The First 3-Year Degree Programs Win Approval

[Ares]

The First 3-Year Degree Programs Win Approval (Inside Higher Ed)

Three-year bachelor’s degrees are coming to Brigham Young University–Idaho and affiliated Ensign College next year [2024], following approval of the truncated programs by an accrediting body. By eliminating electives, BYU-Idaho will bring five three-year programs online in April: applied business management, family and human services, software development, applied health, and professional studies. Ensign will offer two such programs: communication and information technology. [...]

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities approved the seven programs—each of which requires between 90 and 94 credit hours instead of the standard 120—at its June meeting and sent a formal approval letter late last month.

I have not heard much about this discussed here and it is already being advertised by BYU Pathway Worldwide for April 2024. Thoughts?

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I also found this press release from APU about their own 3-year bachelor's program.

American Public University System Launches Accelerated Bachelor of Science Degree in Cybersecurity as Part of "College in 3" Initiative

American Public University System (APUS) today announced it will offer an accelerated Bachelor of Science Degree in Cybersecurity, in connection with the College in 3 Exchange. Students can register for the three-year bachelor's degree starting in April 2024. [...]

"We are excited to be among the first universities to offer a 90-credit bachelor's degree under this innovative approach with the College in 3 Exchange," said Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, [...]

The accelerated degree has been approved by both the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. [...]

Under the accelerated program, students will take the same required cybersecurity courses they would in a traditional program – with the same program outcomes. Only electives have been eliminated from the three-year, 90-credit program.  

Eliminating electives makes sense if you want to realistically accelerate it and if more colleges move to this style of degree that is only 30 more credits instead of 60 needed to finish past an associate's degree.