15 Best Competency-Based Degree Programs [2024 Guide]
By Joy Miller
Edited by Tania Staley
Updated on October 4, 2024
We’ve listed the 15 best competency-based degree programs for 2024 so you can compare schools and find the best one for you!
What if we said you can earn a degree faster without attending traditional classes?
For many students, the fastest way to get a bachelor’s degree is through a competency-based program, and more schools offer them than ever. Instead of spending hours in a classroom stressing about semester after semester of attending lectures, you can now earn a degree on a schedule that fits your busy life.
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Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer online competency-based degree programs.
Anderson University’s FLEX program offers a competency-based, self-paced format for non-traditional students. It offers studies in a variety of fields, including criminal justice, human services, healthcare management, and nursing. Ideal for busy adults, FLEX allows learners to progress quickly by leveraging prior knowledge and experience.
Anderson University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Capella University’s FlexPath offers a competency-based education model that allows students to progress at their own pace.
The program offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in fields such as business, health care administration, information technology, psychology, and nursing, FlexPath emphasizes mastery of specific skills and knowledge, providing a personalized and flexible learning experience tailored to individual progress and prior experience.
Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Indiana Wesleyan University offers competency-based programs in Management and Elementary Teaching. These programs let students progress by demonstrating mastery of skills and knowledge, leveraging their existing expertise to accelerate completion.
Flexible and self-paced, these programs cater to working adults, allowing them to apply real-world experiences and receive personalized support, ensuring an efficient path to earning a degree.
Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Purdue Global’s ExcelTrack™ is a competency-based education program that allows students to control their learning pace. Ideal for working professionals, it offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees with flexible start dates and a subscription-based tuition model. Students demonstrate mastery of skills to progress, enabling faster, more affordable degree completion tailored to individual schedules and experiences.
Purdue University – Global is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Rasmussen University’s Empowered Learning® offers a competency-based, self-paced education model. It allows students to demonstrate skills through real-world projects instead of traditional tests. The flexible format lets students manage their pace, speeding up or slowing down as needed. This method is designed for working professionals and offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in various fields.
Rasmussen University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
South Texas College offers nine 100% online competency-based education programs designed for flexible, self-paced learning. Students progress by mastering specific skills and can accelerate completion using prior knowledge. The programs feature 7-week online courses with practical application and personalized support. They are ideal for working adults seeking efficient degree attainment tailored to individual needs.
South Texas College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Southern New Hampshire University’s competency-based learning model allows students to earn degrees through mastery of specific skills rather than traditional coursework. Programs are project-based and self-paced, offering flexibility and affordability. This model is designed to meet the needs of working professionals and underserved communities, supporting career advancement and educational access.
Southern New Hampshire University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
The Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) in Organizational Leadership at Texas A&M University – Commerce is a competency-based program designed for flexibility and accelerated completion. Students can finish in as little as 12 months, depending on their pace. The program requires 120 credit hours, with 60 credits for the major coursework.
Texas A&M University – Commerce is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
The Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Learning (BSOLL) at the University of Louisville is an online program designed for working professionals. It offers flexible learning, allowing credits for prior work and military experience. The program includes nine specialized tracks and can be completed in as few as three semesters full-time.
The University of Louisville is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
The University of Massachusetts – Global offers self-paced learning through its MyPath program, allowing students to progress at their own speed. This competency-based education model enables learners to master skills and knowledge flexibly and is ideal for working professionals.
With no set class times, students can complete courses at their convenience, balancing education with personal and professional commitments.
The University of Massachusetts – Global is accredited by the WSCUC Senior College and University Commission.
The University of Phoenix offers competency-based degrees that can be completed in less than a year. Students can progress at their own pace, typically taking about four months to complete four courses, one at a time. This flexible program allows for accelerated learning, making it ideal for working adults who want to leverage their existing knowledge and experience.
The University of Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The University of Wisconsin Flexible Option (UW Flex) is a self-paced, competency-based education program tailored for busy adults. It offers a variety of credentials, including 1 associate degree, 5 bachelor’s completion degrees, 4 certificates, and 1 microcredential.
This innovative format allows students to demonstrate mastery of skills at their own pace, providing flexibility, affordability, and personalized learning pathways for working professionals.
The University of Wisconsin is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Walden University offers flexible learning options designed for busy professionals. Their competency-based Tempo Learning® program spans over 25 programs and specializations, allowing students to progress at their own pace by demonstrating mastery of specific skills.
This innovative approach includes bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, providing the flexibility to balance education with work and personal commitments.
Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Western Governors University (WGU) offers a competency-based learning model for busy adults. Students progress at their own pace by mastering subjects, supported by faculty mentors. This flexible, online approach suits working professionals, offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees. WGU’s model provides an affordable, efficient path to earning a degree tailored to individual schedules.
Western Governors University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Westminster University’s Professional and Continuing Education offers customized trainings, certificates, and programs designed for flexibility and practical skill enhancement.
The programs are tailored to meet individual and organizational needs, with flexible scheduling and online options to accommodate busy professionals. Participants engage in real-world projects and hands-on learning, ensuring immediate application of new skills in their careers.
Westminster University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
What does “competency-based” even mean? The first thing you need to know about a competency-based program is how it differs from a traditional degree. To put it simply, the difference lies in the way that you will earn your degree.
As you can see, there are a lot of differences in the structure of how your courses are set up in a competency-based degree vs. a traditional degree.
Instead of attending college classes every week and earning a letter grade for completion at the end of the semester, in a competency-based program, similar to self-paced online colleges, you can work at your own pace and submit an assessment or portfolio when you feel you have mastered the course.
If you are a highly motivated student who thrives on independent learning, a competency-based degree could be ideal. There are several benefits to earning a degree through a competency-based program, including:
The flexibility of this type of program could be a great option if you are an adult student who is also trying to juggle the demands of career and family life along with earning a degree!
The upsides of a competency-based degree sound appealing, but there are challenges regardless of the degree program you choose. Before committing to this type of degree, consider the following drawbacks:
Overall, the biggest drawback to competency-based learning is the potential of paying for an entire term without earning any credits if you procrastinate. If you choose not to complete your competencies in the term’s timeframe, you’ll still have to pay the tuition fee and have nothing to show for it.
Competency-based programs focus on developing an understanding of real-world skills that are essential for employment after graduation. Because of this, you will not take traditional classes. Instead, you will work towards mastery of competencies through self-study and eventually pass an exam that allows you to complete the class.
The typical competency-based degree is structured in a format similar to the following:
Some schools also offer a slightly more structured form of competency degree, in which you will have assignments sent to you each week to help keep you on pace.
Since competency-based degrees online are based upon self-paced study, you will not attend a typical classroom setting to learn the skills in your classes. Instead, each aspect of your courses will be built around developing practical and critical thinking skills that translate directly to your future field.
To accomplish such an independent pace for your degree, you will take your classes online—which is a huge plus for many working adult students!
Taking an online class can allow you to complete your coursework at a time that fits into your busy life, which is exactly why they are used with competency-based degree programs.
Benefits that can come from taking classes online instead of sitting through in-person lectures include:
By giving you the freedom to attend classes online and work at a truly independent pace, a competency-based degree is the ultimate in flexible higher education.
Now that you’ve learned what a competency-based program is, you’re probably wondering where to find this type of degree!
While competency-based education is a relatively new concept, more accredited schools have begun offering this type of program based on the needs of their changing student body. Several schools throughout the country offer quality competency-based degrees, but we’ll give you a few facts about two of the most popular:
Western Governors University is a pioneer of competency-based learning. They offer numerous degrees that can be earned through this format.
Here are a few quick facts about what makes WGU competency-based degrees stand out from traditional schools:
With its wide variety of degree options and proven professional track record, WGU is a great starting point for researching the possibility of earning your competency-based degree.
Capella University is a unique competency-based college because it offers you the option of choosing a self-directed degree (FlexPath) or a more traditionally guided degree experience (GuidedPath). Regardless of the path you choose, the school offers the following:
By offering a variety of methods and options for earning your competency-based degree, Capella does a good job of catering to a diverse student body with a variety of needs.
Whether you choose WGU, Capella, or one of the other universities offering competency-based degrees, you want to ensure your new college lives up to your expectations! After all, the last thing you want is to spend money and time on a degree that won’t hold up in the professional workplace.
Take the following into consideration when you start researching different competency-based programs:
By doing your research beforehand, you can give yourself a head start in getting into a program that meets your needs and your budget.
This is a million-dollar question in many ways, especially since students looking into competency-based programs usually want to earn their degrees as quickly as possible! But, there is no black-and-white answer to this question. Many factors play into how fast you can reach graduation, including:
To get a better idea of how fast you can finish your degree, reach out to your prospective school’s admissions team. They should be able to provide you with average degree completion timeframes and statistics to give you a clearer picture of what to expect.
When it comes down to it, the answer is yes—but how much money you save is ultimately up to you! As discussed earlier, competency-based degrees are often great for those who can complete several units each term.
On the flip side, if you only complete a couple of units each term, the flat-rate cost will quickly become more expensive than the few credits you earned.
In short, the best way to save money on a competency-based degree is to complete as many units as possible each term.
So, what do you do when you know you can complete the course units quickly, but you’re still stressing about paying the term fee to get started?
Luckily, many of these schools accept financial aid to help students in need earn their degrees! Financial aid can come in several forms, including:
The first step toward seeing what type of aid you are eligible for is filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible every year.
This federal form will help you get a clear idea of which grants and loans you are eligible for. From there, check with your school to see what aid it offers.
A competency-based degree describes the style of learning. You work at your own pace and submit your coursework at the end when you’re ready to prove your competency in mastering the material.
In a competency-based program, you work at your own pace and pay by period rather than class. You can complete as many classes as possible in that timeframe for one price. When you’ve mastered the material, you turn in your portfolio of completed work.
Yes, a degree from Capella is respected. Capella is regionally accredited, so its degrees are considered high quality.
Yes, a degree from Western Governors University (WGU) is respected. WGU maintains proper accreditation at the regional level and can therefore assure students of a high-quality education.
Now that you know the basics of competency-based degree programs, it’s time to take the first step toward your future. With their flexible structure, competency-based degree programs can be the ideal way to fit education into your busy daily life.
Whether you want to earn a degree to get a promotion, finish a degree you started years ago, or even explore competency-based master’s programs, these types of programs could be your path to reaching your long-term goals.
To find the competency-based program needed to meet your goals—click “Find My Program!”
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