3 Ways to Complete Your Bachelor’s Degree in Less Time
Gone are the days of having to dedicate four years as a full-time student to complete your bachelor’s degree. There are now multiple ways to finish your degree on your schedule. For instance, you can choose to obtain your associate’s degree as a stepping stone, or enroll in a bachelor’s degree completion program to fit your studies into your work schedule.
If you’ve already earned some college credit—or have gained other work and life experience—Azusa Pacific University offers several different options for completing your bachelor’s degree. Here are three alternative ways to reach graduation sooner than you might expect, helping you save time (and money) while working toward a degree that can open new doors.
1. Earn Credit for Work and Life Experiences
Through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) at APU, professional students have the opportunity to turn the experiences they’ve gained outside the classroom into college credit. This program recognizes your professional efforts and college-level learning from personal life experiences. Any credit that APU awards you can then be used to reduce the number of courses you’ll need to complete your bachelor’s degree.
If you have previously taken a CLEP exam, earned professional certificates, or can provide a portfolio of your experience, you may be eligible for PLA credit. Reach out to an academic records specialist at APU to find out how your experience can count towards your college degree.
2. Transfer Your Community College Degree to a University
For many students, attending a community college is the first step toward a bachelor’s degree. However, some who follow this path aren’t sure what do with their earned credits once they’ve obtained an associate’s degree. Thankfully, those accomplishments can often be transferred to give students a head start.
If you’re looking to finish your bachelor’s degree at a school like Azusa Pacific University, you should find out how to transfer your college credits from your previous school. This can give you a clear picture as to how the credits will count toward your bachelor’s degree.
APU’s Graduate and Professional Center can help you transfer your credits and determine what courses you need to complete your degree. Your prior hard work will still be recognized and will count toward the total time needed to complete your bachelor’s degree—meaning you don’t need to start over.
3. Use Already-Earned Credits to Complete Your Bachelor’s Degree in Less Time
If you earned some college credit before entering the working world, the degree completion programs at APU can complement your professional schedule, allowing you to earn your degree while still advancing your career. These programs—such as the Bachelor of Business Administration and the B.A. in Digital Media and Communication—cover various areas of study that relate to in-demand professions.
Some other programs, like the B.A. in Criminal Justice or the B.A. in Psychology, work well for students with some transferable credit, as they can help students obtain their bachelor’s degree. There are even programs geared toward nursing professionals, like the LVN to BSN and RN to BSN programs.
Degree completion programs are typically for applicants with college credit, but students can use those credits to lessen the overall time required to earn their degree. Plus, many of the programs are offered at APU’s regional campuses or online, so students can study in the environment that is most convenient for them.
If you’re considering returning to school, don’t let the idea of not having enough time hold you back. You can take advantage of your previously earned college credits—and earn new credit from your life and work experiences—to obtain your bachelor’s degree at your own pace.
Interested in learning more about how you can complete your bachelor’s degree in less time than you might expect, and what benefits your future degree has to offer? Visit Azusa Pacific University’s website to learn about how earning your degree can help you reach your goals.
Posted: June 13, 2019