People today are in a hurry for everything, including education. Accelerated bachelor’s degrees now allow people to get on the fast track for a career. While modern technology helps people get their bachelor’s degree online faster than the four years the degree traditionally takes, some schools also offer brick-and-mortar or combination programs on a fast track.
National Education Teacher Center
As with most accelerated programs, the National Education Teacher Center’s fast track bachelor’s degree is designed for people who need to work full time while attending school. Students speed up their experience by transferring credits from other schools, utilizing credit for work or life experience, and then finishing the degree through online classes. Graduates from NETC’s accelerated program can major in general or special education and can finish in just over a year and a half including the required student teaching component.
Students entering the program are expected to have an AA or AS degree already or approximately 55 credits’ worth of college experience.
Ashford University
Students looking for more major choices may choose from social and criminal justice, organizational management and health care administration through the university’s ASPIRE (Affordable, Specialized, Personal, Innovative, Rewarding Education) program. The classes are considered accelerated because they meet only one night each week for five weeks. Students are expected to work outside class time doing research and other kinds of study for each course.
The ASPIRE program is available both on campus in Clinton, Iowa, and online. Students can transfer in up to 99 credits of the required 120, and work and life credits are also available.
Western Governors University
The program at Western Governors University functions a bit differently. Rather than sitting through classes that give information they already know, students may test out of the courses. Credit is received when they pass assessment checks. Assessment can be through exams, essays or general projects. Once the assessment indicates clear understanding of course material, students can move on to the next class, which can create a fast track to the bachelor’s degree. Students can major in nursing, information technology, business or education.
Nance College of Business Administration
Business majors who prefer a more traditional experience may want to attend the Nance College of Business Administration from Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio. The accelerated bachelor’s degree from Nance allows students to receive the bachelor’s degree in three years. Since the program is set up for working adults, the school schedules fast track courses at night in six- or ten-week sessions throughout the year. Students within the program get priority during course registration and the program does have a cap, so interested applicants should fill out materials early.
Caution
Students should use caution before signing up for an accelerated bachelor’s degree program at any college. The programs are often considered accelerated because students have already completed a certain number of credits. Classes may be offered in shorter terms than standard in an accelerated program, but taking one class every eight weeks during the semester won’t finish a bachelor’s degree program any sooner than a student who takes two classes that run through the full semester.
Most colleges allow students to transfer credits, although there is typically a limit, and they also generally allow work or life experience credits. The bottom line is that it is possible to get on the fast track for your career through a specific accelerated program or through a traditional college program with proper advising.
References
“Accelerated Bachelor’s Degree.” National Teacher Education Center. Teach.us.
“Fast Facts.” Ashford University. Ashford.edu.
“Student Experience.” Western Governors University. Wgu.edu.
“Accelerated Program.” Nance College of Business Administration. Csuohio.edu.
