A Bachelor’s is an undergraduate degree awarded by a college or a university
after three to five years of course work. On average, it takes the student four years, on a full-time basis, to complete the 120-credit curriculum of a Bachelor’s degree in a traditional university setting. Depending on the concentration (Major) chosen, the student may be exempt from taking certain Bachelor’s level courses by having some college-level credits transferred. Upon completing the program, the student has access to a wide range of high-paying professional careers as well as to graduate degree programs, such as the Master’s degree, the MBA and the Doctoral degree. In regards to income, a worker with a Bachelor’s degree earns approximately twice as much as a high school graduate, and about a third more than a worker having completed some post-high school coursework.
There are two main types of Bachelor’s degrees:
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A. or A.B.): This degree consists of a majority of credits in liberal arts courses (social sciences, humanities and arts) and an amount of credits in a specialized field (Major). However, some institutions are known for awarding the B.A. for the completion of all their programs, regardless of whether the program is focused on humanities or sciences.
- Bachelor of Science (B.S. or B.Sc.): The B.Sc. consists of a majority of credits in sciences (life sciences, physical sciences, or mathematics) and of an amount of credits in a specialized field (Major). However, fields such as criminal justice, finance and nursing are also certified with the B.Sc. even though science is not a central component of these programs.
In recent years, a surge in the popularity of online degrees has given place to a rise in the demand of Bachelor’s level curricula online. The once negative attitude towards degrees awarded by Internet-only institutions is changing as this kind of certification becomes more common. Furthermore, it is becoming more widely known that earning a Bachelor’s degree online demands more discipline when compared to achieving the same goal through a traditional university, consequently raising the prestige associated with online degrees.
There are several reasons behind the increasing popularity of online Bachelor’s degrees. Whereas the curriculum at a traditional university usually takes the student four years to complete, it can take as little as 18 months online. Furthermore, because the course work is given and completed online, the time that would be required to travel to and from a traditional university is reduced to nothing, which also makes it possible for the student to work full-time and go to school at the same time. Choosing to complete a Bachelor’s degree online can also save money. Without including books, medical insurance and loan interest, traditional university costs can vary between $15,000 and $50,000 for a single year. However, because online programs can admit more students, the overall cost is reduced, hovering around $15,000. Keeping in mind that an online Bachelor’s degree takes less time to complete, the potential savings are significant. Overall, an online Bachelor’s degree is less costly and takes less time to complete than its traditional counterpart.
The following is a short list of accredited institutions offering online Bachelor’s degrees: