Degree hacking: online programs let adults finish degrees in weeks

Touted as a flexible path for working adults, accelerated online degrees let students earn bachelor’s in months rather than years and some master’s in weeks, with examples like a North Carolina HR executive finishing a bachelor’s in four weeks after two months of self-study and a master’s in five weeks for about $4,000; educators worry this 'degree hacking' undermines credential value and integrity, while supporters say it lowers cost and time barriers.