How to Earn Your Online GCU Business Administration Degree in 12 Months

Why GCU’s Business Administration Program is Perfect for Degree Hacking

Grand Canyon University’s BS Business Administration degree is built for working adults, with flexible options that fit around your job and personal life. That same flexibility also makes it easier to fast-track your degree. Here’s how:

Smart Transfer Credit Options

• Move forward as soon as you demonstrate mastery of key business concepts through CLEP/DSST exams

• Complete multiple courses per term after transferring up to 90 credits, accelerating your path to graduation

• Spend your GCU time on upper-division business courses, such as strategic management, marketing, and finance while transferring in most general-education credits

Career-Ready Business Industry Preparation

• Delve into hands-on projects and case studies that help you build practical skills in management, operations, and data-driven decision-making that employers value

• Take advantage of internships opportunities, networking, and optional professional certificates help strengthen your résumé

• Graduates of GCU’s BS Business Administration leave prepared for roles in management and entrepreneurship and are ready to apply to graduate business programs

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

Why most people take 4 years:

Most GCU students take about four years and spend roughly $16,500 for two semesters to earn their BS in Business Administration, simply because they don’t realize the program can be fast-tracked.

Here’s why so many miss the opportunity to fast-track:

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• They start from scratch: Many students assume they must complete all 120 credits directly through GCU instead of taking advantage GCU’s generous transfer credit policy.  

• They underutilize transfer credit: Even those with prior college coursework often bring in only 20–30 credits, far below the 90-credit maximum GCU allows.

• They follow traditional pacing: Without realizing faster options exist, students take classes one at a time on a standard semester schedule instead of overlapping courses or accelerating with online options.

• They pay premium prices for basics: They spend $8,250+ per term on general education courses that could be completed elsewhere for a fraction of the cost.

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

• Max out transfer credits (up to 90): Instead of paying GCU tuition for general ed and intro-level business classes, you can bring in 75% of your degree through credits from affordable, pre-approved sources.

• Focus only on the advanced core at GCU: Save your GCU tuition for upper-level business administration courses, leadership, and capstone requirements.

• Take advantage of year-round enrollment: Rather than waiting for semester breaks, enroll in back-to-back in 8-week sessions.

• Result: You can finish your GCU BS in Business Administration in under 12 months, often at a fraction of the $16,500 annual cost.

What sets degree hackers apart isn’t intelligence or effort. It’s strategy in the form of taking low-cost, faster courses elsewhere and using GCU for the ones that count. You can use the same approach to finish faster and save thousands.

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Strategy Guide: Tips on How to Hack This Degree

Instead of figuring it all out alone, we gathered tips from GCU graduates, business experts, and degree-hacking communities.  

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The result? A clear, simple guide to help you speed up your degree, lower your college costs, and get ready for the next step in your career.

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GCU Business Administration Pre-Enrollment Hacks:

• Front-load Gen Eds through Study.com: Courses like English Comp I & II, Environmental Science, College Mathematics, General Biology, and Critical Thinking transfer easily and cost up to significantly less than GCU credits

• Turn professional experience into academic credit: If you have military leadership training, business-related certifications (like project management or HR), or industry coursework, request a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). For the Business Administration program, this can translate directly into elective or business requirement credits.

• Choose electives before enrolling that match your career path: Business admin students often waste time on electives that don’t serve their goals. By planning electives in areas like finance, marketing, or entrepreneurship ahead of time, you not only transfer in credits that count toward degree requirements but also build a degree that matches your career trajectory.

• Create your personalized credit transfer strategy: Platforms like DegreeHacked.org provide a customized degree plan showing exactly which 90 credits to earn before enrollment, plus mentor guidance focused on course sequencing, clinical experience, and even GCU-specific degree hacks to maximize savings and minimize wasted time.

GCU Business Administration Degree Hacking Plan

Business Administration Transfer Credits: What Transfers and What Doesn't

In GCU’s 120-credit Business Administration program, the secret isn’t doing more work; it’s doing the right work. By completing the low-cost credits elsewhere and saving the high-value courses for GCU, you can finish much faster.

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Here’s the breakdown:

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• ~34–40 credits: General education courses (easily transferable)

• 64 credits: Core business administration courses (some transferable)

• ~16–22 credits: Elective courses (some transferable)

GCU Business Administration Requirements: Course Transfer Strategy

Why Degree Hacking Works for GCU Business Administration Students:

• Cut your cost per class: With Study.com’s $95/month plan, you can complete four courses in a month for about $24 each, saving thousands compared to GCU tuition.

• Leverage CLEP/DSST exams: For $97 plus a small testing fee, you can test out of entire courses in a single day, instantly reducing your degree requirements.

• Focus on GCU’s strengths: Reserve GCU credits for what matters most—advanced business administration courses, hands-on projects, and faculty mentorship that directly build your career readiness.

Ready for Your Complete Plan?

The complete degree hacking roadmap includes the following:  

✓ All 30+ course-by-course the transfer equivalencies for each required course
✓ Detailed GCU equivalencies with exact Study.com course codes and CLEP exam numbers
✓ Full cost estimate and suggested completion timeline
✓ Backup course and exam options if your first choice isn’t available

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Applying to GCU for the Bachelor’s in Business Administration

When to Apply: Timing Your Enrollment Strategically

The smart move is to get your transfer credits done before you apply to GCU. Then you’ll be free to focus only on your upper-level business administration classes.

GCU Admissions & Transfer Logistics

• Submission of admission requirements + online registration form

• Official transcripts for all credit sources must be sent directly to GCU

• GCU has a rolling admissions policy so you can easily enroll any time

• Contact GCU directly for transfer credits evaluation duration as timeline varies depending on a variety of factors

Costs, Aid & Ways to Pay Less for Your GCU Degree

• Per credit pricing ($485) + additional fees  

• FAFSA, dual enrollment, military benefits, GCU Scholarships, grants

• Save on tuition fees, even before enrollment: Knock out gen eds, open electives, and available core courses before enrollment and reduce your tuition fee through your earned credits

GCU Bachelor’s in Business Administration Career ROI

• Starting salary: $45,000–$53,000

• Degree payback time: ~3–4 years

• Lifetime earnings boost: ~$2.8M–$3.2M over a 40-year career

• Plus: Diverse career paths in management, marketing, finance, and operations, with room to grow into six-figure senior roles as experience builds

• Typical roles: Administrative Services Manager, Management Analysts, General and Operations Manager, Business Analyst

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