University of Tennessee announces new credit-hour pathway
University of Tennessee will soon offer a new credit-hour pathway for students, as the UT Board of Trustees has endorsed a 90-credit-hour degree option as opposed to the traditional 120-credit-hour format.
The UT endorsement follows the pathway’s establishment by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which opened an avenue for schools to offer reduced-credit undergraduate degrees — allowing for programs with fewer than the traditional 120 hours while maintaining academic quality and rigor.
“The 120-credit-hour standard has become the default, but that does not mean it is the right answer for every student, every employer or every workforce need,” a Tennessee Press Service release read on the shift. “As costs rise, workforce shortages grow and students ask if there is a faster, more affordable path to an in-demand career, we have a responsibility to lead with new solutions.
“And, if students can graduate with 25 percent fewer credit hours, by definition that means they can graduate with 25 percent less debt, enter the workforce sooner and begin earning income earlier.”
Faculty will lead the work at UT, partnering with employers to make sure students gain the knowledge and skills they need for the careers Tennessee needs most, per the release.
These 90-hour degrees will be offered over three years as opposed to four, and they will be available across the system's five campuses, presenting an alternative route for students to earn a diploma in Tennessee.
“By focusing on what matters most and building high-quality degree programs that match what employers need, we can help students reach those careers with fewer barriers,” UTK alumnus Alisa Subhakul said in the release. “The potential impact is substantial.
“The traditional 120-credit-hour degree will continue to play an important role at UT, but it should not be the only option,” she added. “Just because a standard, the Carnegie unit, has been around for more than 100 years, it doesn’t mean it is the right fit for every workforce need today. This is about being more innovative, removing unnecessary barriers and giving students more choices.
“We’re not replacing existing degrees. That is a meaningful shift for students, for employers and for the future of our state. That’s the kind of progress that will power the greatest decade in UT history.”
That decade continues this fall, as UT will welcome students for classes starting Monday, Aug. 17.
For more Back to School information, check the Wednesday, July 29, edition of the farragutpress.
