Finishing a bachelor’s degree online can quickly boost a graduate’s career, leading to higher pay and a better chance at promotions. For those with some college credits but no degree, online programs make it more convenient to complete a degree and reap the career rewards.

Degree completion is an issue that impacts a huge part of the American population. The number of people who fit into the “some college, no degree” category includes an estimated 40 million people. Many want to pursue a degree but may not have the time or money for traditional, on-campus education.

The Northern Michigan University Applied Workplace Leadership degree completion program solves that issue. Students can complete the degree 100% online, giving them the ability to schedule schoolwork around their professional and personal responsibilities.

Why Should You Complete Your Bachelor Degree?

Research shows that finishing a bachelor’s degree online improves income and lowers the chance of unemployment. The federal government tracks this data, updating it annually. The latest numbers available show that in 2021:

  • Workers with a bachelor’s degree earned $1,334 a week, compared to $877 for those with some college, no degree.
  • The unemployment rate for those with a bachelor’s degree reached 5.5 percent, while it reached 8.3 percent for those with some college, no degree.

In addition, a report from the College Board found that people with a college degree earned $400,000 more over their lifetimes than those with only a high school diploma.

Are Degree Completion Programs Designed for Working Adults?

The requirements for entering a degree completion program vary by school. The degree completion program at NMU is designed with working adults in mind. The university makes it as convenient as possible for students to enroll in the Applied Workplace Leadership program.

NMU allows students to take advantage of the flexibility of an online program while losing none of their previous credits. As part of its transfer pathway, the university offers an unofficial evaluation of previous credit to determine how long it will take a student to complete the degree program and how transfer credits will most likely fit into the program.

Students in the Applied Workplace Leadership program focus on one class at a time in an accelerated format. This allows them to finish their degree more efficiently.

NMU also makes it easy for students to show peers and potential employers their new skills. The university offers digital badges students can place on their social media profiles such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. A viewer can click the badge to see the details of their educational achievement.

What Students Learn in the Applied Workplace Leadership Program

NMU’s Applied Workplace Leadership program focuses on teaching students skills that employers value in leaders, managers and administrators. They include a focus on communication, ethics, assessment, diversity, and systems thinking.

Students develop expertise in how to share ideas that spark purpose and enthusiasm in others. They learn to approach workplace issues with reasoning and critical thinking. In addition, students explore the best practices for assessing an employee’s performance and providing guidance on improving.

A major focus of the program is on implementing cultural and demographic diversity in the workplace and system solutions that lead to improvements in workplace productivity and culture.

Where once completing a degree seemed impossible for many, online education makes it a reality.