Best Online 4-Week Courses for College Credit
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You can earn a college degree without sitting through semester-long courses. By taking 4-week online classes, you can complete more courses per semester and graduate in less time.
Accelerated courses let you focus on one or two subjects at a time and earn more credits each year. That means you'll put your degree to work faster.
Ready to get started? We'll look at some of the most popular 4-week online college credit courses so you can graduate faster.
What Online Degrees Offer Accelerated Classes?
You can take accelerated classes in almost any major. Whether you're studying business, tech, social services, or liberal arts, 4-week courses can get you to graduation day sooner.
In addition to 4-week classes, you can also take accelerated courses with 5-week, 6-week, or 8-week terms.
Popular Online 4-Week College Courses
Check out our list of 27 popular 4-week college courses:
Keep reading to find out what you'll learn in a 4-week online course — and how an accelerated degree can help you launch your career.
1. Accounting
Study financial accounting, auditing, or forensic accounting in accelerated classes. You'll learn how to create and review financial documents in an accelerated format. You can earn a bachelor's in accounting by taking several 4-week online college courses.
Featured Online Accounting Programs
Accelerated classes mean you can launch your career as an accountant or auditor in less time.
2. Art & Design
Learn about art history and explore your creative side with a 4-week online art, art history, or design course. In online accelerated classes, you can study interior design, art education, web design, or animation.
Featured Online Art & Design Programs
You can take online classes for almost any art or design major. Check out our picks for the best online art and design programs.
3. Business Administration
Accelerated management and leadership courses can help you earn a bachelor's in business administration degree in less time. You can take a 4-week online college credit course in finance, marketing, human resources, and other business fields.
Featured Online Business Administration Programs
Business majors strengthen analytical and decision-making skills —and an accelerated program gets you on the job market faster.
4. Business Management
Learn how to lead teams and projects by taking accelerated business management courses. You can earn a business management degree quickly with 4-week online college courses.
An online business degree can lead to a career in project management, business analytics, or management consulting.
Featured Online Business Management Programs
Interested in getting an MBA? A business management major can prepare you for top MBA programs.
5. Computer Science
Study programming, computer theory, and data structures while earning your bachelor's in computer science.
Accelerated courses can help you complete graduation requirements in less time. You'll enter the workforce prepared for software developer and information security analyst roles.
Featured Online Computer Science Programs
Tech jobs reported a median salary of over $97,000 (BLS, May 2021).
6. Counseling
Strengthen your individual and group therapy skills with accelerated counseling courses. During 4-week online counseling courses, you'll develop communication and interpersonal skills.
With a bachelor's in counseling, you can become a substance abuse counselor, caseworker, or behavioral disorder counselor.
Featured Online Counseling Programs
Want to become a mental health counselor, marriage and family therapist, or school counselor? You'll need a master's in counseling.
7. Criminal Justice
You can earn a bachelor's in criminal justice by enrolling in accelerated courses. For example, take a 4-week online college credit course in corrections, law enforcement, and criminology.
After meeting graduation requirements, you'll be ready for criminal justice careers.
Featured Online Criminal Justice Programs
You can work as a police officer, federal law enforcement officer, or probation officer with a bachelor's in criminal justice.
8. Education
Want to become a teacher? You can earn a bachelor's in education by taking accelerated classes. You'll study assessment methods, instructional styles, and curriculum development. With 4-week online classes, you'll be ready for the classroom faster.
When researching online education programs, check whether they meet the teaching license requirements in your state.
9. Emergency Management
Learn how to implement disaster management plans and coordinate emergency services during an emergency management degree. By taking 4-week online courses, you'll earn college credits in less time and enter the workforce sooner.
Featured Online Emergency Management Programs
Looking for similar accelerated courses? Check out homeland security and public safety classes.
10. English
Accelerated English classes build in-demand skills. You'll strengthen your writing, communication, and analysis skills with 4-week English courses.
With a bachelor's in English, you can work in education, public relations, journalism, and writing careers.
Featured Online English Programs
An accelerated English degree can help you launch a career in diverse fields, from business to media.
11. Environmental Management
Learn about sustainability, public policymaking, and environmental science by taking 4-week environmental management classes. You'll build analytical and communication skills as you explore how national and international environmental management works.
Featured Online Environmental Management Programs
Pursue careers in sustainability management and environmental science with an accelerated environmental management degree.
12. Finance
Interested in finance? You can take 4-week online courses in financial management, the international financial system, and risk management. With a finance degree, you'll qualify for high-paying, in-demand financial analyst jobs.
Featured Online Finance Programs
It pays off to graduate sooner — the median salary for a financial analyst is $95,570 per year (BLS, May 2021).
13. Fire Science
Learn about fire prevention and suppression methods by taking fire science classes with a 4-week term. You can earn a bachelor's in fire science to work as a firefighter, fire inspector, or fire investigator.
Featured Online Fire Science Programs
You can also take accelerated classes on wildfires to become a forest fire prevention specialist.
14. Forensic Science
Learn how to analyze crimes by taking courses in criminal investigation, fingerprint analysis, and forensic chemistry.
You can become a forensic science technician with a bachelor's in forensic science. These crime scene investigators report a median salary of nearly $62,000 (BLS, May 2021).
Featured Online Forensics & Crime Scene Programs
What else will you study in a forensic science degree? You can take courses in forensic biology, crime scene photography, and investigative procedure.
15. Health Sciences
Learn about healthcare systems, healthcare management, and community health by taking accelerated health sciences courses.
With a health sciences degree, you can work in non-clinical roles in the healthcare industry. Or apply to grad school to add clinical skills.
Featured Online Health Sciences Programs
Interested in entry-level roles? Look for titles like community health worker, patient care advocate, or health information manager.
16. Healthcare Administration
Explore the administrative side of healthcare by taking 4-week college courses in healthcare administration.
You'll learn about healthcare finance, leadership in healthcare organizations, and data management. A healthcare administration degree can lead to non-clinical roles in healthcare.
Featured Online Healthcare Administration Programs
Looking for a similar option? Check out healthcare management classes to prepare for managerial careers in healthcare.
17. Human Services
Learn how the social services system works by taking accelerated human services classes. You can also take specialized courses in child and family services or elder care services.
You can work in nonprofit and public sector community services organizations with a bachelor's in human services.
Featured Online Human Services Programs
With an accelerated human services program, you can apply what you learn in the classroom sooner by graduating in less time.
18. Information Technology
Learn how to manage databases and secure information by taking 4-week IT courses online.
With an information technology degree, you'll qualify for high-paying careers like computer systems analyst or information security analyst. Accelerated classes mean you can put your IT degree to work faster.
Featured Online Information Technology Programs
How much can you earn with an IT degree? Information security analysts make a median salary of $102,600 (BLS, May 2021).
19. Legal Studies
You can take 4-week online classes in criminal law, legal writing, and the court system. Earning a legal studies degree can prepare you for paralegal or compliance officer careers. Or use your knowledge of the legal system to apply to law school.
Did you know that paralegals earn a median salary of over $56,000? They also report much faster than average projected job growth (BLS, May 2021).
20. Liberal Arts
You can build critical thinking and problem-solving skills by taking 4-week liberal arts courses. With a liberal arts degree, you'll get an interdisciplinary education. You'll put your degree to work in diverse fields like education, business, public relations, or the nonprofit sector.
You can study everything from history to biology with an interdisciplinary liberal arts degree.
21. Marketing
Sharpen your analytical skills with accelerated marketing classes. You can take courses in customer research, competitor analysis, and purchasing behavior while earning your marketing bachelor's degree online. After graduation, you can become a market research analyst.
Featured Online Marketing Programs
There's a strong demand for market research analysts, who report a median pay of nearly $64,000 (BLS, May 2021).
22. Nursing
Nursing is an in-demand, high-paying field. By taking 4-week nursing classes, you'll learn how to assess patients and provide evidence-based care in an accelerated format. With an online BSN degree, you'll be ready for specialized roles in pediatric nursing, ER nursing, or lead nursing.
Featured Online Nursing Programs
Already a nurse? Look into accelerated RN-to-BSN programs to advance your education in a flexible format.
23. Nutrition
Learn about nutrition science and dietetics by taking 4-week online college courses. You can become a nutritionist or dietician with a bachelor's in nutrition. These growing fields report a median annual pay of over $61,000 (BLS, May 2021).
What other classes will you take? You can study pediatric nutrition, sports dietetics, or food science.
24. Psychology
Explore human behavior with 4-week psych courses. You'll learn about human development, social behavior, and abnormal psychology while earning a psychology degree. Use your analytical skills in fields like business, social services, or healthcare.
Featured Online Psychology Programs
Want to become a psychologist? You'll need a graduate degree in psychology.
25. Public Administration
Learn how to lead public programs and implement new policies with accelerated public administration classes. Then, earn your bachelor's in public administration to become an urban planner, city manager, or budget analyst.
Featured Online Public Administration Programs
Interested in nonprofit careers? Many public administration programs also offer classes in nonprofit management.
26. Social Work
Explore the social welfare system and learn about social justice by taking 4-week online courses in social work. With a bachelor's in social work, you'll qualify for entry-level roles like caseworker, non-clinical social worker, and child advocate.
Featured Online Social Work Programs
An accelerated format means you can earn your BSW faster and apply to MSW programs to become a clinical social worker.
27. Technology
You can take 4-week classes in cybersecurity, programming, and software development. An accelerated technology degree means you'll finish school sooner and launch your career faster. By studying tech, you can work in information management, cloud development, and database administration.
Looking for similar courses? Check out information systems management, cybersecurity, and web development classes.
Get Your Degree Faster With 4-Week Accelerated Courses
A significant benefit to taking 4-week college classes is that you'll graduate faster. But there are other benefits, like focusing on a single subject rather than juggling five classes at a time.
You can also cross off gen ed requirements in weeks rather than months — without sacrificing academic quality.
Key Benefits of Accelerated Online Classes
- Earn the same number of credits as a semester-long class in under a month.
- Focus on 1-2 subjects at a time with accelerated classes.
- Finish your B.A. degree in less than 4 years by earning more credits each year.
- Complete graduation requirements quicker and spend less time on gen ed classes.
Frequently Asked Questions About 4-week College Courses
Are accelerated classes worth it?
Yes, accelerated classes can pay off. You can earn more college credits each year by taking classes on a 4-8 week term rather than the typical 16-week semester. That can shave months off your degree, which means you'll enter the workforce sooner.
However, before signing up for accelerated classes, ensure you have the time and organizational skills to succeed. Accelerated courses are only worth it if you're prepared for the workload.
What is the fastest degree you can get online?
You can earn a bachelor's degree online in as little as 1-2 years with the proper transfer credits. For example, you can major in business, healthcare, tech, or education in around two years after finishing a community college degree.
Or, choose an accelerated program to cut months off your bachelor's degree. When researching programs, make sure to check the school's accreditation. Diploma mills promise degrees in a few months, but only accredited schools offer high-quality degrees.
Will you need to take summer classes to earn your accelerated degree fast?
Taking summer classes helps you graduate in the shortest time possible. Typically, undergrads complete 30 credits per year. You can earn ten or more credits each year by adding summer classes.
Taking courses on a 4-8 week term can also boost the number of credits you'll earn each year. You can take summers off in an accelerated program, but the fastest route to graduation includes summer classes.
