how long is an online college course

by Kiana Parisian 4 min read

eight to nine weeks

Full Answer

How long should an online course be?

An online course should be as short or long as it needs to be in order to deliver the learning outcomes it promises. In practice, you might create a course that only has a few short 5 minute videos to teach something simple. For a more in depth flagship course you might make 25-50 video lessons each 5-20 minutes long.

How long does it take to get a bachelor's degree online?

The typical bachelor's degree program takes four years to complete, and an online university's program should be approximately the same. Credit hours required usually total near 120.

How many students are enrolled in online classes?

Today it is estimated that 1 out of 4 college students are enrolled in at least one online classes. In 2009 there were over 4.5 million students taking online classes, with a Master of Science in Business Administration (MBA) being the top degree offered in the United States.

Do online courses have deadlines?

Just like a brick-and-mortar degree program, online courses still have deadlines for assignments and exams. However, the nature of the classes means they are accessible 24/7, so students can go at their own pace. As long as a student has access to the internet, they can attend to their studies from anywhere at any time.

What is the average length of an online course?

Based on what we've seen at Thinkific, the most profitable course length on average is between 10–25 hours.

How many hours is an online class?

Just like in traditional classes, the workload varies – but don't expect your course to be easier just because it's online. Many online learners say they spend 15 to 20 hours a week on coursework. That workload, of course, may vary between full-time and part-time students. A lighter course load likely means less study.

How fast can you finish college online?

Accelerated online bachelor degree programs may allow students to earn a degree in as little as 18 months. Due to the intensity of this type of coursework, students should be prepared to allow more time, at least in the short term, for school.

How many hours a day should I do online college?

4-5 hours doing the related readings, papers, etc. Total: 8 hours per course per week. Or a little more than 1 hour per day per course.

Do online classes take more time?

You should expect online courses to take about the same amount of time as traditional courses.

Do you get homework in online school?

Answer: In most online schools, your child will receive weekly assignments that are due by a specified day of the week. It will be up to your child to be responsible for completing each of these assignments on time.

How do you complete a 1 year degree?

One Sitting Degree through Credit Transfer / Lateral Entry Single Sitting ExaminationCOURSE LEVEL : Graduation or Post Graduation Degree.ELIGIBILITY : Secondary (SSC/10th) or Senior Secondary (HSC/12th) Examination Passed from Recognized Board / Council / University / Institute.APPROVAL : ... MODE OF EXAMINATION :

What is the shortest degree to get?

Here are 7 college degrees you can earn for less than three years—and expect to land on the well-paying job upon completion!Associates Degree in Information Technology – Computer Support.Associates Degree in Nursing.Associate's Degree in Web Development.Associate's Degree in Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technology.

Can you get a bachelor's in 2 years?

Accredited colleges may offer a 2-year degree completion program. But in order to enroll in a degree completion program, you must already have a pile of college credits under your belt. If you do, then the school will help you finish your degree in 2 years.

How many hours a week is a college class?

The average college student spends 15 hours a week in class. However, this weekly time commitment can vary depending on how many semester credit hours you take. As a college student, you set your class schedule. The typical college student also devotes 14 hours and 30 minutes to independent study.

How many online college classes should I take?

For most online students, 1-2 classes with an intense workload is the most they can manage. Most online students have other responsibilities, usually family and/or employment. The more classes a student takes, the more important time management is.

How many classes do you take a day in college?

On average, students attend six classes every day in the same building. While some classes such as electives only last for a fall or spring semester, other classes like English or math last the entire academic year. Classes like these depend heavily on each institution's curriculum.

Why do online degree programs have a set length?

Online degree programs that admit students on a cohort basis have a set length because the cohorts progress through their university coursework together. Other online degree programs may be self-paced; they'll last as long as it takes you to finish the work.

How many years does it take to get a bachelor's degree?

The typical bachelor's degree program takes four years to complete, and an online university's program should be approximately the same. Credit hours required usually total near 120.

How long does it take to get a masters degree in nursing?

A Registered Nurse to Master of Science in Nursing (RN-MSN) program allows a Registered Nurse without a bachelor's degree to earn the Master of Science in Nursing in three years. Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs are also usually 2-3 years long. MBA programs that are about half as long are available to experienced executives.

How many credits do you need to get an associates degree?

Assuming you have a high school diploma or equivalent with no college credits , an associate's degree program at a typical online university takes two years to complete if you participate as a full-time student. The curriculum will likely include about 20 courses (roughly 60 credit hours).

How long are ASU Online classes?

Most courses are 7.5 weeks long and most have two start dates each semester.

How long does it take to get a bachelor's degree?

How long does it take to earn a bachelor’s degree? A bachelor’s degree is typically completed in four years, and that’s true for online programs as well. One benefit of ASU’s online programs is the flexibility they offer busy professionals, parents and those balancing other parts of a busy life.

How many years does ASU take?

ASU’s 4+1 programs allow you to complete your undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years total. That expedites the process to complete both. ASU’s fast track plans allow students to take courses through all the year’s six sessions and complete their degree in either a 2.5- or 3-year track.

Does ASU offer accelerated programs?

ASU does offer two types of accelerated programs.

Does Arizona State University offer online bachelors?

Arizona State University offers more than 100 online bachelor's degrees. These fully online undergraduate programs and the award-winning faculty you’ll learn from allow you earn a degree your way on your time. Back to newsroom.

Will my bachelor degree say "online" on the diploma?

No. ASU Online graduates receive a diploma from Arizona State University, same as students who earn their degrees on campus. Neither your diploma nor transcripts will note that it’s an online degree.

How long should an online course be?

An online course should be as short or long as it needs to be in order to deliver the learning outcomes it promises. In practice, you might create a course that only has a few short 5 minute videos to teach something simple. For a more in depth flagship course you might make 25-50 video lessons each 5-20 minutes long.

How Long Should Individual Sections Of A Course Be?

You can have a longer overall course as long as you’re splitting it up into different sections , chapters, or modules (these all mean the same thing).

What happens if you make a course too long?

If you make your course too long, people will get bored and never actually finish it. But if it’s too short, people might not feel like they’re getting their money’s worth.

How many lessons should be in a module?

Each module might have 3 – 10 individual lessons within it which all hold together as a related subject or step in the learning of the bigger outcome. Each lesson of a module should be kept nice and short; just 5 – 20 minutes long. It’s best to create your courses with busy people in mind.

How to make a course interactive?

Another way to make your course interactive is to add activities between presentations. So one section of your course may have 5 minutes of video. Then students are instructed to pause and complete a worksheet before returning to watch the remaining 5 minutes of video.

How long is a starter course for mushrooms?

An starter course teaching people how to grow mushrooms at home: 10 lessons (1 hour, 22 mins)

Why is it important to have a good course structure?

Creating a good course structure is really important for the student experience and for helping you in your course creation, so for more detailed guidance check out this article about creating a course outline.

How long does it take to get a degree?

So those are the traditional time frames: 1 Certificate – a few weeks or months 2 Diploma – 1 year 3 Associate’s Degree – 2 years

How long does it take to get a bachelor's degree?

According to the CCRC, 29% of community college students finish their degree within 3 years, but that figure doesn’t take into account students who transfer to a 4-year college or university and complete their bachelor’s degree – 55% of those students complete a bachelor’s within 6 years.

How long does it take to get an HVAC certificate?

Certificate programs typically take a few weeks or months to complete. Certificates are usually awarded for a particular set of courses that are highly focused on one particular skill or career. An HVAC certificate program, for instance, gives students the basics in working as an HVAC technician. Common certificates are in trades (like electrician), computers (such as a specific programming language), or health (like phlebotomy). They certify that someone is capable of doing a specific job, but are generally only good for an entry-level position.

What is an associates degree?

Associate’s Degree programs are the equivalent of the first two years of a four-year college degree. Unlike the diploma, an associate’s degree includes all of the foundational humanities and science courses that a college student takes, along with the basic major courses. An Associate of Arts or Associate of Science are the most common, though Associate of Applied Science is often offered as an entry to technology fields like engineering.

What are the advantages of community college?

One of the biggest advantages of the community college system is how flexible it is; it allows you to make the decisions that are best for you, and if your schedule won’t allow you to finish your associate’s degree in two years, you’re not penalized. When life gets in the way, community college will still be there ready for you.

What kind of degree do community colleges offer?

The first question is what kind of degree you’re working toward. Community colleges generally offer certificates, diplomas, and associate’s degrees. Not sure where to start when choosing an online community college? Check out our Top 50 ranking of Online Community Colleges in the United States.

Is it better to drop out of online classes than on campus?

Online courses can be a bit hazardous in this way. The Community College Resource Center ( CCRC) finds that students are much more likely to drop out of online courses than on-campus courses, an average of 5.5% more – and more than 12% in particularly demanding courses like writing or math. Well-prepared, experienced students usually do better than new students, but in general, it is easier to give up on a class when you don’t see your professor or classmates.

How Many Hours Per Week Will I Have to Spend on Online Courses?

You must not only think about how many hours to spend studying but also the number of hours you actually spend in online class, how much you need to work to support yourself, especially if you’re a nontraditional student, and how much free time you need to allocate to “keep your sanity.” First, from the total of 168 hours per week, deduct 56 for the eight hours sleep you’ll need per night not to burn out. That leaves 112 hours. You will spend roughly three hours in class per class each week. A standard load is 12 credits, which is usually four classes. That means that you will spend 36 hours per week in class, leaving you 76 hours for study and other things.

Why do people take online classes?

Online Courses Make Fitting Classes into a Tight Schedule Easier. In the end, whether or not you have the time to take an online course depends more on you and your willingness to stick to a regular schedule and learn to study effectively than on any other factor.

How many hours does Gail have to do homework?

That’s 24 hours of homework per week, leaving Gail with 16 hours per week for other things, which is a little more than two hours a day. That’s not a lot of time, especially if Gail has to do work study to pay for college. She could cut back on the sleep, but that’s not healthy. Of course, these are average numbers.

How many classes does Gail take?

Gail is taking four classes online. As stated, she has 76 hours with which to work. Budgeting her time, and shooting for an A in every class, she studies three hours per week for each of her credits. That adds up to 36 hours a week of study, leaving her with 40 hours for other things, which equates to a little less than six hours a day.

How to reduce time spent studying?

You can dramatically reduce the amount of time you need to spend studying by studying at the right time. Allow yourself a half-hour before each log-in to review your notes and downloads from previous classes and schedule a half-hour after each log-in to go over what you have just learned. This will trim hours from your weekly study schedule. Each week, review all online notes and downloads, personal notes and old tests or quizzes. Read your textbook as you go along. It will make it much easier to understand the work. Complete all assignments by the date on the syllabus, even if they aren’t due until the class ends. These steps will usually take much less than the traditionally recommended 2-4 hours of study each week. However, you will need to schedule in extra study time before tests and quizzes.

How many hours do you spend in class?

You will spend roughly three hours in class per class each week. A standard load is 12 credits, which is usually four classes. That means that you will spend 36 hours per week in class, leaving you 76 hours for study and other things.

How many hours should a B student study?

Conventional wisdom holds that a B student should plan two hours of study each week for every credit hour and an A student should hit the books for three hours per week for every credit hour earned. This isn’t necessarily bad advice. However, most classes don’t require that much studying, and some actually require more.

Which universities offer free online classes?

An increasing number of universities, like the University of California Berkeley, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology offer free online classes called open courseware that feature video lectures and quizzes taken directly from class discussion.

When did online schooling start?

The History of Online Schooling. Though it may seem that online education had its beginnings in the late 1900s, the concept of distance learning first came into practice in the mid 19th century when the U.S. Postal Service was developed. The notion of reliable, long-distance correspondence led to the development and implementation ...

How does distance learning affect education?

The growth of distance learning programs has many important side-effects on higher education. For example, the profile of a typical undergraduate student has changed significantly. The average age of students enrolled at the University of Phoenix is around 33, and more than 50% of all students taking online classes are currently female. Online education has also spurred changes in traditional colleges: now, 93% of all brick and mortar colleges offer online courses. An increasing number of universities, like the University of California Berkeley, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology offer free online classes called open courseware that feature video lectures and quizzes taken directly from class discussion.

How many college students are online in 2009?

Today it is estimated that 1 out of 4 college students are enrolled in at least one online classes. In 2009 there were over 4.5 million students taking online classes, with a Master of Science in Business Administration (MBA) being the top degree offered in the United States. This trend seems like to continue into the future: currently, 83% of all U.S. institutions that offer online courses say they expect an increase in online enrollment in the coming decade.

What was the first college to offer online education?

After the television, the personal computer and the personal web were the next major inventions to revolutionize distance education. In 1989 the University of Phoenix became the first institution to launch a fully online collegiate institution that offered both bachelors and masters degrees.

Which university is known for distance learning?

The University of South Africa, today known as one of the world's open distance learning mega colleges, became a champion and innovator of distance learning when it reshaped its mission ...

When did Jones International University become a university?

In 1996, entrepreneurs Glen Jones and Bernand Luskin launched Jones International University, which became the first accredited and fully web-based university. Since the creation of these fully online programs and schools, distance learning has continued to grow in many different directions. In 2003 the Blackboard Learning System staff announced ...

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The Length of Most Online University Degree Programs

  • Online degree programs that admit students on a cohort basis have a set length because the cohorts progress through their university coursework together. Other online degree programs may be self-paced; they'll last as long as it takes you to finish the work. A legitimate online university degree program usually takes as long as it would take to earn the same degree on campus. If th…
See more on learn.org

Certificate Program

  • Online certificate programs may range from a brush-up course on a particular subject to in-depth preparation for a licensing examination. These programs may last one year or take less than a week.
See more on learn.org

Associate's Degree Program

  • Assuming you have a high school diploma or equivalent with no college credits, an associate's degree program at a typical online university takes two years to complete if you participate as a full-time student. The curriculum will likely include about 20 courses (roughly 60 credit hours).
See more on learn.org

Bachelor's Degree Program

  • The typical bachelor's degree program takes four years to complete, and an online university's program should be approximately the same. Credit hours required usually total near 120.
See more on learn.org

Master's Degree Program

  • Entering with a bachelor's degree, a master's degree candidate should spend about two years earning this graduate degree. A Registered Nurse to Master of Science in Nursing (RN-MSN) program allows a Registered Nurse without a bachelor's degree to earn the Master of Science in Nursing in three years. Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs are also usually 2-3 …
See more on learn.org

Doctorate Program

  • Universities typically offer online doctoral degree programs in physical or occupational therapy (1-3 years long) or professional education (3-4 years long). A standard research-based Ph.D. program (4-7 years long) may have a significant on-campus residency requirement.
See more on learn.org