How to Get a Bachelor's Degree Faster

You have career goals now. You want to reach them now. And you don't have 4 years to get a bachelor's degree.

(Spoiler alert: It doesn't have to take 4 years.)

It's possible to get a bachelor's degree in 2 years — or maybe even half that time.

Transfer any credits you have. As many as you can.

Because transfer credits are ones that you've already earned.

If you've been to college before, you probably have some credits sitting around.

And if you do, there's something you should know.

Don't. Retake. Classes. You've. Already. Taken.

Already taken a biology class? It can probably count as a science course at your new school. Planning to move on from your associate degree in business to a bachelor's? The classes you passed at your previous college could apply to your new program.

Take an exam that can help you earn credit. There are dozens out there.

Your military experience is admirable — and acceptable for college credit.

Oh, yes: The skills you developed as a service member could be worth a few credits, too.

And be sure to look for colleges deemed Military Friendly®. (They're the ones that know the ins and outs of your financial aid and tuition benefits, as well as your schedule and career needs.)

Save time — now. One of the most popular methods of earning fast credit is through Sophia Learning.

Some schools also have transfer agreements for dozens of courses — and at 3 credits each, that could save you thousands!

Certifications can count as credit, too.

Certifications have exploded in popularity. So if you've earned one, it shows that you've put in the work.

(Not to mention you've already invested in the program costs.)

And that's why there's no reason to go through either of those steps again.

Some colleges are now taking a look at the content within the certification courses and exams to see how they match up with a class that they offer.

And if it's a match, they're awarding credit.

So if you've earned a certification to move ahead in the office — or because it's your goal to open doors at a specific office — know that it's worth a little more than you may have originally thought.

Yes, even your law-enforcement courses could be worth credit toward your degree.

Surprised? Shouldn't be. You've built up a lot of skills that are worth something in the workforce and in college.

Find out if your college has agreements with well-known institutions, like Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers or the FBI National Academy.

"It's case by case in what they've been trained in," said Dr. Jeff Czarnec, associate dean of criminal justice and social sciences at Southern New Hampshire University. "If they have report writing and they have a communications class, we may be able to put them together for communication course credit," for example.

Accelerated programs are just what they sound like: Degrees you can finish FAST.

That's what you wanted, right?

Some accelerated degrees cover course material in a shorter period of time.

It's a great option if you can make the time and have the self-discipline to graduate faster.

Other accelerated programs are geared toward those who want to earn both a bachelor's and a master's — and put a few classes toward both degrees.

So while you may not finish your bachelor's degree quicker, you'll complete your overall education in a more timely manner. It's a decision that may involve some planning ahead.

Or get a general studies degree — the ultimate accelerated program.

Have a lot of college credits built up over the years?

Not sure what kind of program fits best with all those credits?

Just want a bachelor's degree ASAP?

A bachelor's degree in general studies could be your best fit.

"This program will allow you to utilize as much transfer credit as possible, even if the courses taken are very different from one another," Amazeen said.

And that's because these programs typically accept a large number of free electives – maybe even about half your program!

"It offers 60 credits worth of free elective space, which allows students who may have tried out a few different program paths but maybe never landed on the right program to maximize their prior college credits," Jennings said about the SNHU version of the program. "We typically recommend this program for students who believe they have more than 60 transferrable credits and are not set on a specific area of focus or degree."

Find a college with shorter term lengths.

The shorter the term, the more terms you have. And the more terms you have, the faster you can move through them.

At SNHU, for example, "each undergraduate term is 8 weeks long, and students can take 1 or 2 classes in each term," Jennings said.

It just feels good knowing that every couple months, you're knocking out a few more classes in your program – and that much closer to your goal.

Double up! Switch from part time to full time.

Can you speed up your bachelor's degree? You can if you take more classes per term.

Say your college considers 1 class per term part time. Would upping it to 2 be doable for you?

"I've found that many students have appreciated starting with one course in their first term to ease in and get a feel for the coursework before jumping to two courses when they are ready," Jennings said in regards to SNHU's term structure: One class is considered part time, while 2 is full time.

Jennings stressed that while you can complete a degree faster by taking more courses at a time, it's also important to understand how much time you can realistically dedicate to your studies every week. (Because successfully completing your courses is just as important!) Work with your advisor to find the right combination of courses to take in a term so you don't feel overwhelmed.

Even consider doubling up once in a while or every other term. Because each time you're able to make that happen, you put yourself months closer to crossing the finish line.

Deidre Ashe was 9 years old when she launched her professional writing career. While spending a day at work with her dad, she penned her first book, illustrated it and sent it off to a publishing company — after finding the address on the copyright page of one of her paperbacks. While the story never made it to the shelves of libraries, the editors wrote back, encouraging her to continue pursuing her writing passion. (Yes, she still has that letter.)

After earning a bachelor’s in journalism, Ashe spent a decade working in the media industry. She then transitioned into marketing, later getting her MA in Communication from Southern New Hampshire University in 2018. Connect with her on LinkedIn.