A "typical" bachelor's degree takes four years to complete — right?
Not necessarily. In fact, it is actually becoming increasingly common for these programs to take five to six years (or longer) to complete, especially among working students who may only be able to enroll in classes part-time or who take periodic breaks from enrollment.
On the other hand, it's also becoming possible to earn a degree a lot sooner than that traditional four-year benchmark. With Indiana Wesleyan University's 90-credit Fast Forward programs, students can enjoy the convenience and flexibility of a 100% online program that takes a full 30 credit hours less than most bachelor's degree options to complete.
So, what could this mean for you as a prospective student considering an online human resources degree?
As the need for knowledgeable and skilled human resources professionals continues to rise, many prospective students are seeking faster alternatives to degree completion — and for good reason.
For many years, requiring 120 credits to earn a bachelor's degree was the norm, so it makes sense that some students carry some apprehension about a 90-credit option. These students might assume that a shorter degree program will not be as respected in the workforce, or that taking fewer credit hours means cutting corners.
In reality, this couldn't be further from the truth. 90-credit degree programs are more intentionally tailored to meet the needs of the modern workforce, offering dedicated and focused coursework that reflects the skills that workers actually need to succeed in their future careers. In HR specifically, this includes skills and knowledge related to employee retention, talent acquisition, employee engagement, HR data analytics, and the like.
Meanwhile, as the job outlook for human resources specialists continues to grow at a rate that's faster than the national average for all occupations, the need for knowledgeable graduates to fill entry-level human resources jobs is also increasing. In this regard, a fast-track HR degree could help to keep up with the rising demand for HR specialists across a variety of industries by making education more accessible.
What can students expect from a 90-credit online degree in HR? While no two programs are exactly the same, students in an HR Analytics Fast Forward program at Indiana Wesleyan University can expect:
Because of the highly focused nature of this accelerated degree program, fewer credits do not necessarily mean less career preparation. Instead, for many students, it means focusing more on coursework that's relevant to their future careers and less on general education coursework that may not have realistic applications to their work.
Compared to a traditional four-year bachelor's degree, a three-year path saves time and offers a number of potential benefits.
When students can earn their degrees after completing 90 credits rather than 120, they may enjoy a shorter road to graduation. In fact, many students in IWU's accelerated HR degree online finish in just three years — which is a full year sooner than most bachelor's degrees are designed to take.
With faster completion times, students may also be able to enjoy a faster entry into their chosen careers. For students who earn an accelerated degree in HR, for example, they may be able to build career momentum faster than somebody who needs to spend four or more years in school. As a result, they may be a full year ahead in terms of experience gained and skills developed in such critical areas as performance management, working with employee engagement analytics, and incorporating AI in training and development.
Finally, students in a shorter HR degree program enjoy less time between their enrollment in the program and opportunities to actually apply new HR skills in the workplace. This, in turn, could lead to better retention and understanding of complex HR concepts that include AI in performance management, recruiting analytics, and making data-driven HR decisions.
Another part of the appeal of a 90-credit degree program is the potential for students to enjoy college cost savings. That's because fewer credit hours can translate to lower tuition costs. Likewise, when students complete their degrees in three years instead of four, they can enjoy lower total tuition exposure by avoiding semester-based fees and similar expenses.
When considering an accelerated degree program, students should still take the time to compare total pathway costs that factor in not just tuition costs, but associated fees and potential opportunity costs as well.
Consider, too, how the time savings of an accelerated program could add financial value. By finishing your degree sooner, you may be able to enter the workforce and begin enjoying the ROI of your degree sooner.
In many ways, an accelerated HR degree program suits the modern HR workforce. This is especially true for students who can find a career-focused program that centers around the skills today's HR professionals need to thrive in the workplace.
Consider, for starters, that many HR careers now require not just people skills, but technical skills (like the ability to analyze and interpret retention and recruiting data). Fortunately, an intentionally designed HR degree program will include dedicated coursework in topics like retention analytics and data-driven decision-making that's designed to develop these in-demand skills.
As more HR teams are expected to use AI and other tools in their work, coursework focusing on the use of ethical AI in HR, workforce planning, and data analytics becomes increasingly relevant. An accelerated degree program in HR covers these essential skills and more, preparing graduates for a rewarding HR business partner career path or people analytics specialist roles.
Finally, since accelerated HR degree programs offer convenient online learning for working adults, even the busiest of learners can work their studies into their schedules without putting their lives completely on hold. At the same time, these students save the time and hassle of a commute to a physical campus.
Before you decide on an accelerated HR degree program, it's important to make sure this is the right fit for you and to decide on the 90-credit program that suits your needs. This means taking the time to carefully research and consider:
While most people assume that earning a bachelor's degree in HR will take a solid four years (or more), the reality is that there are options for motivated students who want to finish sooner.
At Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU), our accelerated bachelor’s degree options (known as Fast Forward programs) are intentionally designed to be completed with just 90 credits. This includes our Bachelor of Applied AI Analytics with a specialization in Human Resources.
Plus, by earning your HR degree online, you can enjoy the convenience of working at your own pace in a way that accommodates your busy schedule. And with coursework that covers such emerging topics as people analytics, the use of AI in HR (including AI adoption roadmap applications), talent identification, students can build the workforce planning skills that today's employers are looking for.
Contact us today to learn more about IWU's accelerated human resources degree or any of the other online bachelor’s degree options we have to offer. If you're ready to apply, you can also get started with your application for admission here.
Still curious about IWU's Fast Forward degree programs in HR? Check out answers to some of our most commonly asked questions below.
Yes, it is absolutely possible to complete an HR degree in 90 credits when the program is intentionally designed as a 90-credit pathway. The key with IWU's Fast Forward programs is that every curriculum is purpose-built around focused learning outcomes. So, rather than simply reducing the number of credits, students are enjoying highly targeted learning and skill-building — just in less time than a traditional degree.
In simplest terms, a 90-credit HR degree requires 30 fewer total credits to graduate than a traditional bachelor's degree, which requires 120 credits. As a result, students may be able to enjoy a shorter path to completion with lower overall tuition exposure, which could save money.
Not necessarily, because a strong 90-credit degree program focuses on the foundational HR knowledge, workforce skills, analytics, and applied learning students actually need to enter the workforce and succeed in their future roles.
A 90-credit HR degree could save money when compared to a 120-credit degree program because with fewer required credit hours, students can pay for fewer credits overall. Likewise, because students have the ability to finish sooner rather than later, they may also be able to cut down on time-related expenses of college (like semester-based fees and opportunity costs) while potentially entering the workforce sooner.
There are many valid reasons to opt for a three-year HR degree path, including the ability to earn your degree and start building career momentum sooner. Securing a three-year degree could also help you prepare for HR roles that increasingly require specialized knowledge in areas like people operations, analytics, AI tools, and workforce planning.
Yes, it can be, as a fully online format could make it easier for working adults to juggle their schooling with other responsibilities, including careers and family commitments. Still, fully online coursework may not be ideal for everyone — so it's always a good idea to review a program's workload, pacing, and curriculum before enrolling.
