Key Takeaways:
- Business administration, information technology, and liberal studies are TESU’s top accelerated majors, each designed for learners with prior credits or work experience.
- You can transfer up to 90 credits and earn additional credit for professional training or industry certifications (like CompTIA or Cisco), drastically reducing the time to completion.
- With generous transfer policies, prior learning credits, and partnerships with Study.com and Sophia Learning, TESU allows students to complete bachelor’s degrees in under a year.
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Thomas Edison State University (TESU) programs are designed for learners like you who want to turn real-world experience into a degree without spending a lot of years in school. With generous transfer credit policies, flexible online courses, and credit-by-exam options, you can earn your bachelor’s degree from TESU in less than 12 months.
Here’s a breakdown of the three fastest TESU majors, how they work, and what you’ll need to do to cross the finish line.
The Fastest TESU Degrees to Finish
If you’re ready to finish your degree quickly, TESU makes it possible with flexible programs in business, IT, and liberal studies that reward your prior experience and credits.
1. Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA)
🎓 Degree Snapshot:
- Total Credits Required: 120
- Transfer Cap: Up to 90 credits
- Average Finish Time (with transfer credits): 9–12 months
With TESU’s business administration program, you’ll gain the flexibility and practical knowledge to take the next step in your career. It’s perfect if you’re ready to move from managing teams to leading them.
What You’ll Learn:
The BSBA covers core areas such as management, marketing, finance, and operations. Business courses are structured logically, without the heavy prerequisites or lab requirements found in other majors.
Key classes include:
- Principles of Management
- Marketing Strategies
- Financial Accounting
- Organizational Behavior
- Business Policy and Strategy
If you transfer in around 70–80 credits, you’ll only need about 40 more. Taking 12 credits per term can allow you to graduate in four terms or roughly one year.
2. Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT)
🎓 Degree Snapshot:
- Total Credits Required: 120
- Transfer Cap: Up to 90 credits (including certification credits)
- Average Finish Time (with transfer credits): 9–12 months
TESU’s BSIT program is designed for you if you already have hands-on technical experience or industry certifications. It’s an excellent choice if you’re working in help desk, support, or networking and want to advance into system administration, cybersecurity, or leadership roles.
What You’ll Learn:
The BSIT program combines theory with practical, real-world application. You can also receive direct credit for certifications like CompTIA, Cisco, or Microsoft, significantly reducing your required coursework.
Key classes include:
- Networking Technologies
- Cybersecurity Fundamentals
- Cloud Computing and Virtualization
- Systems Analysis and Design
- IT Project Management
By combining existing certifications with 12–15 credits per term, you can complete the degree in under a year while gaining both academic and professional credentials.
3. Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies (BALS)
🎓 Degree Snapshot:
- Total Credits Required: 120
- Transfer Cap: Up to 90 credits
- Average Finish Time (with transfer credits): 9–12 months
TESU’s Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies gives you maximum flexibility to finish your degree. It’s designed for you if you have a mix of prior credits in areas like business, communication, psychology, or humanities and want to complete your bachelor’s quickly.
What You’ll Learn:
This degree strengthens critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills, traits that employers value in leadership and administrative roles. You can customize your plan by focusing on subjects your passionate about or can complete efficiently.
Key classes include:
- Communication Theory
- Ethics in the Modern World
- Leadership and Organizational Development
- Research Methods in the Liberal Arts
- Capstone in Liberal Studies
If you’re entering with 80 or more transfer credits, you’ll have only about 30 to 40 left to complete. By taking 12 credits per term, you can finish your degree in just three to four terms.
Making the One-Year Degree Plan Work
Finishing your online bachelor’s degree at TESU in under a year takes dedication, but it’s completely achievable. By setting a consistent study schedule and staying disciplined, you can reach your goal in less time than you think.
The smartest strategy is to:
- Maximize transfer credits from prior college or professional experience.
- Utilize credit-by-exam options like CLEP, DSST, or the Thomas Edison Credit-by-Examination Program (TECEP).
- Use low-cost partners like Study.com or Sophia Learning to complete general education courses. Many courses align directly with TESU degree requirements, making them an affordable and efficient way to finish your degree.
- Confirm transfer approvals with TESU before enrolling in external courses.
- Stick to a consistent 12-credit-per-term schedule.
This approach saves both time and money while keeping you on track for graduation within a year.
Complementing Speed with Strategy
TESU’s flexible structure empowers you to convert past learning into future success. Whether you choose business administration for advancement, information technology for stability, or liberal studies for flexibility, you can turn years of experience into a degree in under a year.
Explore our other Degree Hacked guides today to help you with mapping out your course transfer strategy.

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