One of the best things you can do before or right after enrolling in an online programme is build a complete degree plan. This is a roadmap showing every course you need, when you’ll take it, and how long the whole thing will take.
A lot of students skip this step and end up wandering through their programme, taking courses out of order, or discovering too late that they need a prerequisite they missed.
Once you’re enrolled (or sometimes during the application process), your school will provide a degree audit. This document shows every requirement for your degree and what you’ve already completed through transfer credits.
If you haven’t enrolled yet, look at the programme’s curriculum page. Most schools publish a complete list of required courses.
STEP 2: SORT YOUR REQUIREMENTS INTO CATEGORIES
Most bachelor’s degrees have:
General education requirements (English, math, science, social science, humanities) — usually 30–45 credits.
Major or core requirements — usually 30–60 credits depending on the field.
Electives — the remaining credits to reach 120 total.
STEP 3: IDENTIFY PREREQUISITES
Some courses require you to complete another course first. For example, you can’t take Statistics II without Statistics I, and you probably can’t take upper-level courses in your major without completing introductory courses first.
Map out these dependencies so you don’t accidentally lock yourself out of a course.
STEP 4: FIGURE OUT YOUR PACE
How many courses per term can you realistically handle alongside work and life?
One course at a time: Slow and steady. A full degree takes 5–6 years at this pace.
Two courses per term: This is what most working adults do. Plan for 3–4 years depending on transfer credits.
Three or more: Aggressive. Doable if you have reduced work hours or strong support at home. Plan for 2–2.5 years.
For competency-based programmes like WGU, the pace is entirely up to you. Some students complete 30–40 competency units per term.
STEP 5: BUILD THE TIMELINE
Create a simple spreadsheet or document with:
Each term (Semester 1, Term 2, etc.)
The courses you’ll take each term.
Cumulative credits after each term.
Expected completion date.
Leave some buffer. Life happens. A sick kid, a busy season at work, or just needing a mental health break can push things back by a term.
STEP 6: REVIEW WITH AN ADVISOR
Most online schools have academic advisors. Share your plan with them and ask them to flag any issues. They can catch things like course availability problems (not every course is offered every term) or prerequisite conflicts.
Trello or a similar kanban board where each card is a course.
Your school’s degree audit tool (most have one built into the student portal).
Google Calendar with blocks for study time.
It also helps you make smart decisions about credit-by-exam. If you see that you need Introduction to Sociology and you already know the material, you can CLEP it instead of taking the course.
Share your degree plan strategy below — or ask for help building yours.
A lot of students skip this step and end up wandering through their programme, taking courses out of order, or discovering too late that they need a prerequisite they missed.
HOW TO BUILD YOUR DEGREE PLAN
STEP 1: GET YOUR DEGREE AUDITOnce you’re enrolled (or sometimes during the application process), your school will provide a degree audit. This document shows every requirement for your degree and what you’ve already completed through transfer credits.
If you haven’t enrolled yet, look at the programme’s curriculum page. Most schools publish a complete list of required courses.
STEP 2: SORT YOUR REQUIREMENTS INTO CATEGORIES
Most bachelor’s degrees have:
General education requirements (English, math, science, social science, humanities) — usually 30–45 credits.
Major or core requirements — usually 30–60 credits depending on the field.
Electives — the remaining credits to reach 120 total.
STEP 3: IDENTIFY PREREQUISITES
Some courses require you to complete another course first. For example, you can’t take Statistics II without Statistics I, and you probably can’t take upper-level courses in your major without completing introductory courses first.
Map out these dependencies so you don’t accidentally lock yourself out of a course.
STEP 4: FIGURE OUT YOUR PACE
How many courses per term can you realistically handle alongside work and life?
One course at a time: Slow and steady. A full degree takes 5–6 years at this pace.
Two courses per term: This is what most working adults do. Plan for 3–4 years depending on transfer credits.
Three or more: Aggressive. Doable if you have reduced work hours or strong support at home. Plan for 2–2.5 years.
For competency-based programmes like WGU, the pace is entirely up to you. Some students complete 30–40 competency units per term.
STEP 5: BUILD THE TIMELINE
Create a simple spreadsheet or document with:
Each term (Semester 1, Term 2, etc.)
The courses you’ll take each term.
Cumulative credits after each term.
Expected completion date.
Leave some buffer. Life happens. A sick kid, a busy season at work, or just needing a mental health break can push things back by a term.
STEP 6: REVIEW WITH AN ADVISOR
Most online schools have academic advisors. Share your plan with them and ask them to flag any issues. They can catch things like course availability problems (not every course is offered every term) or prerequisite conflicts.
TOOLS THAT HELP
A simple spreadsheet works great.Trello or a similar kanban board where each card is a course.
Your school’s degree audit tool (most have one built into the student portal).
Google Calendar with blocks for study time.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Without a plan, it’s easy to drift. With a plan, you can see exactly how many courses stand between you and graduation. That visibility keeps you motivated on hard days.It also helps you make smart decisions about credit-by-exam. If you see that you need Introduction to Sociology and you already know the material, you can CLEP it instead of taking the course.
Share your degree plan strategy below — or ask for help building yours.