List Programs
Acknowledgement[edit | edit source]
Thanks to user dfrecore for gathering the initial information and posting it to the forum.
General information[edit | edit source]
A competency-based program operates differently than a traditional college/university degree program. Instead of paying per credit hour for a fixed number of classes, you pay for a fixed amount of time and can take as many credits as you can within that time frame.
Some schools, such as WGU, do not follow the standard credit hour approach when it comes to listing degree requirements. This can make it a little difficult to determine what, if anything, may be transferred in from elsewhere so that you do not have to repeat courses. Other schools, such as Northern Arizona University, use the standard credit hour system and simply allow you to complete courses on an accelerated schedule and at your own pace.
Time requirements[edit | edit source]
Depending on the number of transfer credits you have and the amount of time you have available to work on a particular degree during the week, it's not unusual to complete a bachelor's at WGU in 6-12 months, though standard students who work at a slower pace are more likely to complete their degree in a more typical 3-4 years.
Other schools may require more or less time, again depending on your schedule and the number of transfer credits that you are bringing in.
List of Competency-based programs[edit | edit source]
For sorting ability, all terms have been converted into weeks. If a school measures their term in months, that figure is given in parentheses after the number of weeks.
| School | Program | Degrees | Cost | Term | Cost per week | ACE and/or Transfer Credits Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson University | Flexible Degree/Flex Online | Bachelor's | $2600 | 5 weeks | $520 | Accepts CLEP. Up to 75% transfer credits accepted |
| Capella University | Flexpath | Bachelor's, Master's | $2500-$3200 | 12 weeks | $208-$267 | Allowed, unknown limit. Accepts CLEP, DSST, ACE. If you fail their readiness assessment exam, they won't allow you to enroll until you get 12 credits with GPA of 2.75 through their GuidedPath program. That will cost you $4,700+. |
| Northern Arizona University (NAU) | Personalized Learning | Bachelor's, Master's | $3000 | 24 weeks (6 months) | $115 | 64 |
| Purdue University Global | ExcelTrack | Bachelor's, Master's | $2500 | 10 weeks | $250 | Up to 75% of credits may be transferred in. Accepts CLEP, DSSTs, UExcel, "and others". Both RA and NA prior associate's and bachelor's degrees may waive certain course requirements. |
| Texas A&M University-Commerce | Bachelor's | $750 | 7 weeks | $107 | Allowed, unknown number of credits can be transferred in. Degree is for Texas residents only - non-residents pay at least twice as much | |
| University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI) | YourPace | Bachelor's, Master's | $1400-2000 | 8 weeks | $175-250 | 90+ ACE credits allowed. Read wiki page for details. International students accepted! |
| University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMBH) | MyWay | Bachelor's | $3250 | 24 weeks (6 months) | $125 | Allowed, number unknown. International students NOT accepted! |
| University of Massachusetts Global | MyPath | Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's | $3200 | 24 weeks | $133 | Allowed, 90 maximum; possibly limited ACE list. You have to score at least 81.5% on ACE courses for transferability. Formerly Brandman University. |
| University of Wisconsin | Flex | Associate's, Bachelor's | $2250 | 12 weeks | $188 | Some CLEP exams may be accepted. Most other alternate credits, including DSSTs, not accepted. RA credit acceptance depends upon chosen program. International students are NOT allowed! |
| Walden University | Tempo Learning | Bachelor's, Master's | $2450 | 12 weeks (3 months) | $188 | Up to 135 a total of quarter credits (90 semester credits) from non-Walden sources may be transferred in, depending on program. Max of 90 quarter credits (60 semester credits) may come from ACE/NCCRS sources. |
| Western Governors University (WGU) | Bachelor's, Master's | $3300-$3845 | 24 weeks (6 months) | $130-148 | 90 max (currently unstated on site but has been long-standing policy) International students NOT accepted! | |
| NationsU - NA degree, NOT RA | Bachelor's, Master's | $450 | 13 weeks (3 months/1 quarter) | $35 | NA/RA transfer credit allowed for GE requirements in bachelor degree - up to 30 in total; ACE/CLEP/NCCRS sources are not allowed. | |
| Snow College - only associate's degree | Snow Online | Associate's | $1743 | 16 weeks (4 months/1 semester) | $109 | Allowed, no limit to number. May be limit to source. Not all CLEP exams accepted. Utah residents only - out-of-state students charged more, though scholarships may be available |