Learn how you can earn credits and certificates that typically take three months in just four weeks. Discover how to fast-track your education.
By
Contributing Writer
Anne Dennon covers higher education trends, policy, and student issues for BestColleges. She has an MA in English literature and a background in research strategy and service journalism....
Updated on June 21, 2024
Edited by
Managing Editor
Hannah Muniz is a managing editor with BestColleges, specializing in college planning, test prep, student life, and sponsored content. She previously worked as a freelance writer, composing articles on the SAT/ACT, higher education, language learning...
•
Reviewed by
Reviewer & Writer
Stephanie DeBord has spent the past eight years working in higher education. She has held various academic advising roles, and she currently works as a quality assurance manager at the College Credit in High School program at the Metropolitan State U...
Learn more about our editorial process
By
Contributing Writer
Anne Dennon covers higher education trends, policy, and student issues for BestColleges. She has an MA in English literature and a background in research strategy and service journalism....
Edited by
Managing Editor
Hannah Muniz is a managing editor with BestColleges, specializing in college planning, test prep, student life, and sponsored content. She previously worked as a freelance writer, composing articles on the SAT/ACT, higher education, language learning...
•
Reviewed by
Reviewer & Writer
Stephanie DeBord has spent the past eight years working in higher education. She has held various academic advising roles, and she currently works as a quality assurance manager at the College Credit in High School program at the Metropolitan State U...
Updated on June 21, 2024
Learn more about our editorial process
www.bestcolleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
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You're just one month away from a new career, a new skill, or one more completed college prerequisite.
Accelerated online courses cut down the number of weeks spent in a typical 15-week term to eight or fewer. Plenty of accelerated courses can be completed in just four weeks.
Because the content in these courses is so condensed, four-week college classes take a big upfront time commitment and entail a greater workload. The focused effort is perfect if you want to go from "couch to 5K" in a subject.
And what subject? You pick. Between universities, community colleges, and online colleges, there are tons of online four-week courses to choose from that can fast-track your degree.
Featured Online Programs for You
Note: The following programs may or may not offer accelerated classes.
What Programs Offer 4-Week College Courses Online?
Many colleges have adopted accelerated courses for all types of subjects. You can find four-week courses in art, accounting, legal studies, and the humanities. Four-week courses in these subject areas result in the same college credit typically earned in three months.
You can also find four-week online classes that lead to work-ready credentials. Most of these are in a handful of in-demand fields such as phlebotomy, medical billing and coding, and teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL).
Below are some examples of where you can find four-week online college-credit courses.
Accelerated Degree Programs
Accelerated degree programs can lead to associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. These courses of study include a variety of accelerated classes. Each fast-paced course typically runs 4-8 weeks.
Both four-year universities and community colleges may offer accelerated classes in online, in-person, or hybrid formats.
Trade Schools
Many colleges and trade schools offer four-week classes online to help students earn professional certifications and credentials fast in in-demand fields like healthcare and the trades.
Those interested in healthcare careers can often find four-week classes in phlebotomy, medical billing and coding, and nursing assisting. In the trades, you can take accelerated classes to become a solar energy technician, HVAC specialist, assistant plumber, or assistant electrician.
Summer Term
Many bachelor's programs on the semester system offer accelerated courses during the summer term. These short and rigorous sessions allow you to explore new subjects, knock out a few credits, or even fit an entire year's worth of work into just three months.
How Common Are 4-Week College Courses?
Four weeks isn't much time to complete challenging college coursework. Even in today's educational landscape, the four-week course is on the short end of accelerated course lengths, which can run up to 10 weeks.
While four-week courses may be new to higher education, they're popping up at more colleges and for an ever-growing list of subjects.
For example, you can take career-focused four-week classes online at major distance-learning schools like National University and the University of Phoenix. You can also take self-paced online courses at Western Governors University and Colorado State University Global.
Pros and Cons of Online 4-Week Classes
Four-week classes online can fly by — both a blessing and a curse. Here are some of the biggest pros and cons of enrolling in four-week online college-credit courses.
Pros
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Earn college credits and professional credentials faster -
Spend less money on your degree overall -
Get fully immersed in the course material
Cons
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Three months of work packed into one -
Less potential for engagement with the course, your instructor, and your peers -
Less time to process the course material
Are 4-Week Online College Courses Right for You?
If you need credits or a certificate in a hurry, a four-week online course could be right for you.
Just be sure you have a month to dedicate, that you're not overpaying for the course, and that in the end, the credits or certificate you earn do what you expect them to: land you a job or contribute toward a degree.
Frequently Asked Questions About 4-Week College Courses Online
How many weeks are most college courses?
Most U.S. colleges and universities use the semester system, with classes running 15-17 weeks. Schools on the trimester system have classes lasting 12-13 weeks, while those on the quarter system have classes running around 10 weeks.
What is considered an accelerated course?
Accelerated courses provide the same content and earn you the same credits or credentials as traditional-length courses — just in less time. While traditional college terms last three or more months, accelerated courses are packed into as little as one month.
Are accelerated classes harder?
Accelerated classes are usually more intense than traditionally paced courses. They demand more hours per week in class and on homework.
Accelerated learning also means less time off. For students with other commitments or who need more time to process new information, an accelerated course could prove too challenging.
Note: The insights on this page were reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by BestColleges. Page last reviewed June 6, 2024.
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