What You Should Know About This Degree
You should consider the cost of an online bachelor’s in finance. You can estimate study costs for your online degree by multiplying the cost per credit by the number of credits required. Bear in mind that there’ll be other costs such as textbooks, study materials, and mandatory fees. Most finance undergraduate degrees take four years to complete, although you have some flexibility with the number of courses you take each semester.
Before enrolling, work out how you’re going to pay for your course costs. Can you afford the study fees or do you need a loan? Many students get federal loans from the U.S. Department of Education. These loans do have conditions regarding enrollment that you must maintain, or you will need to start repayments. It’s possible to get a private loan, but those conditions may not be as favorable.
If you’re working while studying, take into account your work hours and commuting time. Make allowance for family time and other obligations, and commit to a minimum number of study hours both daily and weekly. As a rule of thumb, a three-credit course needs between 8 to 10 hours of study per week.
What’s Next?
Here are some questions to ask when researching online bachelor’s in finance programs:
- Am I eligible for this program? While requirements differ, most bachelor’s degree in finance programs require you to have completed 13 or more high school core classes with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of between 2.0 and 2.5. You have to provide an official high school transcript. You’re also eligible if you have accumulated a specified number of college credits.
- Are courses offered synchronously or asynchronously? It depends on the college. With synchronous studies, you attend online lectures via Zoom or similar real-time video conferencing software. Asynchronous studies use pre-recorded lectures and study material, allowing you to study whenever it’s convenient for you.
- How long does it take to complete an online bachelor’s in finance degree? Bachelor’s in finance degrees normally take four years to complete. Depending on the school, you may be able to take more courses per semester and complete the degree sooner.
- What tests are required for an online bachelor’s in finance program? Many schools require a satisfactory score on the SAT or ACT tests. Students who are over a certain age may be exempt from this requirement.