8-Week College Courses Online [2025 Guide: Online College Courses]
By Joy Miller
Edited by Tania Staley
Updated on December 1, 2024
Earning your degree faster is possible with 8-week college courses online, which provide focused and flexible learning opportunities. These accelerated programs help you complete classes efficiently while balancing other responsibilities.
Shorter courses, faster results. Structured programs, flexible schedules. These courses are designed to save time, keep you on track, and help you achieve your goals. Whether starting your degree or finishing what you began, 8-week courses bring efficiency and convenience together, offering a smart path to success.
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Methodology: Schools are selected based on regional accreditation, offering 8-week online or hybrid courses, and reputable academic standards. Listed in alphabetical order, these institutions provide flexible learning formats and accelerated options for quality education and student convenience.
Georgia’s Brenau University offers a student-faculty ratio of 11:1 for its nearly 4,000 students.
The university started as a women’s school in 1878 and began offering coed opportunities in 1972. Even still, about one-quarter of its students choose to enroll in The Women’s College of Brenau for a single-gender university experience.
Brenau offers an 8-week college course schedule.
Brenau University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Founded as the Cameron State School of Agriculture, Cameron University has educated students since 1909. Now, the university has almost 50 degree programs for students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Its online classes allow the school to reach students beyond its local Oklahoma community. Eight-week online classes are available.
Cameron Univeristy is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.
Online classes at the undergraduate and graduate levels are the main focus of Capella University in Minnesota. More than 80,000 people have graduated from this school, and nearly 40,000 students enroll each year.
The school’s FlexPath class structure gives students a self-paced college experience, while its GuidedPath option is designed for greater structure.
Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Founded in the 1960s, Central Texas College is a community college that issues certificates and associate degrees. Students can study healthcare, humanities, business, trades, STEM, or public service.
CTC started offering distance learning in 1970, and its first online class was held in 1998.
Central Texas College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Charter Oak State College is an online school based in Connecticut. More than 2,000 students take classes from this college each year, and the school has over 16,000 graduates.
Charter Oaks is dedicated to teaching adult learners. The average age of the school’s students is 39 years.
Charter Oaks State College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Founded in 1976, the College of DuPage is a community college in Illinois. It offers online classes, accelerated formats, and credit for professional experience for adult learners. To participate in these programs, students must be at least 19 years old.
DuPage offers more than 150 areas of study.
The College of DuPage is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Of the more than 180 degree and certificate programs offered at the College of Southern Nevada, at least 24 can be fully earned through online coursework. Areas of study offered include education, business, health sciences, and public safety.
Almost 70,000 students take classes from CSN each year, and the school’s student-faculty ratio is 23:1.
The College of Southern Nevada is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Between online and on-campus programs, Colorado State University offers over 70 areas of study. The university began in 1870 as part of an initiative to make educational opportunities more widely available.
Today, the school’s distance learning programs continue that tradition by welcoming a diverse group of students into its online classes each year.
Colorado State Univeristy is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Founded in 1851, Columbia College now reaches nearly 20,000 students each year. Based in Missouri, the school also has campuses around the US and Cuba and offers an online learning platform. Online students have 800 classes and 29 degree programs from which to choose.
Columbia College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
More than 7,000 students take classes from Davenport University each year. Founded in 1866, this Michigan-based university has multiple campuses and 24/7 online options.
The school offers over 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, technology, health sciences, and education.
Davenport University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Since its founding in 1971, over 170,000 students have earned degrees from Excelsior College in New York. Educating nontraditional students is its founding mission. Approximately 38% of its current students are adult learners in their 30s.
Nursing and liberal arts studies are among the college’s most popular programs.
Excelsior College is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Higher Education.
U.S. News & World Report has named Fisher College one of the best schools in its area of the country. This Massachusetts university, which began in 1903, boasts a 14:1 student-faculty ratio.
Approximately three-quarters of Fisher’s faculty hold doctoral degrees. Online academic programs include psychology, human resources, information technology, and criminal justice.
Fisher College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Each year, over 10,000 students study with Indiana Tech. More than 8,000 take classes in non-traditional formats, such as online studies. The school’s undergrad programs feature a student-faculty ratio of 17:1.
Engineering and business are some of the university’s most popular departments. They offer strong criminal justice and computer science programs as well.
The Indiana Institute of Technology is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Since the school’s beginnings in 1920, Indiana Wesleyan University has graduated more than 84,000 students. Approximately 4,000 students take online classes from IWU each year.
Affiliated with the Wesleyan Church, this school seeks to equip learners to put their faith into practice through professional excellence.
Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Approximately 3,100 students take classes from LeTourneau University each year. With more than 140 programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, the school appeals to learners interested in theology, aviation, nursing, business, education, and other disciplines.
LeTourneau is a Christian university in Texas, and its classes incorporate a biblical worldview.
LeTourneau University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Since 1971, Liberty University, in Virginia, has provided higher education with a Christian focus. Over 100,000 students enroll in Liberty’s classes each year, largely due to its strong online program. The school’s online program has a 17:1 student-faculty ratio and offers around 400 programs.
Liberty Univeristy is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Florida’s Lynn University has a student-faculty ratio of 18:1. This university opened in the early 1960s as a 2-year school but now issues degrees ranging from associate to doctoral. Students can choose from over 45 undergraduate majors and 29 graduate programs.
Many of the school’s 3,000 students serve internships each year.
Lynn University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
National University is a network of nonprofit educational institutions headquartered in San Diego, CA. Established in 1971, it has over 30,000 enrolled students and more than 220,000 alumni worldwide.
NU offers many online degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.
National University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
With a 15:1 student-faculty ratio, North Carolina Wesleyan College offers its students individualized attention. Founded in 1956, the school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.
In the 1970s, NCWC started programs designed especially for adult learners. Today, these programs reach about 1,200 students each year.
North Carolina Wesleyan College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Although Park University’s main campus is in Missouri, the school has more than 40 different campus locations and offers a full slate of online courses. Since its founding in 1857, the university has grown to an annual enrollment of over 16,000 students. Altogether, the school offers more than 60 degree programs.
Park University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Adult learners are right at home at Pennsylvania’s Peirce College. This school, which dates back to 1865, exists to help nontraditional students and working professionals meet their educational goals. Around 2,000 people enroll at this college each year. On average, Peirce students are 35 years old.
Peirce College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
U.S. News & World Report has routinely recognized Post University’s outstanding academic programs, particularly in graduate education and business. The university began in 1890 and now has a campus in Connecticut and a robust online program. Undergraduate and graduate programs are available.
Post University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
The online division of Indiana’s Purdue University is known as Purdue University Global. The classes are structured to be flexible and accommodate working adults’ busy schedules.
Over half of Purdue Global’s students are older than 30, and over two-thirds have children at home. Nearly 30,000 students take the school’s online courses each year.
Purdue University Global is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Since 1978, Regent University in Virginia has provided college students with a Christian-based education.
The school offers over 100 programs and awards nearly 2,000 degrees each year. Approximately half of the degrees awarded are at the master’s level, but the university also offers associate, bachelor’s, and doctoral degrees.
Regent University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Approximately 10,000 students take classes from Colorado’s Regis University each year, and they enjoy a student-faculty ratio of 13:1. Students can choose from more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
This Jesuit Catholic university was founded in 1877 to promote positive change in the world.
Regis University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Students of all faiths make up the student body of Saint Leo University, a Catholic school in Florida. Volunteer service is an important value at Saint Leo, and both students and faculty invest many hours in helping individuals and organizations. Over 13,000 learners take classes from this university each year.
Saint Leo University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Southern New Hampshire University was founded as a business school in 1932. From the very beginning, the school’s classes were structured in a way that accommodated working adults.
Extensive online programs allow the university to continue this innovative approach to adult education today. SNHU has more than 200 programs available for online students.
Southern New Hampshire University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, Inc.
A pioneer in adult higher education, Thomas Edison State University exists to help working professionals gain more education or complete their degrees. This New Jersey school opened in 1972. It offers over 100 degree options, many of which are available fully online.
Thomas Edison State University is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
The University of Houston – Downtown opened in 1974 as part of the University of Houston system. Over 30% of the school’s 14,000 students take classes fully online, and an additional 15% take a combination of online and on-campus classes.
Psychology and criminal justice are two of the school’s most popular online degree programs.
The University of Houston – Downtown is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
The University of Maryland University College, also known as the University of Maryland Global Campus, is a fully online school. In addition to taking classes through the computer, students use electronic textbooks and resources for an entirely digital experience.
On average, the school’s enrollees are about 30 years old, and most hold full-time jobs.
The University of Maryland University College is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
The University of Massachusetts – Global is focused on meeting the needs of adult learners. The school began in 1958 as a higher-education option for military members and today serves adult students of all backgrounds. Since 2012, the school has offered online courses in addition to the classes on its California campus.
The University of Massachusetts – Global is accredited by the WSCUC Senior College and University Commission.
The University of Mount Olive is a Baptist educational institution committed to justice, respect, honesty, and responsibility. It was founded in 1951 and became a university in 2014.
The school, which offers programs at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s levels, has received a Best Regional Colleges award from U.S. News & World Report.
The University of Mount Olive is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
At Walden University in Minneapolis, fully online degree programs are the norm. The school offers programs for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral students, and certificate programs are available as well. The school offers over 80 degree programs, and most have several concentration options.
Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
General education classes are often great for the 8-week time frame because you can knock them out of the way between semesters or before you start taking courses in your field of study.
But beyond the basics, you can also find plenty of options for taking accelerated classes in these popular majors:
You can take some or all of your courses in these fields online in an 8-week format. These are not the only fields in which you can find 8-week classes, just some of the most popular ones.
Earning a degree in accounting offers a practical and straightforward path toward a career that is permanently in high demand. Beyond the basic and obvious math prerequisites, a career in this field is great for organized and goal-oriented people.
Many opportunities in this field go beyond typical tax returns. From the ability to make a difference for up-and-coming family-owned businesses to the influence that comes with a position in a powerful corporation, skills in accounting find their way into almost every field.
Business administration is as much a lifestyle as it is a career path. This is probably why it’s a degree that will never go out of style.
While a degree is not strictly necessary for starting a new business venture, a degree in business administration can be very beneficial. Learning the nitty-gritty of paperwork, resource optimization, productivity, and leadership can increase your chances of success.
Professionals with degrees in business administration are highly sought-after by private companies in all fields.
Communications is a flexible and fast-paced field that is beneficial in all career fields.
The advent of new technologies and media has expanded the reach of this degree. Now, it encompasses both rank-and-file extroverts chasing information on the street, as much as the masterminds that quietly direct the public’s attention from the shadows.
Earning a degree in communications requires just as much ease with language as technological expertise, so its most successful students are those equally fascinated by both.
Computers are now so ubiquitous that it can be easy to forget those behind the user-friendly interfaces. And yet, those in charge of creating and improving the computers we use every day hold immense power in their hands.
If you have a solid background in mathematics and logic and the ability to analyze and innovate, computer and information sciences may be a good degree field for you.
Degree programs in criminal justice are sometimes overlooked as simple entry steps into the much more coveted law field, but they are a major stepping stone in the highly competitive litigation field.
They also offer a superb advantage for those seeking to join law enforcement. A degree in criminal justice can open up opportunities for promotions beyond the sergeant level.
Thorough knowledge of criminal justice can be used when serving private clients or the public good and can offer significant rewards on either career path.
At first glance, the scope of an education degree may seem pretty straightforward. While it can offer a great opportunity for anyone committed to teaching and nurturing new generations, the job opportunities it can open go beyond the classroom.
Educators possess the knowledge and ability to generate behavioral changes. This skill can be useful in corporate training facilities, the military, or youth-oriented product development, as well as in the classroom.
Effective and accurate use of the English language may appear to be an easy topic to master, but acquiring true mastery is remarkably difficult and impacts nearly every aspect of life.
Because of this, English graduates can be found in all industries. A good English program goes beyond the language and offers a solid foundation in the great works of literature that have defined our civilization.
This can be a great starting point for anyone who wants to take up the art of persuasion.
Finance goes beyond simple number compiling and encompasses investments, returns, and earnings. It is one of the most technical degree fields in business and management, but earning a degree in finance can offer great rewards.
While earning a degree in finance, you can develop an understanding of the financial instruments and mechanisms that shake today’s world.
This knowledge can open doors to lucrative and rewarding career opportunities.
Healthcare is the fastest-growing sector in the modern American economy. Scientific advances, high expectations, and long lifespans have made it tremendously important and highly sought after.
Such an economically delicate industry deserves specialized administrators who can efficiently utilize the human resources and technology available.
Healthcare administration specialists can find opportunities to manage healthcare facilities and influence public healthcare policy.
Despite its elusive reputation, history graduates enjoy varied and numerous (even if not obvious) career opportunities beyond academia or state-sponsored research.
A great deal of this flexibility stems from the skills nurtured during historical analysis and study. The lessons extracted from past events and the solid foundation in worldwide cultures acquired while pursuing a degree in history can open doors in many seemingly unrelated fields.
You can open even more doors with a specialization in geography, which is highly coveted in the oil and mining industry, or in research analysis which is desired in many fields of business.
Old-school ink-based newspapers may be less predominant nowadays, but this has not seen an end in the demand for journalists. If anything, the rapidly changing nature of this field has created new opportunities for those with solid academic backgrounds.
The profession has now largely abandoned its bohemian, self-made roots. Instead, it now requires a moderate knowledge of technological management, knowledge dissemination, and marketing skills.
Studying journalism can allow you to develop this necessary knowledge along with analytical, communication, and persuasive skills.
Earning a degree in legal studies can be a great starting point for negotiating your entrance into law school. If you are not quite ready to think about graduate school, there are also numerous opportunities for employment with a bachelor’s in legal studies.
In many states, a degree in legal studies will allow you to access varied government positions, such as administrative judge, mediator, or social worker.
If you are seeking licensing as a paralegal, probation officer, or real estate agent, this degree can also help.
Earning a degree in liberal arts can open many diverse career paths.
If you want to ensure a well-rounded education, a liberal arts program can be a great choice and teach you a wide range of skills necessary to thrive in diverse settings.
Liberal arts majors are found in many business industries, the fashion industry, technology start-ups, legal aid departments, and even on many boards of directors.
No company or private venture in the modern world can function without marketing efforts. This discipline lies at the crossroads between persuasive skills and subtle psychological manipulation, and as such, training is essential for anybody seeking to market a new product.
Marketing studies can teach you how to operate the different media production tools needed to carry your message to large audiences. The study of human purchasing behaviors can also help any young professional sell their skills to potential employers across any discipline.
Nursing encompasses health-centered disciplines meant to preserve, improve, and maximize physical and mental wellness for people of all ages. In the fast-growing field of healthcare, nurses are the foot soldiers that hold the system in place across all levels.
Because of the high employability of nurses, there are numerous opportunities for professional advancement, including manager-level positions in healthcare settings, researchers, health educators, and public health and prevention specialists.
Psychology is the study of the human mind and its behaviors. If this sounds all-encompassing to you, it serves as a clue to the wide scope of careers that can be pursued with a degree in psychology.
The most obvious careers in this field are in healthcare, including counseling and therapy careers. That said, psychology graduates can find employment in social work, government organizations, human resource departments, and anywhere else where an understanding of the human mind and behavior is beneficial.
While business administrators are taught to maximize profits, public administrators master the art of doing more with less. While earning a public administration degree, you’ll study political science, sociology, and the managerial skills necessary to keep large organizations moving.
Public administration is a go-to field for those seeking to change society and shape a country’s future.
Religion and theology majors are devoted to studying loftier and more abstract ideas than the average person, but career opportunities in this field are rooted firmly in the physical world.
If you wish to nurture the spirits of fellow human beings, a degree in religion can be a great place to start. With this degree, you could become a clergy member, run a non-profit charity, or research, write, and educate others on religious thinking.
Your program of studies will share many similarities to philosophy programs, which will provide a good opportunity for you to develop persuasive skills and empathy.
Humans are first and foremost social animals, and our tendency to form self-sustaining societies and to divide roles quickly shows itself in all levels of organization. This makes sociology a diverse and constantly growing and changing field of study.
Studying sociology can allow you to develop a solid understanding of people, their relationships, motivations, behaviors, and hierarchies. This knowledge can be used to pursue careers in human resources, media, public relations, market research, and academia.
If you wish to help people in need, a degree in social work could be a fabulous choice. It is one of the most sought-after entry-level degrees in the human services industry.
In the private sector, social workers often find positions as human resource managers or as liaisons for community outreach programs.
In government-owned entities, social work graduates often work as counselors, case managers, public service administrators, or rehabilitators.
The law enforcement industry has a permanent need for qualified personnel to supervise their wardens and probation officers and design strategies for rehabilitation.
In an 8-week college course, you’ll have the same responsibilities as you would for a traditional semester-long course.
These may include:
The difference between 8-week and traditional classes is that you’ll complete the workload in a shorter period. This means you’ll have to invest more effort and time in your classes during this period, but you’ll likely take fewer classes at a time.
Many students find the 8-week structure suits them better than a traditional semester schedule.
Benefits include:
Accelerated courses are the way to go if you want to fit more classes into a shorter time frame.
Taking fast classes sounds great, but don’t enroll in any college before you check their accreditation. Reputable universities voluntarily ask third-party agencies to verify the quality of their educational programs.
The Council for Higher Education (CHEA) ensures that these third parties are providing adequate inspections.
Before you apply to a university or college, make sure that it’s regionally accredited by one of these independent agencies:
If a school is not accredited by one of these bodies, your credits are less likely to transfer to other colleges and your degree may not be as recognized by employers.
Don’t worry, you don’t need to know anything special about paying for 8-week college classes. Faster courses are treated the same as regular college classes. You typically pay by the credit hour and may qualify for financial aid to help alleviate the costs.
Financial aid can come from the federal government, state government, independent organizations, or your university. This tuition help can come in the form of:
Some financial aid is granted based on need. Your income level determines whether you qualify. Other types are given to students based on merit and must be earned.
Federal grants and loans are the most common types of financial aid. To determine the federal financial aid you can receive, start by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
If you enroll in 8-week online classes, test out of one year of college with CLEP exams, and get at least 15 credit hours of life experience credit, you can get your bachelor’s degree in 2.5 years.
This assumes you’ll earn 30 credit hours per year in your online courses and can use credit for prior learning and CLEP exams to earn around 45 college credits. The time it takes you to complete your degree will depend largely on your university’s college credit policies and your ability to maintain a full-time course load.
It takes the same amount of work to earn an accelerated college degree as it does to earn a traditional one. From start to finish, you’ll complete a similar amount of reading, write as many papers, take as many exams, and put forth as much effort.
But for each course, you’ll complete that workload in less time. Two months after beginning an 8-week class, you’ll have read all the assigned passages and taken all the required tests, and it will be time to move on to the next course. Before you know it, you’ll have earned your degree!
Many students like the structure of fast-track classes. Although the weekly assignment load for each course may be heftier, you typically only take one or two accelerated classes at a time. Focusing your attention on just a few subjects can make it easier to put forth your best effort.
Traditionally, universities plan their academic calendars around two 16-week semesters. Schools that offer accelerated classes divide the year into several smaller chunks. That structure allows you to finish an entire course in 8 weeks (or less).
Every few months, you’ll start a new set of classes and make significant progress toward completing your degree.
At many universities, accelerated courses are available in diverse subjects and fields.
Full-time fast-track students usually take two 8-week courses at a time. You can complete 30 credit hours in one year if you carry that load during:
By the end of the year, you can earn the same number of credits as traditional students taking five classes in the fall and five in the spring.
Accelerated 8-week classes cover the same content as regular classes but in less time. If you’re a self-motivated go-getter, you can thrive in an accelerated schedule.
Plus, unlike a traditional student, you won’t have to divide your attention between five classes. For that reason, you may find an accelerated schedule easier.
The fast pace can be deeply satisfying as well. With each quick class you complete, you’ll be several credits closer to graduation.
Best of all, 8-week online classes work well for busy adults. Their flexible structures can allow you to quickly finish your degree without putting your life on hold.
Traditional college classes typically last for a full semester, which is 16 weeks long. Fast-track courses are only half as long. Some are even shorter! Accelerated classes can be 4 to 8 weeks long.
Although it varies by university, most colleges offering 8-week course schedules have a wide range of majors and course subjects available.
Some schools refer to their accelerated course sessions as “minimesters.” These may be 4 to 8 weeks long, or a bit longer. A university’s calendar can include five or more minimesters each year. Online classes are often arranged in minimesters that you can complete quickly.
Universities commonly use accelerated formats for their online courses, so you can complete an online class in less time than it takes to finish an on-campus one.
The online semester length can vary, but 8-week sessions are typical. Some schools hold sessions that are as short as 4 weeks each.
Most college classes are worth 3 credit hours. By taking 10 courses, you can earn 30 credit hours toward your college degree.
Semester schedules vary among universities. Many schools offer courses that are 8 weeks long, but some schools have 4-week, 5-week, or 6-week online courses.
Universities commonly offer 8-week classes in the summer and year-round. There are online colleges that start every month so you can jump in any time of year. Some universities start new sessions weekly.
In 8 weeks, you could knock out one or two classes and be that much closer to graduating. Here are some steps to take before you get there.
It’s best to take more than one class from a university to reduce the time spent on these steps. If you are ready to get started, click on the “find my program” button to search for accredited programs.