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Top Self-Paced Online College Programs
The following list of accredited, nonprofit two- and four-year institutions can help students interested in self-paced programs explore their options for self-guided study. Each college featured here offers at least one self-paced online class, and most offer many more than that.
This list is not comprehensive. Colleges and universities regularly add self-paced programs as part of their online curricula. Students should check with prospective schools to determine their options for self-paced educational programs. Note that all tuition rates listed below were accessed in May of 2021 and may have changed.
| School | Description | Location | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
Columbia College |
Founded in 1851, Columbia College's online campus offers 27 fully online programs and more than 350 online classes. Students can pursue programs at their own pace, including sitting out for a session if need be. More than 16,000 students take an online class through Columbia each year. | Columbia, MO | $375 per credit hour |
Fort Hays State University |
Located in central Kansas, Fort Hays State University offers more than 50 online degrees, as well as numerous online certificate programs, all geared toward adult learners. | Hays, KS | $226.88 per credit hour |
Liberty University |
This Christian college based in Lynchburg, Virginia, enrolls more than 30,000 military students and 900 international students annually. Liberty offers a flexible learning environment that allows students to complete assignments at their own pace. | Lynchburg, VA | $455 per credit for part-time students; $390 per credit for full-time students |
Purdue University Global |
Purdue University's Global Open College offers associate and bachelor's degrees in professional studies geared toward self-paced learners. Students create a customizable degree plan and complete work at their own pace. Students can apply transfer credits from other accredited postsecondary institutions and earn credits for prior experience. The Global College also offers several open self-paced college courses. | Chicago, IL | $280 per quarter credit hour |
Rasmussen College |
Rasmussen College hosts campus locations in six states, as well as a robust online college. Rasmussen's Flex Choice learning options allow self-guided students to receive credit for knowledge they already possess. | Maitland, FL | $175 + $15 book fee (ebook or paper) |
University of Florida |
University of Florida in Gainesville offers 37 self-paced courses in areas like beginning Spanish, psychology, and journalism. Students do not need to be admitted to UF to enroll in these classes. Self-guided learners receive 16 weeks to complete a class. | Gainesville, FL | $212.71 per credit hour |
University of Florida |
University of Florida in Gainesville offers 37 self-paced courses in areas like beginning Spanish, psychology, and journalism. Students do not need to be admitted to UF to enroll in these classes. Self-guided learners receive 16 weeks to complete a class. | Gainesville, FL | $212.71 per credit hour |
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
The University of Illinois offers more than 90 online programs and more than 1,300 online courses. The university also offers 19 self-paced online courses in mathematics. | Urbana, IL | $416 per credit hour |
University of North Dakota |
Founded in 1883, University of North Dakota is the largest postsecondary institution in the state, hosting more than 15,000 students annually. The school offers self-paced online language courses in German, Norwegian, and Spanish. Students can take up to nine months to complete coursework, or 12 months if they seek a time extension. | Grand Forks, ND | $356 per credit |
Upper Iowa University |
Upper Iowa University offers 26 self-paced online programs and certificates and 12 paper-based self-guided degree programs | Fayette, IA | $330 |
Waubonsee Community College |
Waubonsee hosts four campus locations in Illinois and an online campus. The online college features five associate degrees. Students can complete credit by examination. Students who enroll in Waubonsee's QuickPath program can complete an associate degree in as little as one year. | Plano, IL | $132 per credit hour |
Self-Pace Online College
College students can take classes in person, online, and in a hybrid format. In 2018, nearly 7 million college students took an online class. During the pandemic, many students who had never taken an online class before had to adapt to the format. In fact, over 40% of on-campus students had never taken an online class before 2021.
The flexibility of an online learning format appeals to many students, particularly working professionals and people with families. Degree-seekers considering earning a college degree online may benefit from a self-paced learning program. In self-paced programs, degree-seekers work through course material on their own schedule.
The top self-paced online programs combine quality and flexibility. However, before signing up for a self-paced program, prospective students should consider whether the format matches their learning style and strengths.
What is Self-Paced Learning?
In contrast to traditional college programs, self-paced programs allow degree-seekers to complete coursework on their own schedule. Unlike an in-person or synchronous online course, self-paced programs do not require set meeting times.
Online college programs with self-paced options provide several benefits to students. The format offers more flexibility than in-person and other online learning formats. Students can often complete self-paced courses faster than they could in a traditional quarter or semester. As a result, self-paced programs offer an efficient route to a degree.
Self-paced programs may also save students money. At some colleges with self-paced online bachelor's programs, such as Western Governors University, students pay a flat tuition rate per term and can complete as many courses during the term as they like. This format can translate to a lower tuition bill.