Accelerated Bachelor’s Degrees for Military & Veterans
Do you need an accelerated bachelor’s degree?
The traditional time for completing a bachelor’s degree is 4 years, but not everyone progresses at the same speed. Some take fewer classes, some have delays due to family issues, and some struggle to keep up with the pace in the earliest days of their academic journey. What happens when students lose time or decide that 4 years is just too long to wait before hitting the job market?
For some the answer is an accelerated degree.
Accelerated Bachelor’s Degrees
- This option, also known as an accelerated professional degree or accelerated degree completion program, allows students to earn an undergraduate degree faster than the traditional timeline.
- Not all schools offer this option, but those that do provide a potentially faster route to a degree.
- Earning an accelerated degree is helpful in a variety of circumstances, but it can be especially useful for students who started college, had a break in attendance, and now want to go back and finish what they started.
A certain percentage of students will turn away from starting a four-year program all over again, but it’s harder to resist an education that offers the same degree but with a shorter duration. Between the student’s previously earned college credit and an accelerated program, a return to academic life doesn’t have to take the same time it used to.
>> Find VA-approved schools with our School Finder tool.
Who Is Right for an Accelerated Bachelor’s Degree?
Students considering accelerated degrees should be self-motivated and determined. If you struggle to complete assignments independently or feel in-person learning is a crucial part of your college experience, this type of learning may still be for you, but not the online version.
These accelerated programs are also suitable for individuals who have already earned college credits, including those transferring from community colleges or those with credits for life experiences, military service, or previous work experience.
To earn a bachelor’s degree, students must typically attend classes until they earn 120 credits toward graduation. While full-time students can usually finish their degree in four or five years, that does not include delays such as changing majors, suspending classes due to a medical emergency, funding problems, etc.
For traditional students who have a break in education, the actual time from start to finish is potentially longer. That’s where an accelerated bachelor’s program can help.
What to Expect When Searching for an Accelerated Program
Accelerated degree programs condense the classes needed to complete a bachelor’s degree. They are usually structured so students can earn their degree in three years or less, and there are even programs offering a degree in two years.
- These programs are not offered by all schools. Their details and administration will also depend on the institution you’re attending.
- You must apply to an accelerated program and be accepted into it before you can attend.
- Like college itself, enrollment policies vary by program regarding academic success guidelines.
- Accelerated college programs are not easy, for one good reason. These classes are expected to teach the same things as traditional college options.
- The classes may cover the same amount of material as traditional programs but in a fraction of the time. Homework deadlines and exam schedules will reflect the compressed nature of the class.
- That makes for a potentially challenging learning environment, but it could make a big difference in getting into the job market sooner for the right student. Can you handle an accelerated school pace in the interest of faster completion?
While many institutions offer accelerated programs entirely online or in a hybrid model, they may not be available in every major. That is an important factor to keep in mind when comparing schools.
Benefits and Considerations
Another factor to consider? An accelerated bachelor’s degree could be enhanced by an accelerated master’s degree. Does the school you’re considering have such a program?
An accelerated degree offers several benefits, including an earlier start in the workforce or the opportunity to begin coursework at different times during the year rather than waiting for traditional start dates.
One “hidden” feature of earning an accelerated degree? Not paying for more campus housing, parking, or related expenses than you need to complete the accelerated course. Traditional four-year learners who must pay for housing over a four-year academic career likely envy those who shave a year or more off their campus time.
Contact the admissions department of the school you want to attend to learn more about that institution’s accelerated learning programs. You can also search for colleges and degree programs using our School Finder tool.
About the author
Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.