How many credits must an undergraduate earn to complete a degree course

How Many Credits Do You Need To Graduate College?

Understanding how many credits you will need to graduate college is essential for planning your next several years in school. It seems like a simple query. But then you start scouring the internet for costs and credit requirements. And you begin to notice that these figures are not consistent across all colleges. In fact, different universities may have different requirements. And the number of credits you need to graduate might differ even across various programs at the same school. Are you confused yet? Don’t worry. You’ve come to the right place.

This article will investigate how many credits you need to graduate college with a bachelor’s degree. And we’ll also discuss the required credits for earning a master’s degree.

We’ll also have a look at five of the top colleges in the United States. This should give you a general idea of what to expect when searching for how many college credits you need to graduate. Additionally, we’ll share tuition costs and some information about each school.

Featured Programs

Remember that colleges and universities regularly update their tuition prices and policies. So be sure to bookmark the links we have included throughout the article to remain up-to-date.

Table of Contents

How Many Credits Does It Take to Get a College Degree?

If you are looking to get a break on tuition, be sure to check out our guide on Finding and Applying for College Scholarships.

Credits Needed to Graduate From College

So how many credits do you need to graduate college? First, you need to have an idea of what major you want to pursue. That’s because your degree program will determine how many credits you will need to graduate college.

This chart lists how many credit hours are needed for each degree level.

How Many Credit Hours Do You Need to Graduate College?

Undergraduate Programs

Associate Degree: As we’ve listed above, you’ll need 60 credits to graduate college in two years with an associate degree. An associate degree can help you jumpstart your education or pursue entry level professional positions. An associate degree comes before a bachelor’s degree. Associate degree programs can be found at community colleges and some four-year universities.

Bachelor’s Degree: On average, a bachelor’s degree requires you to complete 120 credits. However, this can differ slightly, with some schools requiring more or fewer credits, depending on the bachelor’s degree program. So to be safe, most degree programs require 120 credits to graduate with your bachelor’s degree.

Many students want to know how many credits to graduate college in 2 years. It is sometimes possible (especially with online programs) to earn your degree in two to three years through an accelerated degree program. However, you’ll still need to earn the same 120 credits.

Graduate Programs

It gets a little tricky when it comes to the credits needed for a graduate degree.

Master’s Degree: Earning your master’s degree can require you to earn anywhere between 36 to 54 credits. This is a wide range. So if you want to know how many credits you need for an online graduate degree program, you’ll need to do some digging. Usually, the credits required for an individual degree program is listed on the program’s page of the college website. If you cannot find this data there, you’ll need to contact the school.

Doctoral Degrees: The credits needed for an online (or on-campus) doctoral degree also can vary quite a bit. Like a master’s degree, you’ll need to check the individual program to learn the requirements. However, the average credits required range from 90 to 120. And in most cases, college students will also need to complete a thesis.

If you have any more questions about pursuing a master’s or BA degree, explore our thorough online college FAQ for answers.

The number of Courses

Most credit hours are assigned to courses according to the number of credits they include. This, too, can get confusing. Traditionally, classes meet for approximately one hour per credit hour over a 16-week semester. And you will usually attend class three times each week, so this would be three credits. You can imagine this gets even more complex if you have a double major.

However, with today’s online learning options, these numbers can vary considerably. You might not be going to a one-hour class in person. Instead, you could be earning college credit doing coursework online and on your own schedule. Therefore, the best thing to do is research each individual program to determine the number of credits you will need to graduate and earn your college degree. With most schools, you’ll need a combination of general education courses and those related to your major.

Your Major

When pursuing a bachelor’s degree, your university will require you to choose a major. Your chosen major is where you will earn most of your credits. The remaining credits will usually go toward other required courses or general electives.

As you can see, asking “how many credits do you need to graduate college?” can elicit many answers. And some of them are not very straightforward. Moreover, the answers can differ depending on the source.

Plus, the requirements needed to graduate can vary widely, depending on your program of study and the school you choose to attend.

College Credit Requirements from Five Top Universities

This next section looks at some popular colleges to explore details like tuition and credits needed for a bachelor’s degree. We will also briefly touch upon each school’s master’s programs.

The prices listed are found through NCES College Navigator. For each school, we’ve listed in-state tuition costs for one academic year. This does not include fees and expenses like books, housing, and other charges.

University of Chicago

The American Baptist Education Society founded the University of Chicago in 1890. Also known as UChicago or U of C, it serves as a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. You will find this institution of higher learning’s main campus in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood.

University of Chicago Tuition Cost

University of Chicago Bachelor’s Credit Requirements

Instead of credits, the University of Chicago uses “units” to measure course degree requirements. For reference, one unit (100) equals 3 1/3 semester hours (five quarter hours). Courses with greater or lesser unit values (150 or 050) carry more or fewer quarter or semester credit hours.

The University of Chicago requires a total of 42 100-unit courses for graduation. Fifteen courses are for general education and 27 for your chosen major and electives.

Bachelor’s degree candidates are required to take a range of courses. First, there is general education (Core), which requires 1,500 units.

Here are the areas of study for general education:

Units for language courses are usually counted toward electives. This is the case whether you earn it by course registration or petition.

Lastly, there is the major that you choose, which calls for 1,000–1,900 units. The University of Chicago offers over 50 majors to pursue.

Altogether, you need a minimum of 4,200 units of credit for an undergraduate degree. In addition, you have to earn at least 3,800 of these college credits by course enrollment instead of test-taking.

University of Chicago Master’s Credit Requirements

UChicago offers a myriad of options for graduate school. They do not specify the credits you need for each program upfront. However, they do set the time it would take to finish the programs. For example, a full-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) takes about 21 months.

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) is a private Ivy League research university. It is also one of the first nine colonial colleges to be chartered before the American Declaration of Independence. It’s one of the country’s oldest schools, established in 1740.

There are 12 professional and graduate schools at the University. And the school offers many bachelor’s degree programs: Some of these include:

University of Pennsylvania Tuition Cost

University of Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Credit Requirements

You will need 32 to 36 college credits for a bachelor’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania. The required credits depend on the number of units required to achieve the major. You must take a minimum number of courses, but it is never less than 12.

In addition to the major, students must generally complete 20 credits outside the major.

University of Pennsylvania Master’s Credit Requirements

Credits needed to get a master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania include:

University of California, Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley was established in 1868. It is California’s first land-grant research university. It’s also one of the most well-known schools in the University of California System. Moreover, this university is a founding member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). UC Berkeley’s 14 schools and colleges offer students over 350 degree programs to pursue.

University of California, Berkeley Tuition

University of California, Berkeley Bachelor’s Credit Requirements

You will need 120 credits for a bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Berkeley. The total credits include transfer and advanced high school credits submitted to your Berkeley record.

University of California, Berkeley Master’s Credit Requirements

The number of credits needed to earn your master’s degree at Berkeley will depend on the program. For example, To earn a Master of Social Welfare (MSW) degree, you need a minimum of 54 credits from graduate-level coursework. You must earn 25 of these credits from integrative seminars and practicum placements.

Texas State University

Texas State University is a public research university established in 1899. It is located in San Marcos, Texas. In addition to having ten colleges, the university has over 50 schools and departments. As a result, students can choose from more than 100 unique degrees and majors.

Texas State University Tuition Cost

Texas State University Bachelor’s Credit Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry requires 120 credit hours. Thirty-six of those credits must come from advanced courses in biology and chemistry.

To obtain a bachelor’s, Texas State University requires you to complete three hours of English Literature. Moreover, you have to complete 43 hours of Computer Science courses.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Computer Science requires 120 credit hours. Texas State University breaks the requirements into these areas:

Earning a Bachelor’s in Art or Bachelor’s in Science in Psychology demands 36 credit hours of Psychology coursework. In addition, students must minor in a scientific field with nine advanced science-based hours.

Texas State University Master’s Credit Requirements

The minimum number of credits for a master’s degree program at TSU is 30, and the maximum number is 69.

Examples of other academic requirements for a couple of programs offered by Texas State include:

Columbia University

Britain’s King George II established Columbia University in 1754. This private, not-for-profit university is the oldest in the state of New York. The founders organized the state’s fifth-oldest higher learning institution into twenty schools—four undergraduate and 16 graduate schools.

Columbia University Tuition Cost

Columbia University Bachelor’s Credit Requirements

Columbia has a bit of a different college credit system than most schools. Each student must earn 124 points of academic credits for a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University. On top of this credit hour requirement, you must take the Columbia College Core Curriculum to fulfill the university’s needs, which is similar to general education classes. It can be difficult to know how many credits to graduate college at Columbia. You’ll need to read the information carefully.

Columbia University Master’s Credit Requirements

Students must register for and earn 30 semester credit hours to earn each degree, plus a formal essay. Also, you could opt for completing a departmental integrative project or comprehensive examination and 32 credits.

However, if you want to pursue multiple degrees, this is where matters get more complex.

Here are some examples of minimum credit hour requirements for pursuing multiple degrees:

Conclusion

Different schools and programs have different credit hour requirements. And these can often depend on what major you choose. You can find the exact number of academic credits required to earn your desired degree on the school’s website. You can also request to speak with an admissions advisor or enrollment counselor. Any national or regionally accredited university will be happy to help you find this information.

Whether you start out with an associate degree, or you’re going back to school for your master’s degree, congratulations! You will put in a lot of effort, money, and sweat to achieve your goals. However, the payoff is worth the hardships you will face during your journey. Save this guide to help you make an informed decision when choosing which college to attend.

Now you have a better idea of the number of credits you need to graduate from some well-known colleges. If you’re looking for information on two-year degrees, we have other resources for credits for an associate’s degree.

How Many Credits Do You Need to Graduate College? [2022 Guide]

Home » How Many Credits Do You Need to Graduate College? [2022 Guide]

How many credits do you need to graduate college?

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While the honest answer is “it depends,” you can get a general idea by looking at different colleges, degree programs, and credit types to understand how it all breaks down.

Understanding College Credits

In simple terms, a college credit is a measurement of the time spent and completion of a course. Most college courses are worth 3 – 4 credits, and you’ll need anywhere from 60 – 160 credits to earn a degree.

As for how long that it will take to earn a degree, it depends on how many credits that you sign up for each semester. For example, earning a bachelor’s degree in four years typically takes around 15 credits per semester.

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Another thing to consider is the length of your college’s terms. While most colleges operate on a semester schedule with three terms (spring, summer, and fall) per year, others have a quarterly schedule with four terms (spring, summer, fall, and winter) per year.

This means that the classes take fewer weeks to complete and are usually worth fewer credits. There are three types of credits that are usually required for a college degree.

Major Area of Study Credits

Major area credits are required for your particular major. They’re the meat of your degree since they teach you the skills and subjects of your chosen field.

If you’re a psychology major, for example, your area-of-study credits might include Addiction, Childhood Development, Human Behavior, and Ethics in Social Sciences. If you’re an accounting major, you might need Statistics, Microeconomics, Auditing, and Financial Management.

These credits are usually upper-level ones that you take after you have completed the basic courses. Many college students get their general education credits done first before they move on to intensive area-of-study credits in their chosen subjects.

General Education credits

General education credits are the basic, entry-level ones that are usually tackled by freshmen and sophomores. They can teach valuable things, but as their name suggests, they’re generalized credits that everyone takes rather than specialized credits for unique majors.

A few examples of general education credits include:

Many colleges divide their general education classes into broad categories like “natural sciences” and “humanities.” They’ll allow students to take any 3 – 6 credits within that particular category to satisfy their degree requirements.

For example, to get your natural science credits, you might be able to take Introduction to Chemistry or Biology 101 or Basic Astronomy.

You might have noticed that some general education credits can also double as area-of-study credits. This is completely normal.

The whole point of gen ed classes is to give students a diverse, well-rounded education in multiple disciplines, so consider it like a sampling of other majors as you work on your own.

Elective Credits

Electives are the fun credits. They’re the classes that you can take just because they sound interesting or have cool professors. They don’t need to be related to your major, and they don’t need to tick off any specific categories or areas of interest.

Some students use electives as a chance to try new and crazy things. Others take electives that are related to their major so that they can further their skills and knowledge in their area of interest.

To keep students from filling up their schedules with nothing but electives, most degree programs limit the number of electives that will count towards a degree.

You can take as many as you want, but after a certain number, they won’t help you with your degree completion.

How Many Credits Do You Need to Graduate College with an Associates Degree?

An associate degree is a two year degree that’s primarily offered by technical schools, vocational schools, and community colleges. Some four-year universities have them, but it’s less common.

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It usually takes 60 credits to earn an associate degree. Though it’s considered a two-year degree, your timetable can vary depending on how many credits you take per semester:

One nice thing about associate degrees is that many colleges will accept them as the equivalent of two years of college, so if you take your AA/AS and apply to a four-year university in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree, you can probably start as a junior instead of a freshman. Your 60 credits will most likely transfer with you.

How Many Credits Do You Need to Graduate College with a Bachelor Degree?

A bachelor’s degree is considered a four-year degree, but it can take anywhere from 3 – 7 years depending on your school, major, degree program, and acceleration options.

You usually need 120 credits to earn a bachelor’s degree. However, some majors will require more. Engineering can require upwards of 130 credits; architecture can take as many as 150 credits.

If you want to graduate in four years with a bachelor’s degree requiring 120 credits, you’ll need to take 15 credits per semester. The calculation looks like this:

If you only earn 12 credits per semester, it will take you five years to earn a bachelor’s degree:

You can also enroll in special fast bachelor’s degree programs to speed up your graduation. For example, you can take summer classes as part of an accelerated, three-year bachelor’s degree program, or you can find a dual degree program that can help you obtain your bachelor’s and master’s in a combined five years.

How Many Credits Do You Need to Graduate College with a Masters Degree?

A master’s degree can take anywhere from 1 – 3 years of study. Again, it depends on your course load and the number of credits that you’re earning per semester. Some majors will also take longer than others.

Generally speaking, you’ll need between 30 – 40 credits to earn a master’s degree. This is in addition to the credits that you already earned as an undergraduate, so your total tally could be anywhere from 150 – 160 credits.

Some subjects can require as many as 60 credits, but they tend to be highly specialized in niche subjects.

Another thing to know about master’s degrees is that they don’t always follow the “three credits per class” rule of thumb.

Since they’re teaching advanced, time-consuming subjects, they might be worth more credits per class.

How Many Credits To Graduate College?

Speaking very generally, here are the credit hours that you’ll need to earn a college degree:

Every school is different, however, and there are many degree programs that break away from this format. Some might require a higher or lower number of credits; some might operate on a quarterly schedule that counts credits differently.

You should always talk to the school that you’re interested in to see how they do things.

How Many Credits Do You Need to Graduate a 2 Year College?

It usually takes around 60 credits to earn an associate degree. If you want to continue your schooling, many four-year colleges will allow you to transfer these credits and fold them into a bachelor’s degree program.

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Instead of starting over as a freshman, you may begin as a sophomore or junior.

Can I Transfer Semester Credit Hours?

Many colleges will allow you to transfer credits from another institution. Just know that there’s usually a maximum amount that you can apply towards a degree.

For example, a college might only accept 60 – 70 credits for transfer or they might have rules about students having to earn at least 60 – 70 credits at their school as opposed to anyone else’s.

How Many Credit Hours is a Class Worth?

A college class is usually worth three credits. Less intensive classes might only be worth 1 – 2 while more advanced or specialized classes might be worth 4 – 5.

High school students might have half-credits that they can apply towards their degree.

How Many Credits Can You Transfer?

Most colleges have a limit on the number of credits that you can transfer. A common cap is 60 credits from a two-year school and between 60 – 90 credits from a four-year school.

Some credits might not transfer. Schools have different standards when it comes to “course equivalences” or “transfer equivalences,” so you might lose some credits during your move, especially if you’re going out of state.

Another number to watch out for is the minimum number of credits that can be transferred. If you have less than 20 – 30 credits from another institution, the college might make you enroll as a freshman rather than a transfer student.

If you earned any credits from CLEP or other credit equivalency programs, the school might or might not recognize them.

How Many General Education Credits Do I Need to Graduate?

It usually takes around two years to get through your general education credits. This could translate into anywhere from 40 – 60 credits.

Generally speaking, your general education credits shouldn’t take up more than 1/3 – 1/2 of your degree.

Your total number of gen ed credits will depend on your chosen school. It might have minimums and maximums, or it could have special programs that combine or supplement its entry-level coursework. Talk to an academic adviser to learn more.

A college credit is a recognition of the hours that you’ve put into a course. It’s usually calculated as one credit for every hour of class time in a single week.

For example, a two-credit course will require you to meet for two hours per week; a three-credit course will meet for three.

Before you start crunching numbers, however, it’s important to note that this is just an approximation and not a hard-and-fast rule. There are plenty of classes that don’t conform to these calculations.

Getting the Credits You Need to Graduate College

Credits can be a complicated thing when you’re looking at colleges. However, it’s worth the time and effort to understand them.

Once you know how the system works, you’ll be able to look at credits, programs, and major requirements with a trained eye, and you’ll be earning college credits fast and one step closer to getting your degree.

How Many Credits to Graduate College in 2022?

Planning your college schedule? Learn how many credits to graduate college so you can fulfill your career goals in a timely manner!

Updated by TCM Staff on 18th July 2022

How Many Credits to Graduate College in 2022?

Planning your college schedule? Learn how many credits to graduate college so you can fulfill your career goals in a timely manner!

TCM Staff

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Enrolling in college this year? As you prepare your finances, school materials, and schedule, one thing might appear confusing at first: college credits. Programs list all sorts of requirements for subject-specific credits, but at the end of the day:

How many credits do you need to graduate college? Here are general credit requirements for students by degree:

But these numbers aren’t set in stone. Take them with a grain of salt and compare them with specific college programs for the most accuracy. Today, we’ll dive into further detail so you can learn how many credits to graduate college for different degrees, with examples for specific programs.

How Many College Credits to Graduate With an Associate’s Degree?

Entry-level professional positions often require associate degrees. While some associate’s degrees are specific to a career field, others are broader. You might wonder: how many credits are required to graduate college for associate’s degrees? Most programs take two years to complete, equalling 60 credits or 20 courses.

Here’s an example from the University of Toledo:

The school’s Associate’s Degree in Programming and Software Development Online offers a sample credit schedule for four semesters (two years).

Notice how only three credits are allotted to elective courses each semester? If you take more than the allotment, it won’t matter if you graduate with 60 credits. You need to ensure enough of your credits are from core subject courses.

Now, let’s move on to the credits needed for a bachelor’s degree.

How Many Credits is a Bachelor’s Degree?

Bachelor’s degrees take longer than associate’s degrees or master’s degrees – usually double. So, how many credits for a bachelor’s degree are needed? We can assume most bachelor’s degrees require 120 credits, or 40 courses, to graduate. For example, the University of Florida’s undergraduate psychology program requires 120 credits to graduate.

Now, bachelor’s degrees have even more credit requirements for graduation than associate’s degrees. Your 120 credits must be spread out over approved course subjects. There are many terms and conditions attached to obtaining bachelor’s degree credits.

Credits have specific requirements depending on your program because colleges want to ensure students obtain a well-rounded education. That’s why they require students to complete credits in various fields, such as liberal arts, basic science, writing, history, and math. For example, even if a student pursues a liberal arts degree, the college credit system will still require them to take at least one foundational science course.

Bachelor’s degrees have three basic sections:

1. General Education Requirements

These aren’t core courses related to your degree. Rather, they assure a well-rounded education for every student. In terms of general education requirements, how many credits for bachelor’s degrees are required? The truth is that this answer varies depending on the program. Here’s a sample of general college requirements for the first two years of a humanities bachelor’s:

Figure Out Your Credits Needed To Graduate College

When you went to college the first time, you may not have paid much attention to the whole “college credit” system. But now that you’re going back to school to complete your degree, you need to understand exactly what a college credit is and how many you need to graduate — before you can even think about transferring them. Learn here exactly what it means to have college credits, how to earn more and what they mean for graduation.

What is a College Credit?

Unfortunately, there is still no national definition of a “credit hour” for colleges and universities. However, one college credit hour generally means that a student has had one hour of class instruction per week over the course of 15 weeks (a semester), as well as about 2 hours of out-of-classroom work, which could be homework, labs, practicum, etc. Therefore, most core classes for your major are worth 3 credits, because they usually meet 3 times a week for an hour, or twice a week for 90 minutes and have corresponding out-of-class assignments. 2- and 1-hour classes are smaller classes that meet for less time and require less work, like electives, but still count towards your bottom line.

For online colleges, credits are counted a bit differently. Since you’re not sitting in a traditional classroom, credits are counted by how many times you log in to participate, and how much time you spend contributing comments, questions and overall discussions to your class. Again, since there are no federal regulations yet, this is more subjective, and requirements vary between professors, classes and schools. But it’s important to understand that even though you’re taking classes online, you still have to participate to earn a good grade and the credit hours that correspond with that class.

How Many Credits Do You Need To Graduate College?

On average, you’ll need 120 credits to complete a 4-year bachelor’s program. Some degrees require more; for instance, I had to earn over 150 credit hours for my undergraduate degree in English Education, mainly because that type of program is like combining two majors—English and education into one degree. Your advisor, as well as the school’s course catalog will show you exactly how many college credit hours you need to graduate from your chosen major. Be aware, however, that there is no set number of credits all schools universally require to graduate. The number varies depending on the major and the particular school.

How Many Credits For Associate’s Degree?

Associate’s degree programs generally last two years and require about 64 credits for completion. Associates degrees vary tremendously, depending on whether they are based on all classroom teaching or involve a hands-on learning element, as with nursing ADN degrees. You should make sure to find out if your associates degree school has an “articulation” agreement with colleges or universities in your area. if they do, you may be able to automatically transfer all your associates credits toward a bachelor degree at those schools.

How Do College Credits Work, and How Should I Earn Them?

If you’re starting to panic about how you’ll earn all of your credits, don’t. Most programs for each major break down exactly what courses you need to graduate, and show you how to earn all of your credit hours to complete your degree. Each major will have what’s called “core classes,” which you must pass and earn credit for to graduate within that major. Beyond that, you’ll have some choices in the “electives” category. For instance, an English major may get to choose between a poetry class, creative writing class or French literature class to fulfill an elective spot. This is where you can tailor your program to meet your needs and interests. As long as you meet with your advisor and plan out your classes according to your school’s course catalog, you should have all the credits you need (sometimes more!) to graduate.

What Are BS, BA and BFA Degrees?

You may notice that bachelor degrees may be called BA, BS or BFA. These degrees involve slightly different approaches to core versus elective courses. The names are based on a traditional division of degree approaches that doesn’t always exist in schools today. But historically:

Example of Core and Major Courses For Degree

Core Courses:
2 Composition courses
1 Course in Professionalism
2 Mathematics courses
1 Humanities course in Ethics, Arts and Humanities or Culture
1 Science course in Basic Sciences, Microbiology, or Biology
1 Social Science course in History, Politics or the Technical Revolution
Total: 33 Credits

Major Courses:
Accounting
Macroeconomics
Microeconomics
Statistics
Management
Human Resource or Small Business Management
Finance
Marketing
Business Law or Legal Ethics
Statistics
Organizational Behavior
Operations Management
Managerial Economics or Corporate Finance
Policy Management
Advanced Marketing
Internship or Capstone in Management
Total: 88 Credits

Finally, students are required to take 59 credits of “Open Electives” courses. These are designed primarily to give you a business degree with a specialty on Finance, Investment, Marketing or another area. If you don’t wish to have a specialization, you can pick your 59 credits from many different areas. If you choose a specialty, most of your open electives will focus on that area, but you’ll also need to do some other elective courses. As an example:
Open Electives for New Media/Internet Marketing specialty in BS Business Degree:
Social Media Marketing
Digital Marketing
Advertising
Marketing Management
Total: 24 Credits

You would then need to add 35 credits from your pick of courses in Finance, Human Resources, Procurement, Product Management or another specialty area.
Total of all courses for BS in Business Administration: 180 Credits

Counting Credits When Transferring Universities

Where counting credit hours really becomes important is when you transfer credits. It’s always a good idea to spend the extra time to get as many of your previous college credits transferred as possible (to learn why, click here). And the more you transfer, the less you have to complete to finish your degree. Once you’ve completed the transfer process, you can then figure out how many credits you have left to earn, as well as what core classes and electives you still have to take (learn how to transfer college credits here).

What is The Maximum Credits You Can Transfer?

There’s a good deal of variation in the maximum number of transfer credits a college will accept. This can depend somewhat on what kind of credit system is used at your old and new schools. Private and state colleges typically accept up to a maximum of 60 credits in transfer, or half the total for a bachelor degree if they are on a credit system that requires more or less than 120 total credits for a BA or BS (as an example, Union College, an old and respected school in New York State, has a unique definition of credits. If works on an unusual three-semester school year and requires 36 total credits for undergrads to complete a degree). Online schools tend to be a bit more liberal about credit transfer, because they serve many adult students who are re-starting a college education after a break for work or life commitments. Some of the best-known online schools accept up to 75% of credits for a degree in transfer.

Articulation Agreements To Cut Your Credit Requirement in Half

If you have an associate’s degree from a community college or other school, it’s worth doing some research to find schools that have an “articulation” agreement with the school you’ve studied at. Subject to certain requirements, you may be able to transfer your entire associates degree to cover half the credits toward a bachelor’s degree at a new school. It’s a great way to save money. Be aware, however, that schools generally have these type of agreements only with other colleges or universities in the same region.

Can I Transfer Credits After 10 Years?

It can be tough at many schools to transfer very old credits. In science subjects, particularly, the tools and facts grow and change over time. If your credits are 5 or 10 years old, you probably have a better change of transferring them if they are basic requirements like English or writing. More advanced courses may not transfer as easily. But each school is different — it pays to do as much research as possible.

From Credit Transfer To Graduation

Overall, understanding exactly what college credits are and how they work will help you go through the planning process for your degree much more smoothly. Once you understand what your graduation requirements are, you can map out a timeline to help you earn your credits in a balanced way, at your own pace. Also, understanding college credits will help you better negotiate credit transfers by making you more knowledgeable about how the credit system works. Then, you can earn your degree with confidence, knowing you’re taking every step you need to get to graduation.

Financial Aid To Make Your Degree Cheaper

Of course, on top of transferring credits, you want to look into financial aid to keep the cost of your degree down. This is an area where you need to be careful. You’ve probably heard lots about the “student debt crisis” on the news and it is absolutely real. If you’re careful about not borrowing too much to pay for a degree however, you can come out of college with a good result.

The first thing you want to do to get financial aid for your bachelor degree are to ask your school if they offer any scholarships. Many, many online colleges provide some kind of scholarship that can cut anywhere from a few hundred to many thousands of dollars of the price of a degree. Some of these scholarship programs are based on you demonstrating financial need, but others are based on different factors. Some, quite honestly, are based on factors that are a bit vague. It’s always worth asking about school scholarships because many schools use them to attract students, and you never know what you’ll turn up.

How Many Credits Should You Take Every Semester

You should try to draw a realistic plan for how many credits you can handle each semester given the difficulty of the courses you’ll be taking, your own work ethic can any external factors you may be facing like a job or family responsibilities. Once you figure that out, you’ll have a solid date in mind for completing your degree and graduating.

most standard 120 credit bachelor degree programs, colleges recommend students take about 15 credits every semester to finish in four years. If you want to use this as a guide, just be aware that you will need to arrange your courses carefully, because some classes will count for more credits than others Also try to time your toughest courses for times of the year when you won’t have many other commitments, and can handle late-nighters and out of class writing assignments. It can be a good idea to mix your toughest core classes with some electives that won’t be as challenging. It can be a good idea to give yourself some lighter semesters along the way. But before you do, find out if your school has a minimum requirement for credits per semester that you have to satisfy in order to remain a full-time student. Losing full-time student status can have an effect on your tuition and other factors as well.

As you go along, be aware that many colleges have online “degree audits” you can fill out to calculate exactly how far you have to go in terms of finishing your program. It’s really not that uncommon for students to discover a week before graduation that they are a class short of what they need for a diploma, or that they actually took more credits than they need. An audit can help you avoid either of these scenarios.

Is an Online Bachelor Degree Worth It?

The concept of a bachelor degree, where a student gains not only knowledge of a particular career subject but also gets a more general education, has been debated in recent years. Some students have preferred to go to pure training programs like coding academies that teach pure work skills or other types of hybrid academic/job training programs. It’s worth keeping in mind that many careers require, over the long term, lots of “soft” skills like communication and general knowledge, which bachelor’s degree tend to provide.

It’s worth keeping in mind that there are some careers where having a particular degree virtually dictates exactly what salary you will earn. Teaching in a public school system is one. Other careers in healthcare or science also tie salaries directly to the degree an employee holds.

Online Degree Schools

Sponsored Schools

A very large and well-known school with over 40,000 students on 11 campuses and in a large online degree program, and top quality accreditation. Offers a very wide range of bachelor’s, master’s and associates degrees in:
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Learn more about Purdue’s degree programs

Trident at American Intercontinental University is an online university based in Cypress, California. It is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission – North Central Association of colleges. Trident focuses on bachelor’s degrees online:
– BSBA Business Administration
– BSCS Computer Sciences
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CTU is a large institution based on Colorado Springs with over 25,000 students. It has solid regional accreditation (the best kind) and has been ranked #1 Best for Vets in the category for online and non-traditional universities by Military Times Magazine.
Offers associate’s and bachelor’s degrees online in:
– Criminal Justice (multiple specialties)
– Business
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– Information Systems (multiple specialties)
– Logistics
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Learn more about Colorado Tech’s degree programs

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Online Colleges For Adult Learners

Purdue University Global
A very large well-known school with over 40,000 students on 11 campuses and a large online degree program, and top quality accreditation. Offers a very wide range of bachelor’s, master’s and associates degrees in:
– Criminal Justice
– Education
– Health Care
– Nursing
– Computer Technology
– Information Systems
– Legal Studies
Learn more about Purdue’s degree programs

American InterContinental University, a member of the American InterContinental University System
AIU, a large online school has a very transfer friendly policy that effectively turns many bachelor degrees the school offers online into completion programs. AIU is a bit different in that its quarterly schedule means you need 180 credits for a BA or BS, though in general the number of courses will be generally similar to what you would take to earn 120 credits on most bachelor programs. The school has a vast number of bachelor degree programs online in business, computers & information technology, healthcare management and criminal justice
Get information on American Intercontinental University, a member of the American InterContinental University System

Trident University at AIU
Trident at American Intercontinental University is an online university based in Cypress, California. It is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission – North Central Association of colleges. Trident offers online bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration, Computer Sciences, Health Administration or Health Sciences, Homeland Security, Human Resources Management and Information Technology.
Get information on Trident at AIU

Grand Canyon University
A large private school offering online degrees at a relatively moderate price for a school with strong name recognition across the country. Grand Canyon has bachelors and masters degrees in:
– Education
– Nursing
Get info on Grand Canyon University

Liberty University
Liberty, a very large online university, offers a variety of online degree programs at all levels in business, accounting, education, criminal justice, information systems, psychology, religion and more. It has a very friendly policy toward transfer students.
Get information on Liberty University

How Many Credits Do You Need to Graduate College?

The number of credits it takes to graduate college greatly depends on the degree you want to earn. Each degree has a different credit requirement, takes a different length of time to complete and presents different opportunities for focus of study and career advancement.

There are a lot of things to consider when earning your college degree. Is the time it takes to earn a degree a primary factor? Are you concerned about the overall cost? When deciding on which degree you should earn, having a solid understanding of what your options are will help you decide what’s best for you.

How Many Credits for an Associate Degree?

An associate degree is typically required for entry-level professional positions in any industry. Some associate degree programs are tailored specifically to a career field while others have a broader base of study. An associate degree is also a perfect stepping stone for someone wanting to earn their bachelor’s degree further down the road.

An associate degree is usually 60 credits or around 20 courses. This degree usually takes 2 years to complete. Courses in an associate degree program are focused on general education to prepare you for a bachelor’s program as well as courses teaching more specific knowledge if you’re studying to enter a particular field. For example, an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts provides a broader academic base than an Associate of Science in Accounting, which will have courses specifically chosen to prepare a student for working in a financial department or an accounting position. Whether general or career-specific, you’ll still need around 60 credits to graduate with an associate degree.

How Many Credits for a Bachelor’s Degree?

A bachelor’s degree may be your education goal from the start or the follow up to an associate degree you’ve already earned. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) determined many career fields, especially competitive fields, such as information technology, require a bachelor’s degree. The BLS also found 174 occupations as typically requiring an employee to have a bachelor’s degree to break into the field.

A bachelor’s degree takes 120 credits, which is around 40 courses. Typically, earning a bachelor’s degree takes 4 years, but depending on your previous education and whether you’re a full- or part-time student, it may take a shorter or longer length of time. You may have earned credit through other courses you’ve previously taken or certifications.

Bachelor’s degree programs are designed to prepare a student to enter a particular field. Some bachelor’s programs offer students the additional option of studying in a specific concentration. Degree concentrations are specializations within a field of study. If you’re earning a bachelor’s in psychology, you may want to take courses that focus on addiction, mental health or child and adolescent development. Adding a concentration to your bachelor’s degree allows you to learn more specifically about the area in which you’re aiming to have a career.

How Many Credits for a Master’s Degree?

If you’re looking for upward mobility in your career field, earning a master’s degree – or even a graduate certificate – can be helpful when it comes time to ask for a raise or promotion. Some employers may even offer to help with tuition as an employment benefit in order to retain valuable employees.

Usually a master’s degree will take 1-2 years of full-time study to complete, but the number of credits required varies depending on your field of study and your experience in the field. Most master’s degree programs require 30-60 credits. For example, a master’s in psychology is 36 credits, while a master’s in clinical mental health counseling is 60 credits.

Earn Credit Toward A Successful Future

The BLS keeps track of weekly earnings and unemployment rates compared to education levels. Year after year, the BLS has found higher education attainment has led to higher weekly wages and lower unemployment. While education takes a commitment of time and money, earning a degree at any level is more advantageous than not having a degree at all.

Ashley Wallis is an Army veteran and writer with a BA in English Language and Literature from SNHU. She is currently living in the Denver area. Find her on Twitter @AshDWallis.