Education Expert Touts a Three-Year Degree

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Tips Weight Loss of 10:03AM March 27, 2010

Saving 25% of college costs is something that is understandably appealing to many, including students, parents and the US Congress. Happily, there exists a good example of a long-running very successful 3-year degree program proving that a high-quality university education can be delivered without any diminution of academic content.
In 1996, Southern New Hampshire University completely redesigned its 4-year business administration major so that it could be delivered in six semesters instead of eight. No summer-school or inter-sessions are needed. This competency and outcomes-based 120 credit honors program has proven to be very attractive especially since it lowers the cost of a university education by 25% for both the student and the university.
See http://tomprofblog.mit.edu/2009/05/12/947-highly-successful-3-year-degree-program-graduate-10th-class-in-may-2009/

Robert Seidman of NH 8:35AM January 11, 2010

In the past some universities used to use the quarter system where 3 quarters would be the equivalent of 2 semesters. I believe the University of Pittsburgh still uses such a system today. Currently most undergraduate degrees at universities are 120 credits, so if a student takes 12 credits per quarter and attends during the summer then he or she could graduate in as little as 2.5 years. A part-time student (6 credits per quarter) would take 5 years to graduate. Most traditional universities offer very few classes during the summer and the opportunity cost of their facilities being idle is tremendous. They should operate year round.
Another option would be to allow the best high school students to attend college during their senior year in high school. The states could help the students by paying the universities the cost savings by not having them attend high school. So most would get reduced tuition.
The American education system is broken. It was designed during a very different era when students were needed during the summer to help with the family farm. It needs to be redesigned for the information age.

Andy of FL 10:41PM November 08, 2009

As a current college student, I would like to challenge the concept of the "Quality Graduate" under the current system.
Given the lack of specific direction innate in modern four-year degree programs, the consistency of Quality of graduates is variable at best. What I hear time and again from both education and industry is that the average college graduate is a real crap-shoot. They'll either be perfect as a new hire or fired within six months.
College degrees are no longer a marker of quality and insinuate nothing more than the degree receiver's ability to "stick with it" for four years (or more) and not give up when it gets rough.

Wil of CO 12:30AM November 06, 2009

In this fast-paced world I think this is a brilliant idea. Education is now primarily the gateway to the workforce and professional life, rather than focusing on liberal arts for the sake of stretching the mind. Higher education is financially more burdensome than in previous generations and much of the administrative and even teaching process is by Internet...a radically different place than even 20 years ago. I advocate beginning with high school so that it is only a 3 year traditional requirement at most while making the 4th year a hands on experience whether volunteer or working as the alternative to a classroom setting. I believe this would lessen the drop-out rate while better preparing all students for the "real" world, learning about themselves and applying new practical daily skills.

Chayadina of IL 2:08PM October 18, 2009

My son will be able to graduate in three years from UC San Diego thanks to AP credits and two community college classes taken during high school summers. He started UC with 60 credits -technically a sophmore - from the AP credits. He knows he wants to go to grad school so three years is a good fit for him and a big savings for us.

Ang of CA 11:47PM October 11, 2009

I have mixed thoughts on this. A liberal education is extremely useful in any career path one might choose. And by liberal education, I don't mean reading Marx, I mean a basic education in a wide variety of subjects, including the arts, humanities, mathematics and science. A good liberal education could, and maybe even should, be achieved in high school, but that would require a massive reform in secondary education, which would require a massive reform in primary education, before cutting a year off a degree would be able to produce the same quality graduate.

Tim of CO 2:14PM October 08, 2009

The tendency on my part is to agree. However, I wonder just how it would work. There are too many variables involved.
I graduated 51 years ago. I'm not aware of the changes that have been made since then. Back then we had two semesters per year. In my first semester, I discovered that my councelor was no help. From then on I simply studied he catalog and planned my own course. I also worked. The G.I. Bill money just baresly paid my child support.
I don't know how or why so many schools or students consider 12 units as a full schedule. I think that is nonsense. In my day, it would have required 20 units per semester to graduate in three years.

FRANK LITTLE of CA 11:19PM October 07, 2009

Education should be course oriented to reflect the actual needs and ambitions of a pupil, i.e., a minimum and recommended number of courses to become an auto mechanic, accountant, lawyer, etc.
Whether three years or four years or seven years for a Ph.D, education expands to fill the time available. Easily the most inefficient thing we suffer in life. The system is designed for educators, that they may have a certain number of hours of gainful employment, and for human resource directors, that they may separate applicants by class. The education itself is usually forgotten within minutes of graduation due to its irrelevance.

Tony Hart of CT 11:38AM October 07, 2009