Augustana University will offer a “Degree in 3” program beginning in Summer and Fall 2024 — a straightforward pathway for students to complete certain academic programs in three years instead of four.
With Degree in 3, students can earn a bachelor’s degree in three years in accounting, business administration, chemistry, elementary education, management, multimedia entrepreneurship, nursing or sport management.
“Degree in 3 might mean that a student is simply completing a single major or making use of summer classes,” said Dr. Joel Johnson, interim provost. “But, if time is their most important consideration, sometimes money as well, and they want to get through in three years, we're working on ways to show them that it's possible.
“We're trying to look at that whole universe of students who might be interested in Augustana, and say, ‘We can tailor fit our education to you.’”
Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management Adam Heinitz ‘99 noted that, in recent years, Augustana has had a number of students successfully complete a shorter degree plan. Degree in 3, he said, is an intentional and formal way to highlight and scale what Augustana has already been doing on a student-by-student basis.
Johnson said the idea for Degree in 3 originated from conversations between the Offices of Enrollment and Academic Affairs as they discussed feedback from potential students and how to make an Augustana education a reality for more students. The program, Johnson said, will appeal to students for whom finances are a concern or those who would like to get into a profession a little faster.
“We know there is demand for our graduates, and this is yet another way we can meet our community’s growing workforce needs,” Heinitz said.
The Degree in 3 program will also appeal to students looking to jump into their professions a little faster with a master’s degree. Degree in 3 offers graduate programs in accounting, business administration, education, nursing and sports administration & leadership.
“For example, we have a 4+1 MBA program, but if you are really time-conscious and want to get through quickly, there are ways to make it a 3+1 — meaning (after) high school, four years later, you have your MBA,” said Johnson. “That's a pretty powerful thing to come away with.”
The Degree in 3 program involves collaboration between many people and departments on campus — program directors, deans, department and division chairs, the Division of Student Affairs, Student Success Center and Office of Financial Aid. This includes working out course sequencing, summer course availability, financial aid for an accelerated bachelor’s degree, as well as student support, housing and dining during the summer months.
“The Degree in 3 program really changes the equation on affordability for students, allowing them to not only spend less on their college degree, but also enter the workforce as one of our highly sought-after graduates with strong earning potential a full year ahead of a majority of their peers,” Heinitz said.
Augustana faculty and staff are also working to build additional support into the program for students. This includes the possibility of a cohort model for students experiencing Degree in 3 together, as well as creative gateway courses for students taking advantage of their first summer after high school graduation to take college-level courses.
“The traditional 4-year degree involves the student developing as a person, so if you accelerate that, you want to make sure that you're not losing that opportunity and development,” Johnson said. “That's part of the support we're building and figuring out how we make sure that students after three years are ready for that life beyond.”
Johnson said that for those who worry that Augustana is trying to become a 3-year university, this is not the case.
“For the vast majority of our students, a 4-year degree is the right fit,” said Johnson. “For a variety of reasons, they want to have two or three majors and study abroad, or they want to do a long internship. For them, four years is still the sweet spot. But, there are some students who are currently not choosing Augustana who might really be tempted by some of these accelerated options.”
Johnson also noted that just because a student comes in on a 3-year track doesn’t mean they’ll only stay for three years. With Augustana’s abundance of study-abroad and research opportunities, student organizations, and new and developing academic programs, Degree in 3 students may realize that they want to take advantage of that traditional fourth year. However, the Degree in 3 program will be a well thought-out option for students continuing on an accelerated path.
As the program rolls out, Johnson said he’s most excited to see the students who Augustana has been missing out on because of perceived barriers — time, cost, etc. He is hopeful the program will seal the deal with students who may not have considered the university previously.
“We've become quite a nimble campus over the past few years — we made it through COVID-19, with all kinds of changing and pivoting to help address the needs of students and the broader world,” said Johnson. “This is the next big venture to see if Augustana will appeal to people as being the right investment, and I think it will.”
To learn more about the Degree in 3 program, visit augie.edu/DegreeIn3.