Earn Your IT Management BS at WGU Faster and Smarter

Why WGU's BS in IT Management is Perfect for Degree Hacking

WGU’s BS in IT Management is a great choice for career-focused learners looking to earn a degree on their own time. Along with building the technical and leadership skills employers value, this degree prepares you to step into roles that drive business and technology forward. It’s also perfect for smart degree hacking with benefits like these:  

Finish Faster with Transfer Credits and Self-Paced Learning

• Transfer eligible college credits to shorten your time to graduation

• Move quickly through material you already know with competency-based education

• Study on your own schedule with no set class times or group projects

Career-Focused Curriculum Designed for Real-World Success

• Learn both IT and management skills employers actually look for

• Earn industry-recognized certifications along the way (at no extra cost)

• Gain hands-on experience with tools and systems used in the IT field

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Why Most People Take 4+ Years (And How to Do It in 12–18 Months)

Why Most People Take 4+ Years

Too many students spend four years or more and pay more than $32,000 earning their degree. However, there are plenty of ways to finish an IT management degree faster without burning a hole in your pocket.

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Here are some reasons why it does take some students 4+ years to finish their degree:

• They don’t leverage the self-paced model. Many students misunderstand WGU’s self-paced model. Instead of moving ahead as soon as they’re ready, they treat courses like traditional classes and wait too long to take exams or submit projects. This delays progress and often leads to a longer time to graduation.

• They don’t submit IT certifications for credits evaluation. Some students miss out by not submitting their IT certifications for credit or by not taking them at all. WGU accepts industry-recognized certs like CompTIA, Cisco, and more, and they can knock out several courses, saving you time and effort on your degree.

• They don’t leverage prior experience. If you’ve worked in IT before, you might already know a lot of the material. Not using transfer credits or showing what you already know can mean doing extra work you don’t need to.

• They lack a clear degree completion plan. Without a plan for what classes to take and when, it’s easy to lose focus.

Here's what degree hackers do that others don't:

• Set clear goals: They break the degree down into smaller chunks, like finishing a few courses each month, so they always know what they’re working toward.

• Test out of classes or earn outside credits early: They use CLEP/DSST exams and platforms like Study.com to earn credits before starting their term, helping them skip ahead and save tons of time.

• Max out transfer credits: They gather every possible transcript, certification, or training record, sometimes even old military or job training, to see what can transfer in and cut down on required courses.

• Result: Graduate in <18 months for ~$13,000 or less total.

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The fastest path to your IT Management degree at WGU? Bring in as many low-cost credits as you can upfront via alternative credit-earning options, so you can focus on the core tech and leadership courses that truly boost your career.

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Strategy Guide: Tips on How to Hack WGU’s IT Management Program

We put together a fast-track game plan for WGU’s IT Management degree built from insider tips shared by previous grads, mentors, students, and even degree hackers who’ve mastered the system.

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It’s designed to help you move through the program smoothly, skip common slowdowns, and stay focused on an affordable path that gets you career-ready faster.

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WGU Online IT Management Pre-Enrollment Hacks

• Gather all your past credits early - Before you start, collect transcripts, certifications, and any work training you’ve done. WGU can often apply these to your degree, saving you time and tuition.

• Use CLEP/DSST exams to test out of general courses – For $97CLEP exam and $100/DSST exam, you can earn college credit by passing tests on subjects you already know, helping you skip some lower-level classes.

• Try online courses to speed up learning - Study.com offers affordable, self-paced college courses starting at $95/month aligned with WGU’s curriculum that can help you prep for assessments or even earn credit faster.

• Build a Personalized Transfer Plan – DegreeHacked.org helps you map out which credits to earn before you start, estimate your costs, and create a customized roadmap to graduation that fits your goals.

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WGU IT Management Degree Hacking Plan

BS in IT Management Transfer Credits: What Transfers and What Doesn't

You probably can’t transfer every single credit, and that’s okay. The key is figuring out which courses to take elsewhere at a lower cost, while saving the important IT classes for WGU. This smart approach helps you save money and finish your degree faster.

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Here’s how to organize your credits the right way to stay on the fastest path to your tech career:

• 30 Competency Units (CUs): General Education courses (easily transferable)

• ~82 CUs: Major business and tech courses (mix of transferable courses and courses only available at WGU)

• ~8 CUs: IT Management Portfolio Requirement and Capstone Project (WGU Only)

WGU IT Management Degree Requirements: Course Transfer Strategy

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Why Degree Hacking Works for WGU IT Management Students

• Lightning-fast progress: Breeze past what you’ve already mastered and dive straight into the high-impact courses that launch your IT career so you can finish your degree in 12-18 months (or less!).

• Wallet-friendly savings: With WGU, the faster you finish the program, the less your tuition is. So, by finishing your degree in less than 18 months, you can slash your tuition fees by more than 50%.

• Career-ready results: Smart degree hacking helps you graduate faster with practical skills and certifications (like CompTIA or AWS) that employers want, putting you ahead in the competitive IT Management job market.

Ready for Your Complete Plan?

With the complete degree fast-track plan, you’ll get:

• A detailed list of 40+ courses you can complete before starting at WGU

• Budget-friendly options like CLEP, Study.com, and DSST to help you earn credits quickly

• Easy-to-follow schedule plus an estimate of your total costs from beginning to end

• Flexible routes tailored to fit your budget, pace, and how you learn best

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Applying to WGU for the Bachelor of Science in IT Management

When to Apply: Ideal Time for Enrollment

The smartest approach is to finish your transferable credits before enrolling at WGU. That way, you can focus on the advanced IT Management classes that make WGU’s program unique.

WGU Admissions and Transfer Logistics

• Fill out and submit your application online

• Have your transcripts, certificates, and test scores sent straight to WGU

• Transfer evaluations usually come back within a few business days

• New terms begin monthly, typically on the 1st

WGU Tuition and Other Aid Information

• Flat tuition per six-month term: $3,830 per 6-month term + resource/tech fee

• FAFSA, WGU scholarships and grants, military and employer benefits

• Avoid spending extra thousands on tuition by finishing general ed and some major classes before enrolling at WGU.

WGU Bachelor of Science in IT Management Career ROI

• Median Annual Salary: $171,200 for Information Systems Managers

• Degree Payback Time: 1 –2 months of work

• Plus: High demand industry, opportunities for rapid advancement, and skills that stay relevant in a constantly evolving tech landscape.

• Typical Roles: IT Manager, Systems Analyst, Project Manager, Business Analyst, Database Administrator, Network Administrator, IT Consultant, Operations Manager, Technology Director

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