A degree completion program is an undergraduate academic program, most frequently found in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

, that is offered within an established university but designed for non-traditional students. Degree completion programs are typically structured to allow persons who previously completed a substantial portion of the requirements for an undergraduate degree, but who have been separated from the university setting for a period of time, to complete the credit requirements needed to earn a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to si ...

(B.A.), either at an accelerated pace, or a flexible schedule. The difference between credits previously earned, and those required for the award of a B.A., are made-up through a variety of methods depending on the sponsoring institution, but typically include a combination of traditional university courses and CLEP examinations.

Examples

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private research university in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll in 1789 as Georgetown College, the university has grown to comprise eleven undergraduate and graduate ...

bills its degree completion program as designed for students who were "meaning to complete" their bachelor's degree, but for whom "life, work and other obligations got in the way". Applications are accepted from working adults who have completed one or two years of university courses which can be transferred onto the potential student's Georgetown transcript. A series of evening and weekend classes fills the gap between credits earned and those required for a bachelor's degree. * The degree completion program at the University of the Pacific is open to applicants who have completed 70-credits of university level course work. Once enrolled, students take a twice-weekly, evening class over the course of four semesters; those who successfully complete the 15-month instructional sequence are awarded a Bachelor of Arts in

Liberal Studies Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term '' art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically th ...

. *

Colorado State University Colorado State University (Colorado State or CSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. Colorado S ...

offers a degree completion program in

psychology Psychology is the science, scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immens ...

. Students can transfer up to 90 credits of coursework taken at another university before completing the final 30 credits required for a B.A. degree through

distance learning Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at a school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance. Traditionally, this usually in ...

psychology courses at Colorado State. *

University of San Francisco The University of San Francisco (USF) is a private Jesuit university in San Francisco, California. The university's main campus is located on a setting between the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park. The main campus is nicknamed "The Hil ...

offers a Bachelor of Science in Management to working professionals who are interested in completing their degree. Students who have completed at least 60 semester credits may apply to the program and can earn their degree in as little as 23 months. Students take two courses each semester, and studies include accounting, finance, marketing, organizational behavior and theory, analytics, technology, logistics, and other core competencies. *

University of Nebraska–Lincoln The University of Nebraska–Lincoln (Nebraska, NU, or UNL) is a public land-grant research university in Lincoln, Nebraska. Chartered in 1869 by the Nebraska Legislature as part of the Morrill Act of 1862, the school was known as the Univers ...

offers an online Bachelor of Science degree completion program in

applied science Applied science is the use of the scientific method and knowledge obtained via conclusions from the method to attain practical goals. It includes a broad range of disciplines such as engineering and medicine. Applied science is often contrasted ...

. Students select from a broad range of courses across the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, in addition to the credits they've already earned, to tailor a degree to their career goals. This program provides a convenient and flexible career path for those in the military, currently employed, returning to college or transferring from a two-year college.

Notes

Alternative education Distance education {{US-university-stub