5-Week Online College Courses [2024 Guide]
By Joy Miller
Edited by Tania Staley
Updated on September 19, 2024
You can get your degree in less time with 5-week online college courses.
Do you have big goals of earning a college degree, but can’t fathom spending years in a classroom? Accelerated classes can allow you to earn your degree faster than ever and can fit into your busy schedule.
Instead of putting your college dreams on hold, check out these schools offering fast-track classes. We’ve compiled information on how accelerated classes can help you earn college credits in less time and several schools that offer them.
Editorial Listing ShortCode:
Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited, offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format, and have accelerated classes that are 5 weeks long or less.
American InterContinental University offers flexible online degree programs with accelerated courses as short as 5 weeks. Students can pursue associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in fields like business administration, criminal justice, and information technology.
The virtual classroom and adaptive learning tools provide a convenient, personalized education experience, allowing students to balance their studies with other commitments.
American Intercontinental University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) offers 5-week summer sessions, providing students with the opportunity to earn credits quickly and efficiently. These accelerated courses are available online and in-person, covering a wide range of subjects.
The flexible format is ideal for students seeking to advance their education during the summer months while balancing other commitments.
Community College of Baltimore County is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) offers flexible online accelerated classes ranging from 5 to 15 weeks, allowing students to progress quickly through their courses.
These programs cover areas such as Social and Behavioral Science, Humanities, Math and Science, and Communications. With six start dates per year, students can earn associate degrees and certificates at their own pace, from anywhere.
Des Moines Area Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Gwnedd Mercy University offers accelerated online health prerequisite courses designed for students aiming to enter healthcare programs.
These courses are available in a 5- to 8-week format and cover essential subjects like anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and nutrition. The flexible schedule allows students to quickly fulfill prerequisites, facilitating a smooth transition into nursing and other health-related degree programs.
Gwynedd Mercy University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Indiana Wesleyan University offers a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice that can be completed 100% online with 5-week courses. This program allows students to focus on one course at a time, covering topics like forensics and restorative justice.
With a faith-based approach and expert faculty, students receive comprehensive support and a tuition rate lock throughout their studies.
Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Middlesex Community College offers flexible summer sessions with online and on-campus courses in 5-week formats. Students can earn college credits quickly, improve their GPA, and accelerate their degree completion.
Ideal for college students, high schoolers, and adult learners, MCC’s summer courses provide a cost-effective way to advance education without committing the entire summer.
Middlesex County College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
South Texas College offers flexible Minimester sessions, including 5-week courses, allowing students to accelerate their education. These condensed courses are available online and on-campus, covering a wide range of subjects.
Ideal for students seeking to advance quickly, Minimesters enable learners to earn credits in a short period, fitting education into their busy schedules efficiently.
South Texa College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
When you take 5-week college courses online, you can arrange your coursework around your normal, everyday life. The flexibility of this format is a good option if you need to work your day job, take care of your family, or pursue other interests while earning your degree.
The learning environment for accelerated online classes is like other classes offered through distance learning.
Your activities will generally include:
Online learning courses often run on one-week cycles. For example, if Monday marks the start of a new class week, the assignments for that week will likely be due the following Sunday.
The main difference between 5-week online courses and 16-week courses is straightforward: You cover the same amount of material in less time, so the workload can be more intense.
But, the satisfaction and benefits of finishing your degree fast can be priceless!
Traditional schools offer two main blocks of classes each year: a fall semester and a spring semester. At these universities, it typically takes 4 to 5 years to earn a bachelor’s degree. If you don’t want to stay in school that long, you’re in the right place.
Accelerated online programs offer the following benefits:
Accelerated classes come in a variety of lengths: 5-week, 6-week, and 8-week online courses are the most common.
Undergraduate students aren’t the only ones who can benefit from accelerated classes. Graduate students can also enroll in 5-week or 6-week classes leading to online master’s degrees.
Yes, most online schools with 5-week terms offer accelerated coursework throughout the year.
Unlike traditional courses, you don’t have to wait until the fall semester begins. Whether you want to begin your studies in January, June, or August, you can start sooner.
It depends. Accelerated courses can be less expensive, but the costs vary widely depending on the university.
The best way to find out the total cost is to narrow down your school choices. You can do this by asking the following questions:
At some schools, the amount of time that you spend enrolled in the degree program determines your final costs. You pay a flat fee rather than paying by credit hour. If you finish quickly, you can pay less.
Other schools require extra online fees that you wouldn’t have to pay if you attended classes on campus. But on the flip side, on-campus programs often charge additional fees, like parking, activity center fees, and so on. This is where a net price calculator can come in handy.
Another thing to keep in mind . . . finishing your degree quickly could mean that you land your dream job sooner. For that reason alone, fast-track classes might make the most financial sense.
If you’re looking for the fastest way to finish your degree, start with accelerated online courses.
Keep in mind, though, that the quickest way to earn a degree can depend on several factors.
Things to consider:
Fast-track programs condense the same amount of material into a shorter time. That alone will help you get your degree faster. If you can leverage transfer credits, credit for prior learning, or credit by exam, you can finish even faster.
Whether you take courses at a traditional pace or go with an accelerated program, school can be a challenge. It’s only natural to ask if it’s worth it.
Let’s do a quick fact check.
Studies have been performed on both sides looking at career paths and salaries, along with less tangible benefits, like becoming a more critical thinker and having greater self-confidence.
Studies have shown that a degree can help you get better job opportunities, become a more critical thinker, and give you more self-confidence.
Look at the difference in lifetime income between someone with a high school diploma and someone with a college education. Bachelor’s degrees boost income considerably, but advanced degrees and graduate programs increase earnings even more.
Here’s what the experts have to say:
The evidence that a college degree significantly improves one’s employment prospects and earnings potential is overwhelming. Bachelor’s degree holders are half as likely to be unemployed as their peers who only have a high school degree and they make $1 million in additional earnings on average over their lifetime.
Accelerated classes sometimes offer an additional level of challenge because you have less time to complete the same amount of coursework.
If you choose an accelerated route, it will be important to be organized and maintain focus on your studies. Only you can decide if earning your college degree is worth the effort, but studies show that earning your college degree generally leads to higher lifetime earnings.
And, with an accelerated program, you can move on to the next phase of your life faster—whether that’s career advancement or an advanced degree.
The assignments and information learned for accelerated classes are not more difficult than their traditional semester-based online and on-campus counterparts. They just allow you to earn your degree faster.
Most of the professors teaching accelerated online classes are the same professors teaching the same classes on campus, The degree requirements will also be the same or equivalent to the requirements for the same degree on campus.
For example, if you decide to get an accelerated bachelor’s degree in project management, you will still be required to take courses in business administration, finance, and so on. In this way, on-campus and accelerated online degree programs are identical.
The main difference is that you’ll have to do the same amount of work in less time. For some people, the condensed format can be a challenge, but with determination, the challenge can be overcome and earning a degree quickly is often worth it.
To help you better manage the coursework, schools generally limit online students to two to three accelerated courses at a time. This is different from traditional schools, where you may take five classes at a time.
In this regard, you may find an accelerated program easier because you can focus all your attention on just a few subjects at a time.
Many variables will influence the length of time it takes you to complete your degree online.
For one thing, not all accelerated programs go at the same pace, so your time to completion will depend on the college you choose. Additionally, if you begin with some credits already under your belt, it will take you less time than it would take to start at the very beginning.
As a general guideline, though, it’s reasonable to expect it to take around 2 years to finish an accelerated bachelor’s program.
Online college programs are more popular than ever, so when looking for an accelerated program, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. Of course, that also means that you might have a more difficult time narrowing down your options.
To begin, you can check out our list of colleges offering 5-week classes listed near the beginning of this article. You can also use our “find my program” tool at the bottom of the page.
Keep in mind that the highest quality degrees are from schools that are regionally accredited by an organization approved by the U.S. Department of Education. To maintain their accreditation, they must adhere to strict requirements.
When you select an accredited college, you can trust that the accelerated degree program you’ve chosen is sufficiently thorough and rigorous. Accredited schools have quality faculty, good student support, and worthwhile educational experiences.
Here’s an example. American Intercontinental University has 5-week online courses that can be taken to earn an associate or bachelor’s degree. Schedules are flexible, and you can start along with a cohort on one of the many start dates offered throughout the year.
At a glance:
AIU is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ensuring top quality.
There are also quite a few universities offering online 6-week classes or 8-week college courses.
Traditional courses, whether taken online or in person, are usually arranged in trimesters or semesters that are each 10 to 16 weeks long. It can take several years to finish a program like that. For example, a bachelor’s degree earned on a traditional schedule typically takes at least 4 years to complete.
Accelerated class terms are 5 to 8 weeks long. This schedule can speed up the overall time that it takes to finish your degree.
Plus, accelerated programs often offer year-round classes. By not taking long breaks in the middle of the year, you can have your degree in hand even sooner.
A general rule of thumb is that, with an accelerated program, you can earn a degree in half the time that it would take to earn the same degree the traditional way.
In that case, a bachelor’s degree will take you 2 years instead of 4. A master’s program that normally takes 2 years could potentially be completed in 1 year in an accelerated online master’s program.
Some accelerated programs take even less time. With some accelerated programs, you could finish your degree in just a third of the time. In that case, you could earn your bachelor’s degree in around 18 months.
As mentioned, universities vary in the accelerated courses they offer. For example, Regis University has 8-week online classes, but on-campus, they have 5-week classes. Arizona State University has 6-week courses, while Troy University has 9-week classes.
So, choosing the right university is clearly important. If you want to finish in less time, sitting in a class for 5 weeks vs. 9 weeks can make a pretty big difference.
Did you start a bachelor’s program in the past but stop before finishing your degree? Perhaps life got in the way, or you had other priorities at the time, but now you’d like to finish your schooling.
Do you already have an associate degree but now want a bachelor’s degree?
If these scenarios describe you, a bachelor’s degree completion program could help you meet your goals.
Degree completion programs allow transfer students to apply completed coursework toward a bachelor’s degree at a new school. Because you aren’t starting from scratch, these programs can allow you to finish your degree in less time.
These programs accept qualifying credits from associate degrees, community college, and other previously taken college classes. Some schools will even award credits for various types of professional experience demonstrated through certifications, licensures, exams, military training, and other work experiences.
The number of transfer credits accepted varies widely among schools. The admissions departments of the schools you’re interested in can provide specific details about their credit transfer policies.
Whether you want to start on your associate degree or finish your bachelor’s degree, online classes can give you the opportunity to reach your goals without sacrificing your life (or sanity)!
Student success stories abound… I’m one of them!
I went from working full-time while attending night classes to finishing my degree online at a great school in less time, and you can too!
Make your dream a reality. Take the next step and see what schools have to offer by using the “find my program” link below!
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