Is competency-based education easier than a traditional degree?

No, competency-based education is not necessarily easier than a traditional degree. CBE changes how you progress, not what you learn. The academic standards for our competency-based format are the same as in our traditional format. However, instead of earning grades based on assignments, quizzes, or exams scheduled throughout a term, you'll make progress as you demonstrate your understanding of clearly defined competencies and outcomes.

How do you earn a degree through competency-based education?

You earn a degree through competency-based education by demonstrating that you’ve mastered the required skills. Rather than progressing on a set schedule, you move through your coursework by showing that you understand and can apply the knowledge and skills you’ve developed. You’ll progress at your own pace, meeting clear milestones with structure and support. Once you complete the required milestones and successfully pass your assessments, you can move on to your next course.

Is a competency-based degree respected by employers?

Yes, a competency-based degree can be respected by employers when it comes from an accredited university and meets established academic standards. With Fast Track, you’ll learn career-relevant skills leading to the same credential as our traditional learning format, and your diploma doesn’t indicate which learning format you chose.

Do competency-based programs have deadlines?

While certain requirements may apply, competency-based programs typically do not have regular deadlines. Instead, you’ll move through coursework at a pace that fits your learning needs rather than following a structured week-by-week schedule.

Is competency-based education accredited?

Yes, competency-based education can be accredited. Institutional accreditation applies to the institution and includes approvals to offer certain methods of educational delivery. DeVry University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org . The University’s Keller Graduate School of Management is included in this accreditation. DeVry is approved to offer competency-based education.

How long does a competency-based degree take?

The time it takes to earn a competency-based degree depends on how quickly you’re able to move through your coursework. For example, with Fast Track, you could earn your MBA in as little as one year when you maintain consistent enrollment and meet the requirements for accelerated completion. 1 . . Your pace may vary depending on factors such as your work schedule, learning style, and previous experience with the subject matter. A realistic amount of learning time is about 10 to 20 hours per week when taking 2 courses, but you may find yourself moving quickly through familiar material and spending more time on topics that are new to you.

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What Is Competency-Based Education and How Does It Work?

By DeVry University

Sept 28, 2026

6 min read

Competency-based education (CBE) is a learning format where you progress through your program by demonstrating your knowledge and skills in clearly defined areas known as competencies. CBE doesn’t change what you learn, the academic standards you meet, or the credential you earn. Instead, it changes how you move through the program, allowing you to progress as you show mastery of what you’ve learned instead of on a set schedule.

How competency-based education works

With competency-based education, your coursework is built around clearly defined competencies. You’ll work through lessons that introduce key concepts and build your understanding of the topics through resources such as videos, podcasts, readings, and knowledge checks. You’ll then apply what you’ve learned through activities designed to reinforce your skills.

As you progress, graded competency assessments measure your ability to apply what you’ve learned through projects, case studies, and other scenarios that reflect workplace situations. Once you show you’ve learned the required skills, you can move forward in your coursework.

DeVry-Keller Fast Track, our self-paced competency model, puts this approach into practice. In our Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) program with the Fast Track learning format, for example, each course is organized around 3 competencies. Each competency includes lessons, a nongraded activity to help you practice the concepts, and a graded assessment to demonstrate your skills. You’ll have access to rubrics up front so you understand expectations, and faculty provide feedback within 72 hours to help guide your progress.

Competency-based education vs. traditional education: What’s the difference?

CBE and traditional education both provide comprehensive ways to earn a degree. They simply take different approaches to how you progress through your coursework, not what you learn.

While a traditional learning format follows a structured schedule, a competency-based education model like Fast Track combines flexible pacing with structured milestones to help you move through your coursework at a pace that fits your learning needs. Both formats include faculty guidance, student support, and the same academic requirements.

Here are how the 2 formats compare to help you decide which fits your goals, schedule, and learning preferences:

	Competency-based learning format	Traditional learning format
Progression	Advance by showing that you’ve mastered clearly defined skills.	Advance by completing courses over a fixed academic calendar.
Pace	Move through coursework at a pace that fits your life.	Follow a structured week-by-week schedule with established deadlines.
Format	Develop career-relevant skills through applied learning.	Complete coursework and learning objectives on a predetermined timeline.
Assignments & tests	In each course, complete various lessons and activities, then demonstrate your skills through 3 comprehensive competency assessments.	Complete weekly assignments, discussions, quizzes, and exams. Courses generally conclude with a comprehensive final exam.
Tuition model	Subscription-based	Per credit hour
Length of period/session	16 weeks	8 weeks

Use our Fit Finder to find out which learning style is right for you.*

Fast Track Intro Content

Take our fit finder tool to see if Fast Track is right for you! Answer a few questions about your goals and learning style to find out which learning style suits you best

Fast Track Result Content

You're a Good Fit for our Fast Track learning format!

A flexible learning format may be a strong fit for you.

Based on your responses, you may do well in a format that gives you more control over your pace and schedule. This option is designed for students who are comfortable working independently, balancing multiple responsibilities, and moving forward as they master new skills.

You’ll still have structured milestones and support from faculty and mentors to help you stay on track. .

Request info Retake

Traditional Result Content

You're a Good Fit for the Traditional learning format!

A more structured learning format may be a strong fit for you.

Based on your responses, you may benefit most from a learning experience with structured schedules, regular deadlines, and ongoing instructor guidance. This format provides a clear weekly pace designed to help you stay organized and focused.

You’ll still have flexibility while following a more guided academic path.

Request info Retake

*Fast Track is currently only available for our MBA program. Additional programs will be available soon.

What competency-based education at DeVry is not

Competency-based education is not a shortcut to a degree or a way to bypass academic standards. It’s a different way of progressing through your coursework with the same academic expectations and credentials as the traditional learning format.

Fast Track is not learning without support

Fast Track offers flexible pacing with structured milestones and support along the way. You’ll have access to faculty coaching, advisors, tutoring resources, live lessons, and other academic resources to help guide your progress. Plus, advisors proactively check in to help you stay on track.

Fast Track is not easier than a traditional degree

Competency-based education changes how you demonstrate your progress, not what you learn. The academic standards remain the same, and you’ll show your understanding through clearly defined milestones, applied learning activities, and assessments designed to measure your knowledge and skills.

Fast Track is not a different or lesser credential

The learning format you choose does not change the degree you earn. If you choose to complete your program with our Fast Track learning format, you’ll earn the same DeVry-Keller credential as you would through our traditional learning format.

Who competency-based education works best for

Competency-based education can be a good fit for working adults who need flexibility to balance education with work, family, and other responsibilities. Your experience counts, too. Fast Track lets you build on what you already know while developing new, career-focused skills.

Fast Track may be for you if you’re:

A working professional managing a career while pursuing education
A parent balancing work, family, and your educational goals
Building on prior experience and don’t want to relearn what you already know
Ready to advance your career by upskilling and preparing for new opportunities
Interested in switching to a new field and pursuing a new career path

Explore competency-based learning at DeVry

Earn your degree faster with our flexible, self-paced Fast Track format.

Learn more about Fast Track

FAQs:

No, competency-based education is not necessarily easier than a traditional degree. CBE changes how you progress, not what you learn. The academic standards for our competency-based format are the same as in our traditional format. However, instead of earning grades based on assignments, quizzes, or exams scheduled throughout a term, you'll make progress as you demonstrate your understanding of clearly defined competencies and outcomes.
You earn a degree through competency-based education by demonstrating that you’ve mastered the required skills. Rather than progressing on a set schedule, you move through your coursework by showing that you understand and can apply the knowledge and skills you’ve developed. You’ll progress at your own pace, meeting clear milestones with structure and support. Once you complete the required milestones and successfully pass your assessments, you can move on to your next course.
Yes, a competency-based degree can be respected by employers when it comes from an accredited university and meets established academic standards. With Fast Track, you’ll learn career-relevant skills leading to the same credential as our traditional learning format, and your diploma doesn’t indicate which learning format you chose.
While certain requirements may apply, competency-based programs typically do not have regular deadlines. Instead, you’ll move through coursework at a pace that fits your learning needs rather than following a structured week-by-week schedule.
Yes, competency-based education can be accredited. Institutional accreditation applies to the institution and includes approvals to offer certain methods of educational delivery. DeVry University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org. The University’s Keller Graduate School of Management is included in this accreditation. DeVry is approved to offer competency-based education.
The time it takes to earn a competency-based degree depends on how quickly you’re able to move through your coursework. For example, with Fast Track, you could earn your MBA in as little as one year when you maintain consistent enrollment and meet the requirements for accelerated completion.¹

Your pace may vary depending on factors such as your work schedule, learning style, and previous experience with the subject matter. A realistic amount of learning time is about 10 to 20 hours per week when taking 2 courses, but you may find yourself moving quickly through familiar material and spending more time on topics that are new to you.

¹Assumes student is enrolled in 3-4 courses per period, applies 9 hours of prior learning credit, and maintains consistent enrollment with no breaks. Normal time does not include breaks and assumes 3 semesters of year-round, full-time enrollment in an average of 6 credit hours per semester per 12-month period. See more about program costs on our tuition page.

The information presented here is true and accurate as of the date of publication. DeVry’s programmatic offerings and their accreditations are subject to change. Please refer to the current academic catalog for details.