How to Get an Online Associate Degree in 6 Months
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Find a Faster, Flexible Path to Your Associate Degree
- Around 23% of responses from students who used BestColleges to find accelerated programs indicated that program length and graduating fast was most important to them.
- Another 21% of responses included keeping overall costs manageable and 17% related to looking for flexible formats that fit work and family schedules.
- This page explains how accelerated and transfer friendly options work to help you choose the program that meets your needs.
If you’re looking to finish your associate degree as fast as possible, you can finish your associate program in just six months with the right program and transfer credits.
While six-month programs are very hard to come by, it might be possible to get your associate degree in six months if you have credits to transfer in, do dual enrollment in high school, find a program that accepts your credits, and is accelerated.
In this guide you’ll see just how quickly you can complete your associate degree through accelerated programs and transfer credits.
How Long Does It Take To Finish an Accelerated Associate Degree Program?
An accelerated associate degree program can typically be completed in about 1-1.5 years by condensing educational requirements into shorter, more intense classes. By comparison, traditional programs take about two years for a full-time student.
Online accelerated programs work similarly, but they can offer schedule flexibility or asynchronous work to accommodate working professionals.
An associate degree is 60 credits, about 15 credits each semester, which is three credits above what’s considered “full time.” Accelerated programs squeeze those 60 credits into twelve months which are usually around 7 weeks per course.
You can earn accelerated associate degrees in many subjects like healthcare, accounting, psychology, marketing, and other in-demand fields.
How to Get an Associate Degree in 6 Months
If you’re looking to graduate as fast as possible, it will take more than finding an accelerated program. Most of the shortest accelerated programs are 12 months long (a few of which are listed later) so you’ll need to bring in transfer credits into the fastest programs.
If you’re a high school student, pursue dual enrollment classes where you can earn community college and high school credits at the same time. Talk with your counselor about how you could get involved. Another option is through Advanced Placement (AP) classes and exams that grant you college credit on a successful exam.
If you’ve already completed a few college classes but didn’t earn your associate degree, talk with your college’s staff to see what credits you may transfer in. Some colleges also take work, military, and extracurricular experience as college credit by having you complete exams like the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP).
10 Popular Online Accelerated Associate Degrees
Here are 10 of the most popular online accelerated associate degree programs you can pursue from the comfort of your home.
1. Accounting
With an accounting associate degree, you can pursue work as a bookkeeper or as a financial or accounting clerk. Or you can pursue a bachelor’s degree and study to become an accountant or auditor.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks made a median annual salary of $49,210, as of May 2024.
2. Business Administration
You’ll learn the basics of business administration in this associate degree program from classes on business law and the principles of marketing, accounting, and management.
An associate in business administration can set you up to transfer to a business bachelor’s degree and then a master of business administration (MBA) degree. With an MBA, you can pursue careers in consulting, tech, and financial services.
3. Criminal Justice
Some things you’ll learn within a criminal justice associate program are fundamentals in crime origins. You’ll also learn about law enforcement, legal systems, correctional facilities, and public policy.
You can pursue a career as a police officer, paralegal, legal assistant, or corrections officer with an associate degree.
4. General Studies
General studies associate degrees get the general education courses that college bachelor’s degrees require out of the way. These courses include history, English, math, and other general education courses.
The general studies associate degree is a great way to prepare for any bachelor’s degree, so you don’t have to take those classes later.
5. Healthcare Administration
A healthcare administration associate degree focuses on the administrative work that happens at hospitals and medical care offices. You’ll learn to manage new hires, policies, procedures, and client records.
You may start out as a medical assistant — with a median salary of $44,200 per year as of May 2024, according to the BLS — before moving on to a medical and health service manager role, which may require a bachelor’s degree.
6. Information Technology
An associate in information technology program will teach you the fundamentals of computer science, like web development, database management, and basic coding languages.
With an associate degree, you can pursue jobs such as computer support specialist, network administrator, web developer, or programmer. The median annual wage for computer network support professionals is $73,340, as of May 2024, according to the BLS.
7. Paralegal Studies
Paralegal studies programs focus on the U.S. legal system, legal research, ethics, and contract writing and reading. Paralegals make a median annual salary of $61,010, as of May 2024, according to the BLS.
Paralegals who work in finance and insurance made the highest median annual salary — $77,630 — while those in state government made the lowest at $51,420. The BLS also projects the paralegal and legal assistant job growth rate will be 1% from 2023-2033.
8. Marketing
Accelerated marketing programs cover foundational marketing and business concepts like the principles of marketing, financial accounting, social media, and marketing communications.
If you continue pursuing marketing with a bachelor’s degree, you may qualify for roles like advertising and promotions managers. These professionals make a median annual salary of $159,660, as of May 2024, according to the BLS.
9. Nursing
An associate degree in nursing teaches you fundamental nursing skills like how to take vital signs, collaborate with other healthcare professionals, control infection, and give medication and treatment.
The Health Resources and Services Administration reported in 2018 that around 49% of practicing registered nurses started with an associate degree.
10. Psychology
You can expect to learn the basics of psychology in classes like general psychology, child psychology, social psychology, developmental psychology, and abnormal psychology.
Some common careers for graduates with an associate degree in psychology are in the social or human services fields. With this degree, you can pursue occupations such as a teacher’s aide, family advocate, correctional officer, home care aide, or social services assistant.
However, most graduates with an associate degree go on to earn their bachelor’s in psychology to open up more career opportunities.
Accelerated Associate Degree Programs To Consider
These accelerated associate degree programs are made to get you your degree in as little as 12 months without bringing in any transfer credits.
| School | Degree | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Area Technical College | Associate of Arts | 12 months |
| South Piedmont Community College | Associate in Arts | 12 months |
| Tidewater Community College | Associate of Science | 12 months |
| Lorain County Community College | Associate of Applied Business | 15 months |
| Truckee Meadows Community College | Associate of Arts in Business | 12 months |
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Associate of Science in Information Technology | 12 months |
4 Things to Know About Accelerated Associate Degrees
Before you jump into an accelerated degree program, learn more about how they’re paced, what to expect, the format, and why it’s crucial for your program to be accredited.
1. Pacing
Typically, accelerated associate degree programs have similar start dates to traditional programs, but the end dates vary depending on how accelerated the program is.
Depending on the program, faster doesn’t mean easier. Since accelerated programs condense two years of material into a year, you may take classes year-round instead of having traditional summer or spring breaks. You also may have to dedicate more hours per week to complete the higher course load.
2. Curriculum
Associate degree programs are typically 60 credit hours, half of a bachelor’s degree. They mostly lay the groundwork for a bachelor’s degree in the same field of study while knocking out general education courses that bachelor’s degrees typically require.
3. Format
Your accelerated associate degree format will look different depending on whether you choose a campus, online, or hybrid option.
Completing your degree on campus may include attending longer classes, taking courses multiple times per week, or both to make sure you get your degree faster. You’ll have to consider housing, campus fees, travel, and other expenses for an on-campus experience.
An online format can take out the extra expenses from college and allow you to take classes from your home. The format of these classes could be:
- Asynchronous: Watch lectures and complete assignments on your own schedule within a certain timeframe
- Synchronous: Attend scheduled online lectures with a professor and other classmates
Hybrid programs mix the on-campus and online experiences. Some days may have you on campus for a lecture or lab. On other days, you will complete work and attend lectures online.
4. Accreditation
Your program must be accredited to have value in the workforce and be counted for credit when transferring to a bachelor’s degree program.
Accreditation is given to colleges and universities by independent accrediting organizations that are recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education (ED).
When doing your research, be aware of accelerated degree programs that promise a degree in just a few weeks or a few months. Some are from for-profit institutions or scam colleges that could take your money and not deliver a valuable education. Additionally, they may be more expensive than traditional and accredited programs.
Always make sure a recognized organization accredits the program you’re applying for. You can find all verified accrediting organizations on CHEA’s website or ED’s database.
Frequently Asked Questions About Associate Degrees
An accelerated associate degree may be for you if you have the time and discipline to take on two years of material in a condensed period. An accelerated program could save you money and time when earning your degree.
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