From the Virginia Mercury: Higher education leaders in Virginia and Ohio announced... that they will join forces to create a model for three-year bachelor’s degrees, cutting the traditional timeframe of obtaining the credential by one year. The move reflects Virginia’s strategic plan to better align higher education with student and employer needs and increase affordability. Currently, the laws in Virginia and Ohio require at least 120 semester credit hours to earn a bachelor’s degree. By spring 2028, participating institutions are expected to propose two 90-credit degree programs.
If successful, the 90-credit undergraduate degree would likely require legislative action, depending on how programs are structured. “Virginia’s higher education institutions continue to lead the way in innovation, demonstrating a statewide commitment to ensuring higher education delivers on its value proposition to students and families,” said Scott Fleming, the State Council on Higher Education for Virginia’s executive director... “Colleges and universities throughout the country are already offering three-year degrees, but there is no national model. This effort will create new pathways for students to pursue their life and career goals while ensuring a rigorous education experience,” he added...
Full story at https://virginiamercury.com/briefs/virginia-joins-initiative-to-create-three-year-bachelors-degree-model/.
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From MassLive: Massachusetts students can now earn a bachelor’s degree in just three years, following a... by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. Suffolk University and Merrimack College are the first Massachusetts institutions to receive approval from the state to pilot reduced-credit bachelor’s degree programs. “The focus shouldn’t be on the inputs, the focus should be on the outcomes,” said Board Member Alex Cortez. “What we’re trying to do ultimately is create effective pathways that are options for students to achieve their ambitions and their priorities as they individually define them, not us.”
The board voted 10-2 to approve both programs, with one member abstaining. Suffolk in Boston will offer a 94-credit pilot bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration and Innovation. Merrimack in North Andover will pilot 96-credit bachelor’s degrees in psychology, communication, criminal justice and business administration. Each reduced-credit degree will include general education requirements and fewer elective courses.
Three-year bachelor’s degrees, which typically require around 90 credits instead of the standard 120, remain a subject of debate in higher education. These programs allow students to complete their degree without summer classes. To some higher education leaders, the reduced-credit bachelor’s degree is needed to attract more students as the value of higher education faces scrutiny and sticker prices continue to climb. But others fear it will create a two-tiered system of learning and won’t be accepted by employers and graduate programs, putting those students at a disadvantage...
Full story at https://www.masslive.com/education/2026/06/students-can-now-complete-a-3-year-bachelors-degree-in-mass-heres-where.html.
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