A degree that opens doors

Advance your career with an online associate degree program built around you. Plus, earn a resume-building career certificate along the way to reach your goals faster.

Degree features

  • Approximate length

    3 years or less

  • Cost

    Pre-paid by Amazon

  • Transferable credits earned

    60

  • Format

    Online

  • Including

    Career Certificate

A Revolutionary Way to Earn a College Degree

Let’s face it: most college degree programs aren’t built for working adults. Rigid course schedules just don’t fit your busy life, and it can take years to see the benefits to your career. That’s why Outlier has partnered with Golden Gate University (GGU) to modernize the college experience and help working students like you earn a high-quality degree online, on your schedule. Plus, you’ll earn a job-ready certificate in the first year so you can level up your career faster.

Find your degree

Choose from 3 programs in popular majors to achieve your academic and career goals.

Designed with Amazon in mind

  • Get more out of your Career Choice benefits

    At $149 per credit, we make it easy to turn your Career Choice benefits into an accredited college degree.

  • Made for working
    adults

    Part-time courses with lectures, quizzes, and interactive learning tools that are available to you 24/7.

  • Flexible course
    load

    Our degree programs give you the power to adjust the number of courses you take according to your seasonal workload.

Golden Gate University

The bridge to your future

For over 120 years, GGU has been offering career-advancing degree programs, and it is ranked in the top 10% of colleges for quality (Source: College Factual). As a non-profit university, their goal is to make high-quality education available to everyone who wants it. Degrees+ students are welcome to visit campus in the heart of San Francisco.

Degrees accredited by

WASC - Accrediting Commission for Schools

Built-in Career Certificates

Develop in-demand skills that you can put to work. With each associate degree, you’ll also earn a career certificate of your choice within your first year— to help you take your career to the next level even sooner.

  • Career
    certificate by

    Project Management

    Discover how to manage projects efficiently and effectively, using traditional and agile methods.

    $73,000+ Median salary in project management

    Source: Burning Glass

  • Career
    certificate by

    Cybersecurity Fundamentals

    Build your foundation in global cybersecurity and learn how to use IBM software to solve complex security problems.

    $102,000+ Median pay for info security analysts

    Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

  • Career
    certificate by

    Front-End Development

    Learn how to build beautiful websites as a career, from coding interactive pages and creating page layouts to preparing for technical interviews.

    $104,000+ Average salary for front-end developer jobs

    Source: Glassdoor

  • Career
    certificate by

    Back-End Development

    Learn in-demand programming skills, like Python Syntax and MySQL, and how to confidently use code to solve problems.

    $119,000+ Average salary in back-end developer jobs

    Source: Glassdoor

  • Career
    certificate by

    IT Support

    Learn the foundations of networking and operating systems or how to solve problems using code.

    $52,000+ Median salary in IT support

    Source: Burning Glass

  • Career
    certificate by

    Sales Operations

    Learn the fundamentals of Customer Relationship Management and how to effectively leverage data through reports and dashboards.

    $72,000+ Average salary for sales operations specialists

    Source: Glassdoor

  • Career
    certificate by

    Data Analytics

    Learn job-ready skills that are in demand, like how to analyze and process data to gain key business insights.

    $74,000+ Median salary in data analytics

    Source: Burning Glass

  • Career
    certificate by

    Sales Representative

    Learn how to generate and nurture leads, then analyze the effectiveness of your sales tactics and customer service with data reporting.

    $66,000+ Average salary for sales representatives

    Source: Glassdoor

  • Career
    certificate by

    UX Design

    Learn the foundations of UX design, including empathizing with users, building wireframes and prototypes, and conducting research to test your designs.

    $92,000+ Median salary in UX design

    Source: Burning Glass

  • Career
    certificate by

    Social Media Marketing

    Learn how to grow an engaging social community and run effective advertising across all the major social media platforms.

    $50,000+ Average salary in social media marketing

    Source: Glassdoor

  • Career
    certificate by

    Digital Marketing & E-Commerce

    Learn to manage digital marketing campaigns, attract and engage customers, and sell products online.

    $51,000+ Median salary in digital marketing and
    e-commerce
    Source: Burning Glass

  • Career
    certificate by

    Bookkeeping

    Learn how to work through the phases of the accounting cycle to produce financial statements that inform key business decisions.

    $41,000+ Median salary in bookkeeping

    Source: Glassdoor

Degrees+ now enrolling for the September 2023 term

Priority deadline: June 29, 2023

Start my application

A student experience unlike any other

  • Futuristic learning, today

    Experience cinematic on-demand lectures, interactive evidence-based learning tools (no textbooks), and 1:1 advising to help keep you moving forward.

    Learn on your own schedule, with lectures and course materials available 24/7, plus weeklong exam windows.

    We’ve hand-picked brilliant and approachable lecturers from top schools like MIT, NYU, and Harvard, so you know you’re getting the best education possible.

  • We’ve got your back

    Need support?

    Your personal Advisor will help you stay on track. 1:1 tutoring is included with all math and writing classes, and instructors will make themselves available for regular office hours to discuss anything on your mind. Plus, each course includes discussion channels for classmates to ask and answer questions, discuss the material, and network.

  • Everyone learns differently

    So we built evidence-based tools to support all kinds of learners:

    • Adjustable playback speed: Speed up or slow down lectures like your favorite podcast app.

    • Searchable transcripts: Search for a word or topic and jump right to that chapter.

    • Mastery grading: Take quizzes up to 5 times and pick your best score.

    • Guided notes: We’ve pre-taken lecture notes so you can focus on the lecturer, not your notepad, but we’ve left a few key details blank. (It’s proven to help you retain what you learn.)

Learn from the best

  • “Maybe this will be an opportunity to get extra excited about the things that we can build together. To share together. To make something more accessible to somebody else in the world.”

    Xanda Schofield, Ph.D.

    Also teaches at Harvey Mudd College

    Computer Science I

  • “I became a teacher because at some point I was a student and I had teachers who changed my life. They taught me that ideas matter and that I could find my voice and could make a mark.”

    John Kaag, Ph.D.

    Also teaches at UMass Lowell

    College Writing I, Intro to Philosophy

  • “The discomfort of not knowing the answer is temporary. You will get there. I want this math course to give you the opportunity to change your relationship with math.”

    Kelsey Houston-Edwards

    Also teaches at University of Tübingen

    College Algebra, Precalculus

  • “I think astronomy can teach us a lot about who we are as people and what our place not only in the larger universe is, but our relation to each other as well."

    Michelle Thaller

    NASA

    Intro to Astronomy

Frequently asked questions

  • Yes, you'll be able to complete your Degrees+ courses anywhere in the universe with wifi and a laptop or desktop computer. (Tablets and cell phones do not meet our requirements.) Learn on your own schedule with streaming pre-recorded lectures and interactive course materials available 24/7, plus weeklong exam windows so you can choose the time that’s right for you.

  • Amazon’s Career Choice program is available to all full- and part-time blue badge employees, including: all hourly non-exempt FC, CS, corporate, AWS, Amazon Fresh Stores, Amazon Books, Amazon 4-star, Amazon Pop Up, Amazon Go, and certain retail and eligible subsidiary associates. Subsidiaries include A9, A100, A2Z, Audible, Brilliance, ComiXology, CreateSpace, Fabric.com, Goodreads, Amazon Pharmacy, Shopbop, and Woot.

  • All US students age 13 or older with a high school diploma or equivalent (GED, CHSPE) are eligible to apply, except for residents of: Alabama, Arkansas, D.C., Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, US Commonwealths (Puerto Rico, Upper Mariana Islands), and US Territories (Guam, American Samoa, US Virgin Islands). We also welcome international students (with TOEFL or equivalent).

    Applying is simple: no SAT/ACT needed, and no interviews. Complete your application in just 15 minutes, and get a response in less than 2 weeks!

  • We’re all about flexibility. If you’ve got a need for speed, you can go from orientation to graduation in as little as 20 months full-time (with no breaks). If part-time study is more your speed, the program could take 2-4 years to complete. Our enrollment counselors can help you map out a schedule that meets your goals and fits your life. No matter what you choose, your advisor will help you stay on track to graduate by your goal date.

  • We have 3 terms a year (each 15 weeks long), starting in Spring, Summer, and Fall. Be sure to apply by the deadline for each term.

  • We make it easy for you to transfer credits, so you can pick up where you left off. Golden Gate University will accept up to 45 transfer credits to count toward the associate degree, including 12 credits for previous military service or work experience. Our enrollment counselors will help you track down your transcripts from up to 5 institutions and ensure you get the most transfer credits possible.

  • To confirm your enrollment and ensure your registration is tracked through the Career Choice program, you will need to provide your unique Amazon Payment Request. To request your Payment Request, visit your account at www.AmazonCareerChoice.com.

    You must submit your Payment Request before your enrollment is confirmed. If the Payment Request is not submitted by this date, you will lose access to the course material and  will be dropped from the course.

  • Yes, degrees from Golden Gate University are fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and nationally recognized by the US Department of Education.

    Accreditation matters! It shows that schools are providing high-quality learning and demonstrating continual self-improvement. And it means the credits you earn will have a higher level of acceptance at other schools across the US, so you have more options for the next step on your academic journey.

  • Absolutely. Every school approaches the transfer process a little differently, but rest assured, Outlier-earned college credits have successfully transferred to hundreds of institutions, including Harvard, NYU, and many more. No matter where you decide to go next, we’re here to advise you, advocate for you, and guide you through the entire process.

    If you'd like to continue at Golden Gate University, we make it even easier. With a Degrees+ GPA of 2.5 or higher, you're guaranteed acceptance into any GGU bachelor's degree program—and you’ll get a 30% tuition discount! Your close family will be eligible for a 20% discount on undergraduate and graduate degree programs too.

  • No textbooks or additional materials are required! Everything you need for Degrees+ is included within our custom learning management system.

  • A 14-week standard course has an estimated 10-20 hours/week time commitment. This includes watching the recorded lectures, using the interactive textbook, completing practice sets to test your learning, and taking the section quiz.

  • Tutoring sessions will be scheduled to maximize compatibility with students’ schedules and availability. Exams and writing assignments (when applicable) are each open to take for a set window of time (usually several days); however, all other course materials are available to you from the time the course opens through the end of the final exam window.