Since you asked nicely rather than assume or jump to conclusions with derision and snarky-ism, here's why.
A wife, two kids, and working nights. It was 3 years when I was getting ready to defend my thesis the upcoming summer. Then got an offer in a phone call in February to go into a SCEP (student career experience program that I signed up and completely forgot about it) which required 640 hours of work (two summers work) along with the completion of a degree would I get into a permanent "guaranteed" federal position. It's their way of investing in new and potential employees. A good program. A common program for undergrad and grad students. The only caveat was that you have to be a fulltime student. I took up the offer. They paid my 2 years of additional fulltime schooling while I completed the SCEP requirement. I actually had enough credits for two M.S. degrees (55 credits altogether) if I had another thesis to defend (no way). It actually took me 5.5 years, the 4 years was the span of time I did my thesis work. So, no, I didn't retake any courses nor did I fail any, either. My initial M.S. for first two years was geophysics (I love it!) before changing over to geology (hydrogeology) for tactical reasons and career potential in the geo/hydrology field once I graduate. I simply invested in myself and believed.
Enough of the naysayers. You know who you are. (not you alex, you had the courtesy to ask appropriately).
