The Salt Lake Tribune has reported that Southern Utah University has been investigating a three-year bachelor’s degree program.
In the face of rising costs, incomplete degrees and increasing numbers of students who take longer to complete their degree, it is important that our public colleges search for ways to improve student success. Delayed degrees cost students by increasing the number of enrolled semesters, slowing their entry into the professional workforce and delaying student savings for other events.
However, while a three-year program is one potential solution, we have to remember there will be trade-offs that will need to be managed. The ideal goal is for students to achieve approximately similar academic results, while addressing the causes of delay. While “gen ed” exploration courses are an easy target, the purpose of a bachelor’s degree is to provide some level of specialization, while also providing students with a broad base of knowledge. In addition, those courses are a valuable tool for students who do not know what career to pursue, or those who may change their minds.
As Utah and its universities investigate clearer paths for our students, let’s not forget the many purposes of higher education. It is not just for the piece of paper.
Landon Troester, Murray