New UMass Amherst Pilot Program Offers Three-Year Path to a College Degree, Saving Students Thousands of Dollars
Oct. 1, 2010
| Contact: | Ed Blaguszewski 413/545-0444 |
AMHERST, Mass. - High-achieving students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst can now save thousands of dollars and accelerate their career path by earning an undergraduate degree in three years through a new pilot program.
Starting this fall, three-year degree programs will be available to first-year students majoring in Economics, Music and Sociology, and future plans call for creating this option in Linguistics, Dance and Spanish.
"At UMass Amherst, we believe it is our obligation as the Commonwealth’s flagship institution to explore new alternatives for students, especially in these times of financial duress," said UMass Amherst Chancellor Robert Holub. "This accelerated degree program is a rigorous one, but the financial benefits are obvious: not only will students save the cost of an entire year of tuition, fees, room, board and books, but they will also have an additional year of employment earnings after graduation."
The program is best suited for students who enter UMass with a number of Advanced Placement (AP) credits from high school, take at least a full load of courses each term, and devote time to classes during at least one summer. The academic departments involved have outlined the ideal course of study for students, making certain that course offerings are sequenced properly over a three-year period. They will provide specific advising support for accelerated degree students.
Creating a Three-Year Path
Most degrees at UMass Amherst require 120 credits, or 15 credits per semester to graduate in four years. The path to a three-year degree can vary. For instance, a student with 12 AP credits could get a degree in three years by averaging 16 credits per term and earning 12 credits in summer sessions. Having more AP credits or taking a larger course load during the academic year would reduce the number of summer credits needed.
Students pursuing this path can save thousands of dollars, when taking into account the cost of summer courses compared to a full year of additional study. For 12 credits of summer instruction at UMass, a student would pay $4,236 (or $353 per credit). Most students take summer courses online, providing the option of living at home and earning money at a summer job. For Massachusetts residents, the cost of attending UMass Amherst for a full academic year totals $20,546, including $11,732 in tuition and fees and $8,814 for room and board.
James Staros, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, said, "This is an outstanding option designed for students very focused on their goals and studies. There are no shortcuts here. This is a demanding path to a full-fledge undergraduate degree. This approach saves students a considerable amount of money and creates superb opportunities. These graduates can choose to enter the workforce earlier, use the extra time to prepare for graduate school or even take a year off to travel and explore the world, their savings in hand."
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