Thinking you'll need to put your life on hold, quit your job and go to college five days a week for four years so that you can earn a bachelor's degree?

Think again.

As a working adult, you have tons of options available to you to start and/or finish a college degree. And none of them mean you have to quit your job - and thus lose your income and any momentum you've built up in your career - to earn a bachelor's degree. You can sign up for an online education or an accelerated bachelor's degree program - and perhaps even enroll in a program that's a combination of both.

The online education world is, to use a mixed metaphor, the working adults' oyster.

This article will answer the following:

• Why an online education is the way to go for working adults.
• How an accelerated bachelor's degree program and an online bachelor's program are similar and different.

When Time is Scarce, an Online Education Gives Plenty

Let's face it. We have no time today. We have stressful jobs. We have children and they "demand" - and deserve - our time. We have spouses - ditto on the "demand." We have homes to maintain, bodies to exercise and - if we can scrape out time somehow - time spent on fun and relaxation.

If we were 18 again, perhaps we could go the traditional college route. But not when we're 38 or even 25.

So enrolling in one of the many online degree programs available to working adults today can allow us to get that all-important bachelor's degree.

The Cornucopia of Adult Education College Degrees Explained

An online bachelor's degree program allows you to study for and receive your degree from your own home computer. There is no need to drive to a classroom after a long day at work, grabbing a fast food dinner on the way, and sitting in an uncomfortable chair for four hours listening to the sage on the stage - the instructor - spout wisdom at you. Nope. Instead, you can head home, kiss the kids and your spouse, eat dinner and help with the dishes and then head to your computer when you want, log on, and access the lesson as you see fit.

An accelerated bachelor's degree program may or may not be fully online. You might have to head to a classroom after work or for a full day on weekends. But the bottom line is your journey to a college degree is accelerated - you'll receive it in less than the four years a traditional college degree takes. Depending on where you are in your studies (perhaps you took some college courses back in the day) you often can use those credits toward your bachelor's. Therefore, the work necessary to complete an adult education degree will take less time. Many accelerated bachelor's degree programs will have you walking to "Pomp and Circumstance" in two years - or less!

Adult students can earn accelerated online bachelors degrees or masters degrees at Duquesne University's School of Leadership and Professional Advancement. The academic programs are suited for adult online learners, including those who are already established career professionals. For more nformation, visit Duquesne University online at leadership.duq.edu.