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Time Requirements for 4-Year Colleges and Universities

Despite the name, you're not required to complete your undergraduate degree in four years. In many cases students will extend their bachelors degree to a five-year program or take online classes or summer school classes to complete their degree in less than four years.

Students at 4-year colleges and universities are eligible to earn a bachelors degree after the completion of 120 to 130 academic credits. Students with an associates degree can usually transfer a portion of these credits toward their bachelors degree.

Is a 4-year college or university for you?

If you're looking for the traditional college experience you see in movies, a 4-year school is the place for you. Here are some of the reasons that students choose 4-year colleges and universities:

  • To receive a well-rounded education.
    At the undergraduate level, colleges and universities require that students take courses in a number of areas to help them figure out what areas of study are best for them, as well as to provide a broad base of academic knowledge.
  • To be eligible your dream job.
    Look at job listings for entry-level positions, and you'll find that many require a bachelors degree. Completing a degree at a 4-year college or university will give you the academic skills you need to be ready for the demands of your job.
  • To make more money.
    Studies have shown that employees who have graduated from 4-year colleges and universities tend to earn more money than students with associates degrees or high school diplomas.
  • To prepare for graduate school.
    If you're planning to continue your education with a masters degree, attending a 4-year college or university will help prepare you academically for that degree. Also, attending a school that also offers graduate programs allows you to learn more about those programs before you enroll.

4-year colleges and universities

Charter College

Charter College is a private, independent institution of higher education that emphasizes a new direction for education. Charter College is not a liberal arts college or university. Instead, Charter College takes the best elements from each of these...

Online

Davenport University

Whatever led you here, Davenport is waiting to equip you with the real-world knowledge and experience you will need to succeed in your chosen career. We offer many programs in the three sectors driving the future economy -- business, technology and...

Michigan, Online

East Mississippi Community College

East Mississippi Community College was established in 1927 and emerged out of the historic Kemper County Agricultural High School in Scooba, Mississippi. As part of the Mississippi Community College system, East Mississippi was specifically designed to...

Online

ECPI University

Enroll at ECPI University and you’ll join a collaborative and fostering learning environment, surrounded by faculty and staff who are there to support you through the entire process. Since 1966, more than 3,800 employers have looked to ECPI for...

Online

Fisher College

At Fisher College, a private not-for-profit institution in Boston, we believe that college should be more than just higher education—it should be a life-changing experience, an introduction to a much larger world of possibilities...

Online

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