Most office drones gunning for promotion often realize that higher responsibilities require a certification of competency. The standard testimonial of talent is that classy diploma embossed with a golden ivy league seal. Got a Master’s degree? Great! You can move into that corner office at the penthouse. Otherwise, you’re stuck in the backroom watching hotshots with MBAs traipse past you.

So you decide to take your master’s then.  But wait. It’s not that simple. A master’s degree takes 9 months at the least, costs an arm and a leg, and tends to eat into your working time. What’s a corporate slave like yourself to do then?

Simply. Take an online degree. It’s cheap, enriches your knowledge,and molds around your schedule.

There are quite a number of online universities out there, like the famous Rushmore University,  California Southern University, University of Phoenix, and the gold standard-  NorthCentral University. These are superb universities and afford the student utmost time flexibility and a well-honed course content. Expect to pay up to $25,000 a year for top tier Unis like NorthCentral.

But what if you don’t have that kind of money?

Then check out Breyer State University. It is a favorite of quite a few of my associates.

Breyer State University offers a comprehensive line up of online degrees ranging from business to counselling. Courses can be as practical as an Associate degree or rigorous as a doctorate. To date, the school offers about a hundred training programs conducted by Ph.Ds from other universities.

Here’s a typical course outline from Breyer State University’s Doctor of Business Administration:

Courses are conducted fully online, involving a virtual classroom, online tests and video teleconferencing. Assignments are submitted via email. There is no need to actually set foot in their headquarters at Alabama.

And here’s the best part: each course within a degree can cost as low as $550- well within the reach of most blue collar workers. A whole degree can take up to 3 years and cost only $5000 to $7000- well below the $10,000 most other online universities charge.

How do they get away with such unbelievable tuition? While the school insists that it’s because distance learning costs less, I believe it’s because Breyer State University lacks Regional Accreditation. That’s the gold standard of any decent school. Instead, what the college has is simply  a state license from Alabama as well as private accreditation from the Association for Innovation in Distance Education. This drives down its power to charge any higher.

I’ve asked around and scores of employers recognize the innovative curriculums of this school. That means if you’re gunning for promotion but strapped for time and cash, Breyer State University may be your best option.

So what’s the downside? While corporate entities recognize Breyer State University, many regionally accredited universities do not. A degree from this college may be viewed as deficient when applying for transfer credits at, say, Harvard University.

Reviewer: James R.