The University of Kansas is offering a three-year path to a bachelors degree.
The Degree In Three program is a partnership between KU, six school districts and three community colleges. Students will begin earning college credit in high school. They will then be able to complete an associates degree in one year at one of the partnering community colleges and finish their final two years at KU.
Lowering the number of years to earn a degree and, subsequently, the number of years paying tuition can greatly reduce the cost of higher education for a student and is one of the primary motivators for the program. It originally started about three years ago, but KU and its partners decided to have a formalized version of the program start this fall.
Missouri students can also use the program to pay the equivalent of instate tuition at KUs Edwards Campus in Overland Park.
The program is also being a pitched as a way to avoid the headaches and uncertainty of getting colleges to accept transferred credits.
Its heartbreaking to see a student come from high school or come from the community college and have taken the wrong classes, Carolyn McKnight, director off community engagement and business development at KU, said. These streamlined programs provide students the opportunity to really focus on their careers.”
The institutions partnering for the program are:
Blue Valley CAPS
Kansas City Kansas Public Schools Diploma+
Olathe 21st Century Academies
Shawnee Mission Signature Programs
Southland CAPS
Summit Technology Academy
Johnson County Community College
Kansas City Kansas Community College
