The Chronicle Checks in on Wesleyan’s Three-Year Degree Program

With the first official cohort of students following a three-year path a BA having graduating this spring, The Chronicle of Higher Education checked in on the program, which was first announced in 2012. Fifteen of Wesleyan’s 799 graduates last month finished their degrees in six semesters.

While a few students have always graduated early, the university announced in 2012 that it would provide support for students who wanted graduate in three years, which could reduce the price of a degree by about 20 percent.

“I just wanted to make the three-year path more visible and more normal,” President Michael Roth told the Chronicle. While he expects the program to continue to grow as it becomes more visible, he said it’s not for everyone. “I don’t think a ton of people will want to do it, because they like being here.”

The university began offering summer courses in 2010, and winter courses in 2014 at a reduced rate to help students earn credits at an accelerated rate. Most students pursuing the three-year degree also bring in Advanced Placement credits from high school, and take extra courses during the regular school year.

The Chronicle interviewed Holly Everett ’15, a molecular biology and biochemistry major, who graduated with her original class but took a year off in the middle to conduct research outside of Wesleyan. Also featured was Tian Qiao, an international student from China who graduated in three years with two majors and a minor. In addition to his course work, he was chair of the Chinese Cultural Committee, performed with the Chinese Musical Ensemble, and worked two jobs on campus.

Read the full article here (available to on-campus visitors, and those with a subscription to the Chronicle of Higher Education).