Yavapai College in Prescott, AZ is poised to become the first community college in the US to offer a 3-year bachelor’s degree. Provided the program receives the approval of the Higher Learning Commission, which accredits Yavapai College, it will begin accepting students in Fall 2025.
The HLC recently approved 3-year bachelor’s degrees. Yavapai College intends to test the waters with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Business degree. The program is expected to deliver 92 credit hours of instruction for enrolled students.
The move is designed to help students complete a bachelor’s degree in less time and at a lower cost than traditional four- or five-year programs. The Yavapai College Board of Trustees approved the proposed curriculum last month. Next, the college will submit the offering to the HLC for accreditation.
Yavapai College currently offers a four-year bachelor’s degree in business. That curriculum includes concentrations in Accounting, Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Organizational Management. The college has a two-tiered tuition rate. For courses numbered 200-level and below, district residents pay $108 per credit hour. For classes at the 300- and 400-levels, district residents pay $162 per credit hour. Additionally, students who enroll in more than 12 credits receive credits 13 and above at no cost.
3-year bachelor’s degree creates competitive challenge
Michigan law restricts the kind of bachelor’s degrees that community colleges can offer. Currently, five Michigan community colleges offer bachelor’s degrees. Permitted fields of study include cement technology, maritime technology, energy production technology, and culinary arts. Northwest Michigan College issues the highest number of bachelor’s degrees in maritime-related fields. Combined, these five schools typically issue 50-75 bachelor’s degrees each year.
Given the legal restrictions on community colleges, it’s unlikely that Michigan’s community colleges will pursue 3-year bachelor’s degrees anytime soon. However, the new degree option offers a competitive advantage to community colleges. By adding another year to an existing two-year program, students could earn a bachelor’s degree through an accredited program at a fraction of the cost of four-year degrees.
Yavapai College’s plan would allow students to earn a 3-year degree for about $12,000. That compares to about $70,000 for a traditional four-year degree. Ultimately, the unrestrained cost of a four-year degree will put pressure on state legislatures (including Michigan’s) to expand the list of permitted fields of study for which community colleges can issue bachelor’s degrees. After all, why should a Michigan student commit to spending $70,000 or more to earn a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university, when other states permit their community colleges to offer 3-year bachelor’s degrees for less than one-fifth of the cost? It will not be long before Michigan students choose to leave the state to take advantage of these low-cost bachelor’s degrees.
Photo Credit: Alan Levine, via Flickr
