Wondering how long your online MBA courses will run? It depends. At a semester-based college, the typical course lasts somewhere between 15 and 18 weeks. Some online MBA in finance programs operate the same way. Others condense a semester’s worth of study into a shorter, accelerated format. How long your term lasts depends on what college and program of study you choose.
Condensed Course Lengths at Top Programs
Some of the best online master’s degree programs in finance and MBA in finance programs feature accelerated course formats. These shorter terms allow students to make progress toward their degrees quickly – and possibly even graduate sooner.
Accelerated courses can take significantly less time to complete than traditional semester-based classes. At Southern New Hampshire University, for example, students complete a three-credit course in just 11 weeks.
Classes are condensed even more at Upper Iowa University. Each term lasts just eight weeks – but students complete six terms of coursework in a year. Benedictine University, too, uses an eight-week course format in its accelerated MBA in Finance program.
The Pros and Cons of an Accelerated Course Schedule
Naturally, an accelerated course will move at a faster pace. For some students, this can be overwhelming. You might not have time to think over a concept and digest it at your leisure. Other students prefer the pace, however. They would rather handle the same work in an intensive, short period of time while the information is fresh in their minds than stretch it out for up to twice as long and run the risk of forgetting what they have learned.
Rather than taking the four or five courses a full-time student would take during a traditional semester, most students enrolled in short courses take just one or two classes at a time. Fewer courses can mean fewer distractions, USA Today reported. Many students are working or caring for a family full-time. They don’t want to spread themselves too thin. A program that offers condensed courses is a great option.
Course length can affect overall program length, too. If you’re eager to earn your degree faster, then an accelerated course format will help you achieve that goal.
Which Course Length Is Right for You?
Most online MBA and Master’s in Finance programs only offer one option when it comes to course length. This means that it’s important to decide whether you’re more comfortable with a traditional or accelerated course length before you enroll. That detail might just affect your college choice.
Maybe your work style is slow and steady. You prefer to digest new information over time and you’re not too concerned about earning your degree fast. An MBA program with traditional course lengths might be a better choice.
If you want to rapidly make progress toward your degree and don’t mind an intensive workload, an accelerated course schedule might be more your style.
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