DENVER — Affording a college degree is a challenge for some Coloradans, but now the University of Denver has a new program that could help.
DU is officially launching the state’s first reduced-credit bachelor’s degree to help students finish faster and at a lower cost.
“We should see savings, both in terms of cost and in terms of time, depending on how a student chooses to fund their education,” DU College of Professional Studies Dean Bobbie Kite said.
DU said this program is aimed mainly at older adults and students who have already started college but want a quicker way to get their degree.
"Our average age student for the Bachelor's completion program that we have now is 38 so this is a student who started school, and a little bit here and there, and they're just ready to finish that out so they can get that next promotion or a career progression," Kite said.
The Accelerated Bachelor’s of Professional Studies cuts required credits from 180 down to 136 quarter hours. That will save students about a year in time to graduate, depending on transfer credits.
“It could be as quickly as about a year and a half or a year. It could extend to about two and a half to three years. In our Bachelor's completion program, we do see most students completing between two and a half and three years,” Kite said.
When it comes to money, DU said each credit hour is around $600. So, this program could save students more than $26,000, at the highest, for a degree, depending on where they are at in their credits and degree path.
“Because we're a Bachelor's completion program. It really depends on how many credits they're transferring in, but you're thinking about a degree that is about a year less,” Kite said.
The university said financial aid will still be available.
University leaders said they know more students are questioning the cost and time commitment of higher education.
“When students are going to plan out their career now, they're in a different situation than they were 10 or 15 years ago. So, they are looking to finish faster. They are looking to have less out of pocket cost,” Kite said.
But DU said employers are still prioritizing career-ready skills and college degrees.
“When employers think about what's coming from a Bachelor's degree, they're kind of seeing just Bachelor's degree. What they're really interested in is to know that that employee that's coming to them is career ready,” Kite said.
The program is set to launch this fall beginning with a degree in Information Technology. There are plans to expand into other fields next year.
“I think it's a response to the market demand. We've been moving in this direction of career readiness and aligning the degrees more and more with what employers are looking for, while integrating the things that come with a traditional education and it's just kind of come together,” Kite said.
Only about 60 colleges nationwide offer this type of program and DU is the first in Colorado. The state Department of Education is considering similar programs at other public universities in the future.
“The University of Denver is excited to be the first educational institution in the State of Colorado to offer this,” Kite said.
For more information on the reduced-credit degree program, click here.
