Texas must study three-year college degree options, Gov. Abbott says

The Satellite
1

Any thoughts?

I asked Google AI if anyone offers them, as I wasn’t aware of any. Here’s what I got…
Reduced-credit 3-year bachelor’s degree programs are currently offered across 26 U.S. states and by a growing number of specific pioneering colleges. These programs require about 90 credits instead of the traditional 120 credits by cutting electives rather than adding summer classes. [1]

Pioneering Institutions

  • Ensign College and Brigham Young University-Idaho: Offer fully online, 90-credit degrees through Ensign College in fields like IT and business.
  • Hawai’i Pacific University: Offers a 3-year Bachelor of Science in Global Business.
  • Johnson & Wales University: Offers accelerated online and campus options in computer science and hospitality.
  • Northwood University: Participates in the “College in 3” exchange with applied science degrees.
  • University of Maine System: Approved accelerated online programs for adult learners. [2]

State Initiatives

  • Programs now operate across 26 states, including Utah , Indiana , North Dakota , Massachusetts , and Iowa .
  • States like Virginia , Ohio , and Texas are actively developing or expanding public 3-year pathways .
  • Users on r/ApplyingToCollege share a consensus that traditional universities like Purdue also provide accelerated paths for specific majors. [1, 3, 4, 5, 6]

If you’d like, let me know:Your intended major or field of study (business, computer science, liberal arts, etc.)Whether you prefer online or in-person classesI can help you find a specific 3-year program that fits your goals.

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.metaintro.com/blog/three-year-bachelor-degrees-26-states-employer-view

[2] https://www.aacrao.org/news/the-new-three-year-bachelor-s-degree-in-the-u-s-a-series/

[3] Texas must study three-year college degree options, Gov. Abbott says

[4] https://www.highereddive.com/news/virginia-and-ohio-join-effort-to-design-3-year-bachelors-degrees/824033/

[5] https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/1c64b76/us_joins_rest_of_world_and_will_offer_3_year/

[6] https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/more-colleges-ramp-up-3-year-bachelors-degree-offerings/

2

Interesting.

Hard to imagine that there would ever be an ABET accredited 3 year Engineering program though.

3

Especially since Engineering degrees were 5 year plans, at least back in the day they were.

4

Yea, and I know the CPA takes 150 hours of credit to be qualified, although some states are lowering that to 120 with extra work requirements.

5

Good idea, long overdue, but it brings up other issues.

What’s the effect with JC transfers? Will JC incorporate a one year academic study, or keep it 2 years?

If two years, will universities allow only one year of JC academics to transfer in order to require a minimum of two years at a university?

Do they intend do do away with Fr, Soph, Jr, Sr designations? Perhaps go with 1st year, 2nd yr and 3rd yr designations.

Three years is plenty if they restructure the overall curriculum to focus on core studies instead of having students take classes learned in HS.

If 3 years is adopted will athletics be revised to 4 years instead of five? If an institution requires a three year academic structure, how is five years athletic term justified?

6

I think it’s reasonable for some degrees but don’t want it broadly applied.

Also, don’t want to bare bones basics too much.

1 Like
7

Some have got 8th years of eligibility. Anything can be justified.

8

I know core classes are always a punching bag, but man…as someone who works with engineers every day, the last thing these kids need is fewer liberal arts classes. A lot of them have minmaxed on science and math for their entire academic lives to the point of near-illiteracy. Straight up lacking in language skills. Can do math with a walkthrough, but cannot think critically or creatively. Their entire lives have been optimized for “engineer = money.” And it’s only gotten worse post-AI.

7 Likes
9

Yep, agree.

10

They are four year plans, but often take more than four years to complete for a number of students.

Among Bachelor’s degrees, only Architecture is five years.

Some art schools used to have five year BFA programs, but many have started moving away from that (a good example would be the Cleveland Institute of Art).

In any event, I don’t see any ABET accredited Engineering program, or ant AIA accredited Architectute program becoming three years.

11

I thought Accounting was typically a five-year program, too. Is it not?

12

5 year program for a masters typically.

Or you take some post grad classes to get needed hours.

13

Four years for Bachelor’s.

Again, only Architecture and a shrinking number of Fine Arts programs are five years for a Bachelor’s.

14

I was an M.E. student for one year, and they advised a 5 year plan, due to the maths. It’s hard to take a lot of those courses at once, which I ignored and failed spectacularly.

15

It’s designed to be done in four.

See here:

16

And I believe you. Our very first orientation they advised against trying to finish in four.

I remember because my dad was not going to be happy with a 5 year plan, which I did anyway after switching majors.

17

Yeah, what a plan is “designed for” and what students actually do is often wildly different. i.e. my Master’s program was nominally designed for working adults to complete it in two academic years, but in reality students usually take at least three years, and it’s not unusual to see someone take five if they drop a couple courses or skip some semesters. (The actual guidance from department officials is to take one course per semester, which means a little over three years.)

18

CPA no longer requires a Masters or 150 hours in some jurisdictions (including Texas), so you will see some people forgoing the Masters.

20

Hmm…

Did undergrad in four years full time (on schedule).

Law school in three years full time (on schedule).

One Master’s in two semesters of full time study.

Three other Master’s degrees (including an LL.M) each in about 1.5 years of part time study (including summer coursework) while working full-time as a professional.