Guide to Online Bachelor's Degree Completion Programs
Updated April 26, 2024 · 4 Min Read
Edited by
If you hold college credits or an associate degree, you may be able to finish your college education quickly and efficiently through an online bachelor's degree completion program.
These degrees feature generous transfer policies, flexible study options, and a short path to graduation.
The National Student Clearinghouse reports that 40.4 million Americans have college credit but no degree. If that's your story, a degree completion program may help you launch your dream career, advance at your workplace, or qualify for graduate, business, or law school admissions.
Popular Online Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
What Are Degree-Completion Programs?
Degree completion programs allow students with college credits to finish their bachelor's degree. During the program, you may complete coursework in a variety of disciplines, including business, the social sciences, the humanities, and the natural sciences.
Most degree completion programs accept 60-75 credits toward the degree, meaning you can finish a bachelor's degree in 1-2 years. Depending on the program, you may pursue a specific major like English, economics, or psychology. Some programs offer more general options, like a general studies degree.
Many learners prefer online degree completion programs for the flexible schedule they provide. During an online bachelor's degree program, you can often meet graduation requirements at your own pace. Many programs offer part-time or accelerated options to fit your specific needs.
Who Should Consider an Online Bachelor's Degree Completion Program?
If you have credits from a previously unfinished degree or an associate degree, an online bachelor's degree completion program may be a great fit for you. These online programs may be especially appealing if you have work and family obligations. Many online degree completion programs let you complete coursework and assignments on your own schedule.
Online degree completion programs can also help you save money. By choosing to pursue a bachelor's degree online, you can compare schools across the country to find the most affordable option. If you're attending an accredited degree completion program, you also qualify for federal financial aid opportunities.
Online Degree Completion Programs by Subject Area
Business
One of the most popular majors available, business administration can equip you with skills in operations, management, and finance. Common concentrations include business analytics, leadership, and human resources. After graduation, you can pursue a career in marketing, banking, business development, or nonprofit management. To apply, you typically need an associate degree or 60 transferable college credits.
Business degree completion programs include:
Education
Aspiring teachers can complete the academic requirements for licensure through a degree completion program related to education. Popular majors include special education, elementary education, and career and technical studies.
You may need to complete student teaching requirements at an approved location near you. To apply, you may need 60 credits or an associate degree.
Bachelor's degree completion programs for educators include:
Engineering and Technology
In 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected that the economy would add 377,500 technology jobs and 188,000 architecture and engineering jobs by 2032. Most of these positions require a bachelor's degree or higher. Undergraduate majors in the field may include cybersecurity, computer science, and electronics systems engineering technology.
Schools that offer degree completion programs in engineering and technology include:
Healthcare
Healthcare majors could include health services administration, health science, or healthcare administration. These degrees can lead to a career in hospital administration, nursing home leadership, or healthcare policy. Some graduates may build on this degree with a master's in public health, health informatics, or health services policy and management.
Healthcare degree completion programs include:
Humanities
The word "humanities" refers to a broad array of academic disciplines, including history, language arts, philosophy, and foreign languages. Some humanities degrees are listed as interdisciplinary majors with concentration options in one or more of the most common academic disciplines. Humanities graduates have usually honed skills in communication, research, and critical thinking and may pursue a variety of careers.
Degree completion programs with a humanities focus include:
Nursing
Although you cannot become a registered nurse (RN) through a fully online bachelor's degree, you can pursue an RN-to-BSN bridge program entirely through distance education. If you hold an unencumbered RN license and a qualifying associate degree in nursing, this may be the program for you.
Should you hold a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field, you may be able to pursue an accelerated BSN through an online/on-campus hybrid program.
Degree completion programs for nurses include:
Social Sciences
The social sciences are the study of how societies function. A social science degree, therefore, can mean a major in anthropology, geography, psychology, sociology, criminal justice, or political science.
These degrees can prepare you for a career in education, law enforcement, or nonprofit management. They may also help you meet the admission requirements for law school, business school, or other graduate school.
Schools that offer degree completion programs in the social sciences include:
- New York University
- Thomas Edison State University
- University of Northern Iowa
- Westfield State University
The Benefits of Pursuing a Degree Completion Program Online
A bachelor's degree can help you advance your career and increase your earning potential. Many career paths require a bachelor's degree for entry-level positions, and 2023 BLS data marks a difference of over $40,000 a year between the salary of someone with a bachelor's degree, and someone with a high school diploma.
The National Center for Education Statistics reports that 64% of undergraduate students earn their bachelor's degree within six years, meaning 36% of students do not complete their bachelor's program. Some students leave college because of work or family obligations, while others face financial barriers.
Online degree completion programs offer flexibility and accessibility. The flexibility of an online learning format lets you arrange coursework around professional and personal responsibilities.
Additionally, online learning allows you to choose from programs throughout the country without needing to relocate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Degree Completion Programs
What is the difference between a bachelor's program and a bachelor's degree completion program?
Both a bachelor's program and a bachelor's degree completion program lead to a college degree. Degree completion programs admit students with prior college credits. In a degree completion program, you'll create a personalized graduation plan based on your transfer credits.
Depending on your prior coursework, you can earn a bachelor's degree in as little as one year. Most online colleges accept transfer credits, so you can turn any bachelor's program into a degree completion option by transferring credits.
How does a degree completion program work?
Degree completion programs admit students with prior college experience. You'll receive transfer credit for previous courses at other schools. Then, you'll take the courses required to earn a bachelor's degree.
While many online colleges offer degree completion programs, you can also finish your degree with any bachelor's program that accepts transfer credits. Submit transcripts for a transfer credit evaluation to learn how many credits you'll need to graduate.
How do I find an online degree completion program?
You can find online degree completion programs by visiting college websites. Many online colleges offer degree completion programs or pathways for returning students.
You can also reach out to colleges to see whether your transfer credits apply to other majors. If, for example, you have an associate degree in liberal arts but want to earn a business degree, you might be able to apply your transfer credits to graduate with a bachelor's degree in two years.
Can you finish your bachelor's degree online?
Yes, you can finish your bachelor's degree online. Many universities offer four-year programs and degree completion options entirely or mostly through distance education. For example, people with licensure as an RN may complete an online RN-to-BSN or RN-to-MSN program. Other degree completion options include engineering, computer science, humanities, education, and the social sciences.
How long are bachelor's degree completion programs?
A bachelor's degree completion program can take 1-2 years depending on how many credits you are able to transfer and how many credits you take per term. Typically, a bachelor's degree requires 120 credits, and most schools accept up to 90 transfer credits, including CLEP, DANTES, AP, military and prior learning assessment credits.
Discover More College Resources
Highly informative resources to keep your education journey on track.
Take the next step toward your future with online learning.
Discover schools with the programs and courses you’re interested in, and start learning today.
