Ultimate Guide to Degree Completion Programs

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Online degree completion programs are designed to pick up where you left off if you were forced to stop working toward your degree. Life happens. Lack of money, the need to go back to work, family conflicts, and many other circumstances could throw roadblocks in your path when it comes to finishing your education. An online degree completion program gives you an opportunity to finish your education without giving up your current job or causing you to go deeper into debt. You get the most out of your education and explore many new options.

An online degree completion program is a great stepping stone that you can use to complete the path to finishing your education and earning the diploma you have worked so hard for. By filling in the gaps in your education, you will be able to get the skills you need to pursue the career you have always dreamed of. Using an online platform is the best way to accomplish your goals and still maintain your current progress.

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Can I Finish My Bachelor’s Degree Online?

Almost any type of Bachelor’s degree can be finished using an online format. Even if you start your Bachelor’s degree at a school that doesn’t offer any online degree programs, you can transfer your credits to a school that does. This allows you to finish your Bachelor’s degree online at an affordable price while you continue working and caring for your family. Enroll in the school of your choice that offers the best online Bachelor’s degree completion programs.

Finishing your Bachelor’s degree online has never been easier. Some schools do not offer online degree completion programs. If the school you were originally enrolled in does not offer online courses, you may choose to enroll in any other school that does as long as they accept the transfer of your credits from your previous school. Do your research! Find a school that you like and talk to an academic advisor to get more information.

The Benefits of Finishing a Bachelor’s Degree Online

While having some college courses under your belt is beneficial, finishing your Bachelor’s degree online is the best way to ensure that you have everything you need to establish yourself as a professional in your chosen career field. Not only will you have a degree to back up your credentials, but you will also have the necessary skills and abilities to do your job effectively. The benefits of completing your education go far beyond just earning a diploma. It earns you a lifelong career as well. Taking the initiative to move forward with your education using an online platform will give you pride in yourself as well as pride in your achievements.

Transferring Your Credits to an Online Degree Completion Program

The best way to create the perfect career path is to fulfill your dreams of earning your Bachelor’s degree in whatever field you choose. If you have completed part of your degree but are still lacking a few classes, enrolling in an online degree completion program will help you earn your degree and find the job you really love. The best way to accomplish all of your goals is to find a college or university that will allow you to transfer the credits you have already earned from your previous school.

You will need to send a request to your previous school and ask that your credits be transferred to the school you are now enrolled in. This may take a few days to accomplish, but as long as your new school accepts the transfer, you should be all set to begin attending your classes online and finish your degree. You will need to find out how many of your credits are transferable. Some schools limit the number of credits you can transfer in from another educational institution.

Accreditation for Online Degree Completion

Accreditation is a process in which a school or a degree program is evaluated to prove its value and that it meets the standards put in place by the industry being represented. The accreditation is rather strict and must be renewed every three to five years. The school must perform an in-depth self-evaluation that they present to the accrediting board. The evaluation is then used to complete the accreditation process. Several factors are examined during the process and the school or degree program must meet or exceed the expected standards to finally be given accredited status.

Regional Accreditation

There are two types of accreditation. Regional accreditation involves the evaluation of the school and its teaching methods and techniques. Regional accreditation gives students the assurance that the teaching methods used and resources being offered will provide them with everything they need to succeed in their chosen field. The accreditation also assures that the coursework exceeds the expectations of the professionals who set the standards for their industry.

Regional accreditation must be renewed within three years of first achieving accreditation status. After that, the school must renew every five years to remain in good standing. The process remains the same whether a school is applying or if they are renewing their accreditation. For a student, choosing an online degree completion program from a school that has been accredited will give them an extra boost when it comes to impressing a future employer.

Specialized Accreditation

Specialized accreditation evaluates the value and resources offered by a degree program. It looks at the material, skills, and best practices that are being taught through the program. Study materials and the online platform that the program is taught over are closely evaluated as well. Degree programs that are accredited are guaranteed to teach the skills and abilities that are necessary for their career. Specialized accreditation ensures that the degree you earn will serve you well for many years after you graduate.

Degree programs that are accredited provide you with the confidence you need to keep moving forward with your career. You can rely on what is being taught and can use your skills to apply for advanced positions. If you are enrolling in an online degree completion program that is accredited, it will help you gain the advantage over candidates who are vying for the same position as you.

Accredited Online Degree Completion Programs

Accredited online degree completion programs will give you an added advantage when it comes to being able to perform the duties you were hired for. Accreditation is a valuable benchmark when it comes to comparing one degree program to another. Not every online degree completion program has an accredited status. If you are unsure if your online degree program is accredited, contact your academic advisor. They will be able to look at your degree program and determine whether or not it has earned this achievement.

Accredited online degree completion programs aren’t hard to find. You just need to know what to look for and what courses you need to take to complete your degree. Throw in a few electives that will allow you to expand your horizons in whatever direction you choose to go. Talking to your academic advisor is the best place to start.

Different Kinds of Programs

There are several different kinds of online degree completion programs. Not only can they be found for almost any subject matter, they are also available for most degree programs as well, including Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degrees. More and more people are opting to complete their degrees online. The flexibility an online degree offers allows the student to work a full-time job, fulfill family obligations, and perform their day-to-day activities without disrupting their family’s schedule.

Completing a Degree Online

Completing a degree online offers benefits that many people sometimes overlook. Courses in an online degree program can be taken at any time. You are not tied to a classroom and don’t even have to be in the same state as the school you are attending. Online courses allow you to travel while you attend school. With an online degree, you can do your homework no matter where you are as long as you have an internet connection.

Completing your degree online also gives you an opportunity to do your homework in an environment that is best for you. If you are uncomfortable with the distractions you must deal with, it will be much easier for you to do work on your lessons in an environment where you are more comfortable. Being more at ease makes it easier for you to retain the information that is being presented to you in class. Find your comfort zone and spend as much time in it as you can.

What Exactly Is a Degree Completion Program?

An online degree completion program allows you to resume your education in such a way that you don’t lose any of your credits. Many people are forced to leave school due to circumstances beyond their control. Family circumstances, lack of funds, or changes in employment may make it impossible to continue moving forward with your education. People drop out without considering the long-term ramifications of not finishing their degree.

Schools offer an online degree completion program that will include the courses you need to complete your degree. They create your individual program by looking at what courses you have already completed and which of your credits are permitted to be transferred to your new school. Once your credits have transferred, you will be able to prepare to take the first class in your degree completion program.

What Are the Most Popular Degree Programs and Why?

There are many popular degree programs that people may start and have to finish at a later date. Business and criminal justice degree programs are just two of the more popular degrees that people eventually go back to school to finish by enrolling in an online degree completion program. Accounting, education, and several different nursing degrees can be completed through an online degree completion program.

These degree programs are very popular when it comes to students returning to school to complete their degrees. While they are all highly focused degree programs, many of them are popular because they can be used to enhance other careers. Enrolling in an online degree completion program will allow you to finish your education while you work. The degree you choose will help you become eligible for new opportunities in your company.

Accounting

Accounting is one of the more popular all online degree completion programs. Most of its concepts are easily taught over an online platform and are beneficial when it comes to business concepts and best practices. Accounting principles can be used in many different career fields and are actually quite useful in fields that many people would not associate with the degree program. Accounting holds value in a person’s professional and personal life.

A student can enroll in an online accounting degree completion program while they are still working. They do not have to leave their job, nor do they have to give up spending time with their family or doing the things they love. By doing their homework online, they are able to eliminate commute time to and from school and spend more time actually studying their lessons. Finishing their degree using an online format gives them the freedom to accomplish all of their goals and still meet important educational deadlines.

Business Administration

Business Administration is another popular choice when it comes to online degree completion programs. The courses found in most Business Administration programs can be found in many other degree programs as well. Expanding your options by completing your Business Administration degree will give you the academic depth you need to advance your career and allow you to advance into upper management. With the skills you learn, you will be able to effectively take care of every aspect of your business.

Business Administration online degree completion programs are looked at by employers as a step in the right direction when it comes to their employees’ futures. Many employers will cover the cost of an employee’s education if agree to continue working for the company for a specific period of time. Employers will often commit to an Educational Reimbursement Program when they know they have employees who are committed to advancing their careers.

Criminal Justice

Criminal justice is a popular career choice for individuals who work in either the legal field or with some type of law enforcement. There are so many different facets that can be explored when you are involved in any type of work related to the criminal justice field. With an online degree completion program, you are able to explore these options while you are still employed. This allows you to continue gaining work experience and exploring your career options at the same time.

An online degree completion program in Criminal Justice will give you everything you need to complete your degree and begin to look for new opportunities in terms of your current employment. The best thing about this type of degree is that it can allow you to pursue a variety of career options while working in the legal or law enforcement fields. The opportunities you will have at your disposal will continue to increase the closer you get to finalizing your degree.

Education

An online degree completion program in education is one of the best ways for student teachers, as well as seasoned teachers to continue their education and become even better educators. Teachers who have been on the job for many years can return to school using the online platform and expand on their education. This gives them a chance to advance upward within the chain of command or choose other areas of specialization allowing them to teach other grades or subjects.

Education is one of the leading fields when it comes to online degree completion programs. Even though they may have had to stop pursuing their education, it doesn’t mean they have to give up on continuing their education at a later date. The choice to move forward with their degree program is an easy one when they consider the opportunities they will have at their disposal once they graduate. They can continue to teach while they finish their education and work towards receiving their diploma.

RN to BSN

An RN to BSN online degree completion program allows registered nurses to move forward with their careers while continuing to perform their duties and care for patients. Many nurses put off returning to school to complete their degrees because they can’t afford to stop working. With this type of online degree completion program, they can continue their schooling and not miss a day of work. This gives them the incentive they need to put as much effort into their education as they do their job.

Advancing from an RN to a BSN degree will give the nurse what they need to continue nursing at their current position or apply for a managerial position where they can oversee others and work to better the work environment. Most are able to enroll in an online degree completion program and still maintain their duties at work.

Impact on Career and Salary

Choosing to return to school and enroll in an online degree completion program will have a direct impact on both your career and salary. With an advanced degree, you will have the education you need to take on more responsibilities as well as take advantage of opportunities for advancement that may be offered by your employer. Students who have had to give up their educational goals due to unforeseen circumstances can return to school with an online degree completion program and finally earn their degree and advance their careers.

Finishing their degree will also allow the graduate to increase their earning potential exponentially. By assuming more responsibility, they are also proving themselves to be more valuable. This warrants a raise and sometimes even a bonus. It may also earn them additional benefits in other ways. Graduates who have finished their degree through the online platform are able to continue with their normal day-to-day activities without having to drive to and from school on a regular basis.

Why Go Back to School?

Why go back to school? Every person has their own reason for wanting to return to school. Some do it to improve their chances of advancing their career while others do it to simply improve themselves. Individuals who have had to leave school due to circumstances beyond their control sometimes feel as if they have unfinished business. By enrolling in an online degree completion program, they would be able to earn their diploma and advance their careers.

Advancing their careers will allow them to explore new job opportunities and take advantage of trying new positions. Every person who returns to school to complete their degree will see some type of reward be it a new position or higher pay. Along with opportunities for advancement will come an increase in their earning potential. For some, the degree they earn will allow them to take off on their own and open a new business as an independent contractor.

Online Degree vs Traditional Degree Salary

The salary for an online degree program versus a traditional degree is similar. There are a few key points that must be considered, however. With a traditional degree program, it can be more difficult to work while attending school. This means that you may only be able to work a limited number of hours while you are in school. By pursuing an online degree completion program, you are able to continue working without having to take time off for class.

Another benefit of using an online platform to continue working towards your degree is that you are able to complete your studies from almost any location. This opens up the number of degree programs you have to choose from. The opportunity to enroll in an online degree completion program from a top school may have a direct impact on your earning potential when you apply for a higher position.

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Aya Andrews

Editor-in-Chief

Aya Andrews is a passionate educator and mother of two, with a diverse background that has shaped her approach to teaching and learning. Born in Metro Manila, she now calls San Diego home and is proud to be a Filipino-American. Aya earned her Masters degree in Education from San Diego State University, where she focused on developing innovative teaching methods to engage and inspire students.

Prior to her work in education, Aya spent several years as a continuing education consultant for KPMG, where she honed her skills in project management and client relations. She brings this same level of professionalism and expertise to her work as an educator, where she is committed to helping each of her students achieve their full potential.

In addition to her work as an educator, Aya is a devoted mother who is passionate about creating a nurturing and supportive home environment for her children. She is an active member of her community, volunteering her time and resources to support local schools and organizations. Aya is also an avid traveler, and loves to explore new cultures and cuisines with her family.

With a deep commitment to education and a passion for helping others succeed, Aya is a true inspiration to those around her. Her dedication to her craft, her community, and her family is a testament to her unwavering commitment to excellence in all aspects of her life.

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ValueColleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

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