I can tell you from personal experience it takes years of hard work, doing required research papers and then a formal thesis to get a Masters' Degree from an accredited university. There is no shortcut to academic excellence. People who claim they can do it in two or three years are kidding. It took me the full seven years, plus a granted one semester extension, to complete the requirements. I don't claim to be a Doctor but I can claim to have legitimate academic credentials. The question naturally arises: why can't government employees?
There is one legitimate trick that some schools do allow. Get two advanced degrees at the same time. I earned a masters in economics at the same time as I earned another in history. Its tricky to find two disciplines where enough course work overlaps but it can be done with the help of a sharp mentor and an assit from the school.
Still it took nearly all of my time over a 5+ year period to accomplish it and I was doing it nearly full time.
People who claim they can do it in two or three years are kidding.
You weren't enrolled in liberal arts or education were you?
Oh, they can claim them, they just don't all deserve them.