College students are shaving a year off their bachelor’s degrees and saving as much as $20,000. Critics say they’re ‘cutting corners’
Three-year bachelor’s degrees have spread to 26 states as colleges look for ways to make higher education cheaper and faster.
Giles Sims, a laid-off web developer, decided to enroll in a three-year bachelor's degree program after being passed over for jobs due to the lack of a college degree. With financial responsibilities, he found the three-year program less daunting than the traditional four-year option. Ensign College, a private school in Salt Lake City, recently updated its bachelor's degrees to require fewer classes than the traditional four-year degree.
This trend of condensed programs has gained popularity, with 26 U.S. states now offering at least one reduced-credit, three-year bachelor's degree, according to RAND. Advocates argue that these programs address the college affordability crisis and benefit non-traditional students, while critics express concerns about narrowing students' learning, confusing employers, limiting graduate school options, and creating challenges in fields requiring state licenses.
The American Association of University Professors views these programs as "cutting corners" that devalue the significance of a college credential.
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