Graduating from college and joining the workforce early has always been Italian national Giulia Ongari’s plan. When she learned about fast-track bachelor’s degree options, she realized that she could make her goal a reality.
Accelerated or fast-track degrees allow students to complete their studies at a faster pace — depending on the country, university and major, students can graduate with a fast-track bachelor’s degree in two or three years.
[Read these reasons to earn a bachelor’s degree overseas.]
Ongari is now enrolled in the accelerated Bachelor of Communication program at Bond University in Australia. She says she selected the university and program over other Australian and U.S. universities for its “connections in the communication field” and faster-paced course of study.
“My program is two years long instead of three in other Australian universities and back home in Italy and four years in the U.S.,” says Ongari.
Cheryl Jolliffe, director of international student recruitment at Bond University, says all degrees at the school are accelerated and offered through a three-semester-per-year schedule. She says students can start their degree in January, May and September, which “allows students to complete a six-semester bachelor degree in two years.”
In addition to earning a degree more quickly, prospective international students may find other benefits from the fast-track option.
1. Save on fees and housing: While costs vary between universities, shaving a year off a degree program can prove more cost-effective, particularly for tuition and housing costs.
Nigerian national Mfonobong Smith, who is in the fast-track two-year Bachelor of Arts honors law program at the University of Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom, says the degree saves her a year’s worth of fees and living expenses.
“An international student on a three-year degree will spend approximately 31,500 pounds on tuition and 15,000 pounds on living expenses and upkeep,” says Smith. That’s roughly $39,100 and $18,600, respectively. “It literally cut the expenses by a third,” she says.
[Find out how to calculate the cost of earning an overseas degree.]
“The cost difference is substantial,” says Courtney Lehmann, professor and director of the Pacific Humanities Scholars Program at the University of the Pacific in California.
The Scholars Program offers a three-year bachelor’s degree in the humanities, including in art, English and religious studies. The university also offers an accelerated dental hygiene bachelor’s program. Lehmann says the total cost per year at UOP, with room and board, is around $67,000 for international students.
“So, the savings on the fourth year can often be a game-changer,” says Lehmann.
But accelerated degrees can be harder to get into. Lehmann says when offered by a reputable institution, the degrees “are often recognized as more selective than traditional four-year tracks.” In addition to outstanding academics and standardized test scores, UOP’s accelerated degree program in the humanities and dental hygiene requires an interview with prospective students to determine fit.
2. Attend graduate school sooner: Fast-track undergrad degrees can be a quicker route to grad school for students looking to pursue further study.
Although on an accelerated pace, these degrees “are considered the same as standard undergraduate degree programs,” says Thomas L. Harnisch, director of state relations and policy analysis at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. As such, he says they meet the standards for graduate school admissions.
Indian national Harsimran Virk says she chose the fast-track Bachelor of Arts honors program in business management from Middlesex University in London so she could attend grad school sooner. But the program had the added bonus of preparing her for graduate studies.
Virk, who is now working on her master’s in practicing accounting at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, says the fast pace, smaller class size and access to research and collaborative projects with faculty served as “huge preparation for my master’s degree.”
Lehmann says UOP’s recent fast-track grads have been offered scholarships from and gone on to attend graduate programs at the University of California–Davis, University of San Francisco and Northeastern University.
[Debunk four myths about earning a graduate degree abroad.]
3. Gain a quick route to the workforce: Rather than spend an extra year in the classroom, some students prefer to gain practical work experience and a competitive advantage.
Ongari says what appealed to her the most about her program at Bond University was “the idea of entering the workforce at 21.” She hopes to work in media and advertising and says “the curiosity of discovering how the industry really works” has made her even more driven.
Jolliffe, Bond University’s international student recruitment director, says that for students, the “career head start puts them on a promotional fast track.” She says many of their grads have become directors and CEOs or achieved private practice and partnership status within 10 years of graduating.
However, Harnisch of the AASCU says fast-track programs are not for everyone. The programs’ tighter structure, heavier course load and fast pace could make students miss out on some on- and off-campus experiences and activities. Also, he says if students are unsure of their major, they might want to consider a more conventional degree path.
But while students may not have time for other activities, the quick pace of the degree may be beneficial in providing the focus and discipline they need to pursue and excel in a career.
“Being a journalism and advertising major, I do understand that I won’t have that much free time once I enter the workforce,” says Ongari. “I see my fast-track experience as a preparation for the future.”
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Reap Benefits of Earning an Accelerated Degree Overseas originally appeared on usnews.com
