A typical college semester lasts around 15 or 16 weeks, but several shorter semesters and courses are available. Every class you attend is evaluated in “credit hours” that roughly translate to the length of the time you are in that course each week.
In a typically scheduled course, you will be meeting for an hour each week for each credit hour. In an accelerated program, which lasts eight weeks, the class will be held for about two hours each week. Most of the time, undergraduate classes are three credit hours. The classes are held for three hours per week, and the passing grade grants you three credits towards the successful completion of your degree.
Students in the undergraduate level, bachelor’s degrees generally require 120 credits, while associate degrees generally require the completion of 60 hours. For graduate students, master’s degrees typically require completion of 36-54 credits, and doctoral degrees typically require 90-120 credits and a dissertation.
Students typically have to complete a minimum of 12 credits to qualify as full-time scholars, with a maximum of 18 credits. Students usually complete at least 15 credits in a semester. These classes run for 16 weeks. This equals about 240 hours in the classroom during a typical semester. Several acceleration programs allow students to take two courses and complete their degree fraction of the expected time.
Suppose you are worried about the commitment to time that a college education requires. In that case, it is possible to pursue an online degree that offers students a great deal of time flexibility.
Based on the subject, certain aspects of a physical classroom experience cannot be recreated digitally. For instance, students majoring in science who study online will not be able to do the same type of laboratory work as students in brick and mortar schools. If you are not sure whether an online school is suitable for you, read our article, which outlines some of the Pros and Cons of Online College and University Programs.
These programs enable students to balance other commitments, such as work or families, while earning credit towards an undergraduate degree. If you search for an online degree program that gives you to work around your schedule and earn a degree in a short period, take your look through this list of top 35 Colleges Online with the Fastest Performance.
Accelerated degree programs require students to possess excellent time management skills because the condensed schedule of credits will be more challenging during the semester. The flexibility of a schedule in online courses requires students to be motivated by themselves as they work at their own pace. If you are concerned about translating your time management abilities into an online college structure, read our guide to the 15 top tips to create Your Schedule for Online College.
