On average, a bachelor’s degree takes four years to earn from a college or a
university. While four years is the average time for completion, a student can
find that it sometimes takes much longer to earn one. For instance, a student
who is only attending a college or university on a part-time basis may take much
longer to complete the course of studies necessary to obtain a bachelor’s degree
in a chosen subject.
Or, a student who is attending full-time, but who
does not do well in all of the classes required for a bachelor’s degree, may
have a need to repeat some of the coursework involved and therefore, could take
longer to complete the required courses. Also, there is sometimes an issue of
colleges or universities being overcrowded, and due to space limitations
students are not able to enroll in all of the classes that they need to achieve
their goal of graduation in four years. These situations can lead to students
taking longer than average to complete the requirements necessary to earn a
bachelor’s degree.
Today, a bachelor’s degree is almost a necessity in
order to work in a professional career. Even for entry-level positions, many
employers require that candidates have at least a bachelor’s degree before they
will be considered. While several careers, such as attorney, doctor, college
professor, or psychologist require even higher degrees, a bachelor’s degree is a
necessary step in earning those higher degrees.
Because a bachelor’s
degree is such an important and useful degree to acquire, many people who
consider committing to earning one first wonder exactly how long does it take to
get a bachelor’s degree?
A bachelor’s degree can also be completed in less than the average of four
years. Some students have reduced their time spent in actual classroom training
by large percentages simply by earning credits through testing in certain
subjects. Taking a test designed to measure a student’s competence in a subject
matter that would normally be taught in a traditional classroom setting
accomplishes this. If a student passes the test with a satisfactory score, then
the student is given credit for the course without having to sit through the
entire course itself. Such testing is offered primarily through the
College-Level Exam Preparation (CLEP) program, where students are tested on
their competency in the subjects of history, math, science, foreign language,
and English. Similar tests designed to measure a proficient understanding in
several college level courses, such as DSST, ECE, and TECEP, are also available
to help students complete the required coursework in less than four years.
Whether a student is able to complete a bachelor’s degree in three, four, or
even five years, the most important goal is to complete the requirements for
their degree, regardless of how much time is involved. Committing to earning a
bachelor’s degree is a positive step that serves as an investment in future
goals.
Anyone considering enrolling in a college or university with the
hopes of earning a bachelor’s degree is wise to investigate the options
available for earning credits through testing, and to realize that minor
obstacles may occur that can delay the desired completion date for a bachelor’s
degree. However, no matter how long it ultimately takes to complete, earning a
bachelor’s degree is well worth the time invested to do so.