My university is proposing to offer shorter degrees. Others should follow suit.
Preview:
Colleges should offer three-year bachelor’s degrees as a way to cut costs, shorten time to completion, and give students a faster path into the workforce. Rising tuition and the opportunity cost of a fourth year weigh heavily on families, and many students already arrive with dual enrollment or AP credits that could make an accelerated timeline realistic. Institutions willing to redesign curricula around a three-year structure could improve affordability and completion rates without sacrificing academic quality, and many European systems already operate this way.
Originally published: October 23, 2026
Author: Linda G. Mills
Position: President
Institution: New York University
Published by: The Washington Post