting a credit for prior learning portfolio at my university. It was time consuming, and at times, a tedious process, but not nearly as tedious as taking 7 classes would have been to earn the same credit! I’ll discuss this in greater detail later.
Fast Degree Program Options
There are a variety of fast degrees that can get you from where you are to where you want to be.
The following accelerated programs offer multiple types of fast degrees, whether it be from start to finish, completing a degree you began previously, or accelerated class options that allow you to complete more credits each semester than traditional programs.
Accelerated Degrees
Accelerated degree programs are not all alike. Some cater to students who already hold a bachelor’s degree, while others allow students to complete a bachelor’s from start to finish with no prior experience. Both undergraduate and graduate accelerated degrees are offered by a number of accredited colleges and universities through online study.
An accelerated degree may be for you if…
You hold no prior degree, but want to earn one.
If you only have a high school diploma or GED certificate and desire to complete an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, there are quite a few accelerated programs that can help you do so. With no prior degree, most accelerated bachelor degrees can be completed in two to three years and most accelerated associate degrees can be completed in one year, depending on your educational background and experience. The good news is, accelerated degree programs cater to working, adult students. So, you don’t have to give up life as you know it to earn your degree in a reasonable period of time.
You hold a degree, but not the one you need or want for your career.
If you already have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, or have a license in your field (such as Nursing), but wish to pursue an additional degree to advance in your career, an accelerated degree can help you reach those goals.
For example, one of the most popular accelerated programs is for students who already hold a nursing license as an RN (Registered Nurse) and wish to earn their BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). In this degree program, licensed nurses can earn their BSN quickly and without having to give up their careers as nurses. With a BSN, they demonstrate increased knowledge in their field, get a nice salary boost, and are more marketable when advancing in their positions as nurses. These RN to BSN degrees take approximately one year to complete.
In addition to the nursing field, there are a number of programs available for students who already hold an associate’s or bachelor’s degree and wish to pursue additional studies at an accelerated pace.
You already hold an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field.
There are several types of accelerated bachelor’s degrees available to students, including degrees in Business Administration, Healthcare Management, Information Systems, Finance, Accounting, Communication, Psychology, and Leadership, among many other majors and concentrations.
Accelerated Classes
Some colleges and universities offer accelerated online classes, meaning you can take multiple classes in the span of one year, rather than being restricted to a semester schedule. Rather than the traditional 16-week academic semester, accelerated classes are usually eight weeks in length, giving you the opportunity to take twice as many courses during the time period of a normal semester. Some programs even offer accelerated classes that are shorter (five or six weeks), giving you even more opportunity to complete a large number of credit hours in just one calendar year.
The most beneficial part about accelerated classes is that you can still take only two or three at a time, depending on your schedule, but earn 30 or more credit hours in a year (instead of only 12 or 15), as with a traditional semester schedule. While the daily course load may be larger, you won’t be overwhelmed with trying to focus on five to six courses in one semester, which would be difficult even for the most dedicated students. Instead, you can spend eight weeks intensely focusing on just two courses.
Accelerated courses are offered online, giving you the flexibility and convenience of working from home. There is no commute, so you don’t have to re-arrange your schedule to complete your course work.
Accelerated Master’s Degree
Earning a master’s degree can either mean a salary bump in your current job or a promotion to a new position. It can also open up new career opportunities within your field. Accelerated graduate degrees allow you to achieve these goals within months, rather than years, as with a traditional program.
Accelerated degrees in Business Administration (MBA) and Healthcare Management and Administration are common, but you can also find some accelerated degree programs in Accounting, Teaching, and Communication. Most accelerated master’s programs take around 12 months to complete and require that you hold a bachelor’s degree in the same or similar area of study.
Degree Completion Programs
Some fast degrees cater to students who need to finish a degree they already started. Whether because work, life, or other factors got in the way of you completing that degree, degree completion programs can help you finish it in an efficient, cost-effective way.
Some requirements to gain admission into these types of degree completion programs might include:
Specific number of credit hours toward a degree
Credit hours in specific courses (like general education requirements)
Work or volunteer experience
Computer proficiency (to complete online courses)
Minimum grade point average (at previous institutions)
High school diploma or GED certificate
Every program will require different admission’s criteria, but the above are fairly common. Many of these completion programs use cohorts, meaning students will work with a handful of others in their same position. They will follow the completion program together, having each other for support.
Most courses offered through completion programs are accelerated, and multiple terms (rather than only two or three semesters) are offered throughout the year to conveniently fit students’ schedules. A number of these completion programs take approximately two years to complete, though a student could conceivably finish in less time.
Programs that offer fast degrees are designed for students of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you’re a working adult looking to put your foot in the door of a professional career or a recent high school graduate looking to forego the traditional college experience to save time and money, accelerated programs provide a unique opportunity. These programs are not for everyone, though, and demand dedication and commitment to completing the course work on a fast-paced timeline.
Credit for Life Experience and Prior Learning
Most people don’t know that they can receive credit for life experiences, licenses, certificates, or other exams and professional activities that they’ve completed. Many accelerated programs will allow you to transfer up to half of the credits required to graduate.
For example, if you’re applying to an accelerated bachelor’s degree program that requires 120 hours of completion, you might be able to transfer up to 60 hours from previous experience, work, and credit by examination. Credit policies vary widely by institution, so it is advisable to do your research in advance.
In addition to traditional credit transfer of courses completed at another institution, the following are the ways in which you may be able to receive college credit:
Work Experience: Some programs offer transfer credit for hours you’ve spent working professionally. Specifically, if you work in law enforcement or public safety, certain training programs you went through can make you eligible to receive credit for courses like Criminal Justice. Many programs will look at work experience on a case-by-case basis and determine whether or not your work experience will qualify you for transfer credit. In most cases, your work experience will need to align with the college course for which you are seeking credit.
Military Experience: Most programs offer transfer credit for experience you’ve had in any military branch. You’ll need to submit an official military transcript to be eligible.
Exams, Certificates, and Licensure: Certain exams can also count toward transfer credit, like AP or IB exams at the high school level, DSST, CLEP, and DANTES exams (which are designed to give college credit), and other exams specific to individual fields. RN certification and EMT certification can also earn students transfer credit if they are pursuing fast degrees. Licensure that may make students eligible for transfer credit include real estate and aviation pilot licensure, among others.
College Accreditation
Accreditation simply means that a respected accrediting organization has recognized the program as competent and satisfactory in its ability to train students professionally in the career fields for which they are earning their degree. It doesn’t matter if you work your tail off to complete your degree and receive all high grades if you didn’t attend a program that was accredited, either regionally or nationally.
Programs proudly display accreditation in their information materials, online and in print, so if you do not see accreditation listed, inquire about it. Some programs indicate that they are in consideration for or waiting on accreditation. Accreditation often takes time, so you may want to consider alternative fast degrees and programs if you see this kind of announcement.
National Accreditation
There are many national accrediting agencies that grant accreditation to many types of programs, from psychology to education to business administration. Just a few of the most recognized accrediting agencies include:
Distance Education and Training Council
Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training
American Psychological Association
American Bar Association
American Dental Association
Association of American Medical Colleges
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
Regional Accreditation
Regional accreditation is more specific and sometimes more stringent than national accreditation. If regional accreditation is possible for your field, consider applying only to programs that have obtained it. Some regional accrediting agencies are:
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Comparing Fast Degrees
When comparing colleges and universities, you’ll discover fairly quickly that no two fast degrees are alike. Some colleges have smaller class sizes, others have better financial aid programs. Considering the investment of time and money, it pays (literally) to do a bit of research before jumping into a fast degree program. Below are a few of the more common criteria you will want to check out.
Admission requirements
Start here when considering programs. If you do not meet the minimum requirements to apply (the minimum number of hours for a degree completion program, for example), it would be a waste of your time to consider the program. There may also be computer requirements to complete online courses, which may mean additional fees if you don’t already have the minimum hardware and software requirements to get started.
Tuition and Fees
One of the appeals of an accelerated college degree program is that you usually end up saving money on your degree. Not all programs are alike though, and with many of these programs being for-profit, make sure there aren’t any hidden fees that you’ll be charged per course or per course cycle. Understand that sometimes tuition includes the entire program, but other times includes only individual credit hours. If you’re confused about what the program will cost, contact an admissions adviser to help answer your questions.
Semester Start Dates
Some fast degrees only have one program start date, meaning you might have to wait an entire year to begin your course work. Most accelerated programs, however, have multiple start dates throughout the year. Make sure the start date matches with your schedule and availability.
Degree Program Length
It’s important to know what you’re getting yourself into. Some programs that offer fast degrees can take multiple years to complete, especially if you’re working toward a degree and have no prior college credits or work experience. Three years to complete a bachelor’s degree from the beginning is still much faster than the four to six year average it takes to complete one in a traditional college setting. Don’t assume that an accelerated degree will only take a few months of your time.
Student/Faculty Ratio
Some online courses are loaded with students, which means that if there’s only one faculty member assigned to that course, you may not get much time for guidance with that faculty member. If this type of mentoring is integral to your learning experience, make sure to choose a program that has a low faculty to student ratio (1:25 versus 1:100, for example) so that you can get the help you need.
Take the next step to earn your degree faster…
Now that you have a vast amount of information about fast degrees and how they can benefit you, it’s time to start comparing programs. Take your time before deciding on one. Even though these quick degrees are accelerated and take less time than traditional programs to complete, education and knowledge take time to cultivate, so it will be a time and energy commitment either way.
With jobs hitting the market by the thousands these days, there’s no reason for you to be stuck in a job that’s not satisfying. Take control of your future and make the choice to earn a degree that could mean a brighter future ahead.
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