In the near future I will introduce legislation that will give bachelor’s degree granting institutions in Pennsylvania the option to offer a three-year bachelor’s degree.

Typically, a bachelor’s degree requires 120 credits and four years to complete. We should take a thoughtful look at whether all required coursework in various degree programs is essential for job readiness and whether students should have to pay thousands of dollars or take on more debt for coursework that may not be necessary.

Nationally, colleges and universities are already moving in this direction. Just recently, Ohio passed legislation requiring each state university to establish a 90-credit degree program for in-demand careers by the 2027-2028 academic year. States currently offering three-year reduced-credit bachelor’s degrees include Indiana, Utah, Massachusetts, Maine and others.

This legislation will not mandate three-year degrees or specify which bachelor’s degree programs must be eligible but instead would allow each institution to explore the option based on their resources, operations, stakeholder input and accreditor approval. It will also have no adverse impact on state financial aid, including Grow PA.

Employers will benefit from strengthening and accelerating the workforce pipeline, institutions can improve retention and completion rates and attract working adults who may be deterred by the traditional four-year commitment, and students can save time and money while gaining the opportunity to begin earning full-time wages sooner, boosting their lifetime earnings.

Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to help make higher education more affordable and accessible in Pennsylvania.