The Rise of Accelerated Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Utah
For many college students, earning a bachelor’s degree has traditionally meant completing around 120 credit hours over four years. However, with rising tuition costs and the time commitment required for traditional programs, more educators and lawmakers are pushing for alternatives. One such alternative is accelerated bachelor’s degree programs that require fewer than 120 credit hours.
Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz recently highlighted the potential of streamlining the process to allow students to graduate in three years instead of four, reducing the number of credit hours needed from 120 to as few as 90. This shift is part of a broader movement to make higher education more accessible and affordable.
Legislative Support for Reduced Credit Hour Requirements
House Bill 265, known as strategic reinvestment legislation, was recently passed by the Utah Legislature. It limits bachelor’s degrees at public institutions to no more than 120 credit hours, with exceptions allowed if accreditation or licensing requirements demand additional credits. This law has paved the way for universities across the state to explore new educational models.
Weber State University and Utah Valley University have taken the lead by proposing specific accelerated bachelor’s degree programs. These proposals were met with approval from the Utah Board of Higher Education, which praised the initiative as a step toward innovation in higher education.
“We’re thrilled to see Weber State University and Utah Valley University stepping forward with some of the first accelerated bachelor’s degrees in Utah’s public higher education system,” said Aaron Skonnard, a member of the board, in a news release. “These programs create additional learning options for students and faster pathways to careers.”
Benefits of Accelerated Programs
Accelerated bachelor’s degrees offer several advantages. They typically require only 90 credit hours, making them more flexible and cost-effective for students. Despite the reduced credit load, these programs maintain rigorous academic standards and focus on delivering strong learning outcomes.
The Utah Board of Higher Education’s 2024 policy made the state one of the first in the nation to allow public colleges and universities to develop bachelor’s degrees below the 120-credit-hour threshold. This move reflects a growing trend across the country to rethink traditional educational models.
Weber State’s proposed accelerated programs include sound production/recording and an interdisciplinary degree in politics, philosophy, and economics. Meanwhile, Utah Valley University’s offerings include emergency services supervision, professional advancement, and other career-focused degrees designed with high-impact outcomes in mind.
Approval Process and Future Steps
While these programs are promising, they still need final approval from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the accrediting body for Utah’s higher education institutions. Weber State’s programs have already received approval from its board of trustees, while UVU’s proposal will be reviewed in its next meeting.
“We want to meet students where they are and help them reach their goals more efficiently, without sacrificing the value of their education,” said Brad Mortensen, president of Weber State University. “These programs are another tool to help more Utahns graduate and thrive in our state.”
Astrid Tuminez, president of Utah Valley University, emphasized the university’s commitment to providing career-focused pathways that align with the needs of both students and the workforce. “By reducing time and cost to completion, we are helping more students achieve their educational goals and contribute meaningfully to Utah’s economy.”
Expanding Access Through Innovative Models
Accelerated bachelor’s degrees are not entirely new to Utah. Institutions like Ensign College and Brigham Young University-Idaho, both sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have long offered similar programs through BYU-Pathway Worldwide.
Recently, the NWCCU removed the “pilot designation” for these existing programs, allowing institutions to submit proposals for bachelor’s degrees based on student learning outcomes rather than a fixed number of credit hours. This change opens the door for more schools to adopt accelerated models.
TJ Bliss, associate commissioner for academic affairs at the Utah System of Higher Education, explained that institutions can now propose programs that meet the same learning outcomes with fewer credit hours. “If an institution can show that a program achieves the same student-learning outcomes at a lower credit level, then they will be able to bring those forward and the NWCCU will evaluate them.”
Geoffrey Landward, commissioner of Higher Education, praised the efforts of Weber State and Utah Valley University. “WSU’s and UVU’s proposed accelerated degree programs are exactly the kind of pioneering approaches to these types of degrees that we were hoping for.”
