An accelerated bachelor’s degree program offers you that chance. Instead of four years, you can complete your degree in as little as two years and save half of your time!
What is an accelerated bachelor’s degree program?
An accelerated bachelor’s degree program allows you to complete an undergraduate degree program in half the time that it would normally take. These programs are typically offered online or through distance education.
The degree’s structure is necessarily different from that of a typical bachelor’s degree program. This is due to the fact that the entire material must be covered in a shorter period of time. Students take classes all year long, and typically don’t get to have any breaks or holidays. Terms are compressed into 5 to 8 weeks as opposed to 18 weeks or longer.
Accelerated bachelor’s degree programs may be offered in business, management, health care or general studies. There are also a number of accelerated programs which are offered as a degree completion program for students who already hold prior academic credits, such as nursing.
Methods of delivery
In order to effectively offer accelerated bachelor’s degree programs, colleges make use of a variety of distance learning processes. Students must participate in live chat or streamed video lectures, and course material is provided to them via an online platform. Students may communicate with their peers and instructors through emails, message boards, blogs or bulletin boards.
Admission requirements
In order to be accepted into an accelerated bachelor’s degree program, many schools require applicants to have completed a certain amount of credit hours. Students must have completed some prior college level coursework in the liberal arts and sciences or an entire associate degree in order to be accepted into the accelerated bachelor's degree program.
In addition, schools have other entry requirements, which may include:
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A specific grade point average
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Letters of recommendation
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Statement of purpose
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Resume
When looking for schools, it is important to ensure that the online bachelor's degree program you wish to enroll in is accredited by a reputable accrediting agency. Only an accredited program will be recognized by future prospective employers.
Things to keep in mind
Before you decide to enroll in an accelerated bachelor’s degree program, here are a few things to keep in mind:
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You will have very limited interaction with other students. All interaction will be online. This makes it very difficult to make friends or to organize study groups, etc.
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Some of the subjects may be difficult and you may find it hard to complete them on a more compressed timetable.
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Long term retention of the information may be problematic when you do an accelerated program.
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Accelerated degree programs are not ideal if you are an adult who has a job and family obligations to take care of.
Common accelerated degree programs
Accelerated degree programs are becoming increasingly common. A large number of schools offer accelerated programs in a variety of fields such as the social sciences, engineering, medicine, and accounting. The most common subjects, which are offered in an accelerated format include:
Nursing
Nursing degree programs are one of the most commonly offered in an accelerated format. In order to gain admission to one of these programs, applicants are required to have some form of lower-level degree in nursing or another bachelor’s degree in a related field.
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Accelerated MBA programs usually take 12-24 months to complete. The degree offers students the option to choose different concentrations as well as dual-degree options. Some of the concentration areas include:
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Marketing
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Global management
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Finance
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Entrepreneurship.
Dual degree options include an MBA along with a law degree or a master’s degree in another field.
Law
The Juris Doctor (JD) degree, which typically takes three years to complete, can be taken in an accelerated format, which takes two years to complete. These programs generally include a summer semester and students are required to complete the same number of courses and credits as three-year programs.
Dual degree options
Dual degree options, such as the JD/MBA programs, allow students to complete two different types of degrees in a shorter period of time. Accelerated dual-degree programs such as the one in law and business, take 3-4 years of full-time study to complete. These programs have an extremely rigorous course load and are therefore recommended for students with outstanding ambition and ability.
Accelerated bachelor’s degree programs are an excellent option for those students and individuals who wish to complete a degree in a shorter space of time. These programs are rigorous, and must not be taken lightly. Many of them must be taken in one go and it is not recommended that you have a job or other obligations during this time. If you take a bachelor’s degree in an accelerated format, you can gain a qualification in half the time that it would normally take and thereafter, enter the workforce.
