Degree Overview: Bachelor’s Degree Completion Programs
Majors Overview March 30, 2015Get information about bachelor’s degree completion programs and their coursework, career choices, wage outlook, and continuing education choices.
Information on Bachelor’s Degree Completion Programs
Admission criteria typically require incoming students to bachelor’s degree completion programs to have completed two years of college, or hold an associate’s degrees and possess 60 credit hours towards a bachelor’s degree. It takes about two years to complete the program.
Completion programs typically include human resources management, communications studies, business management, business administration, and marketing. Adults who wish to change professions or complete their education would find these programs especially useful. These programs may benefit younger people who seek entry-level positions in their chosen field. The remaining 60 credits must be completed by students in order to earn their bachelor’s degree that would ensure their entry into college in the junior year of the respective program.
Coursework
Coursework varies with the chosen field of study and includes general education courses amounting to 30 – 32 credits and core classes of the equivalent of 47 – 50 credits. Credits may be earned for internships and military training, as well as for completion, if any, of additional college courses.
Career Choices
Those who complete the program can choose from many career options in various disciplines, such as human resource management, marketing, business administration, business management, and communication studies. They may choose from job positions such as:
•Insurance underwriter
•Placement manager
•Advertising manager
•Copywriter
•Retail manager
Wage Outlook
There is a wide variation in the salary levels for these positions. For instance, in 2012, the average annual wage of $55,940 was earned by authors and writers, while the average annual wage of $115,750 was brought home by advertising and promotions managers (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Continuing Education Choices
Those who complete a bachelor’s degree completion program may opt for continuing education to enhance their skills and knowledge in the field by earning a master’s degree in their field of study. Some schools offer master’s degree programs in online formats, making completion of their studies easier for working professionals.
Those who earn a doctoral degree can seek careers in research or academia. Professionals who seek training in specialized areas may pursue graduate certificate programs. Students can often take Ph.D. degree and graduate certificate programs in a blended or online format.