A bachelor鈥檚 degree is an undergraduate academic degree students earn at colleges and universities. Before graduating, students in bachelor鈥檚 degree programs take classes related to a major, an academic subject they choose to focus on. Graduates can proudly include their bachelor鈥檚 degree on their resume when they apply for jobs in an economy that increasingly requires four-year degrees to be considered for employment.
There鈥檚 no wrong way to get a bachelor鈥檚 degree. You can choose on-campus learning, online classes, or a mixture of both depending on your personal preferences and lifestyle. Here are a few things to consider as you weigh the benefits of obtaining your bachelor鈥檚 degree with the time it will take to complete the educational requirements.
How Long Does It Take to Complete a Bachelor's Degree?
Completing a bachelor鈥檚 degree typically takes four years of study, and students must usually complete 120-semester credits worth of courses with a portion related directly to the chosen major. Choosing your major is an opportunity to take ownership of your education and focus on what really motivates and interests you. Alongside the classes related to your major, you鈥檒l need to complete a few required courses in basic subjects like math, science, and language, and that鈥檚 a necessary step along the way to focusing on the topic (or topics!) that really interests you.
With the demands of today鈥檚 fast-paced world, many people are intimidated by the length of time it takes to complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree. Still more people are under the impression that bachelor鈥檚 degrees can only be completed at 鈥渢raditional鈥 colleges, complete with the in-person classes, on-campus living, and social life people typically associate with college. But the world of higher education is transforming, and the definition of 鈥渢raditional college鈥 is morphing into an entirely new educational ecosystem. An increasing number of people are choosing to earn their bachelor鈥檚 degrees through other means, like online programs and community colleges, which can be alternatives to more traditional four-year programs.
Why Online Classes Are Convenient
Per the National Center for Education Statistics, 7.5 million students enrolled in online courses and public colleges in 2022. Choosing to earn your bachelor鈥檚 online may still take the four years a bachelor鈥檚 usually takes to complete, but classes are usually taken one at a time and last between five and six weeks, allowing for students to focus on one course as they juggle other life priorities along with their school schedule.
The cost of attendance at traditional universities has been continually rising year after year, often making tuition hard to predict throughout the application process. Plus, with more and more students flooding traditional campuses, popular classes required for completing a bachelor鈥檚 degree can become crowded, which leads to other problems. You may be waitlisted for enrolling in a class you really need to get into, or you may never get in at all and have to wait until next semester to try again, extending your time to graduation and possibly costing additional funds. If you do get in, you may be disappointed to discover that the sheer number of people in the class makes it so you don鈥檛 get the personal attention you deserve. Taking classes online is a way to get into the classes you really need or want to take, and to get the academic attention that will let you get the most out of the subjects you鈥檙e learning.
Online learning takes place in virtual classrooms, where students access discussion boards and written assignments while having the ability to communicate with instructors and fellow students through phones, tablets, and desktop computers.
Students who attend four-year universities have the benefit of physical access to instructors and advisors鈥攂ut online learning isn鈥檛 without its personal touches as well. Through UAGC online programs, you stay connected to faculty, classmates, writing assistants, academic advisors who can help you achieve your goal of earning your degree. Many online institutions also have mentoring programs that help you adjust to the online learning environment.
How to Earn Your Undergraduate Degree Faster
If you鈥檙e still not feeling completely comfortable with spending four whole years getting your bachelor鈥檚, not to worry. There are options for that, too.
Ask your school about non-traditional credits鈥攚ork and life experience you can apply to your bachelor鈥檚 degree.
If you鈥檝e already completed coursework through other institutions, you may be sitting on credits that can transfer over to your current program. These are deemed as 鈥渢raditional credits.鈥 Just talk to your institution鈥檚 registrar鈥檚 office to see if any credits you鈥檝e already earned can be applied to your current program. You might be surprised at how much progress toward your bachelor鈥檚 you鈥檝e already made. Even if you鈥檝e never attended any college classes, you may have other experience that can translate to credits. Non-traditional credits you can apply to your bachelor鈥檚 degree include military training, certain professional work experience, and national testing programs.
You may have a few more questions before beginning your application to a bachelor鈥檚 program, such as if you qualify for financial aid or scholarships. If so, our FAQ page should help clarify a few things.
How You Learn is Up to You
There鈥檚 no wrong way to earn your bachelor鈥檚 degree. Whether you decide to enroll in a university and attend classes on campus or take online classes from the comfort of your own home鈥攐r a cozy cafe with WiFi鈥攃hoosing to complete a bachelor鈥檚 in an academic field that interests you and prepares you for a career is an admirable decision. If you鈥檙e ready to take on the challenge of higher education, contact an advisor and start along your road to graduation!
Certain degree programs may not be available in all states.
