Reinventing the Bachelor's Degree | BYU-Pathway Worldwide, Part 2

Why does a bachelor's degree require 120 credits? And what happens when an institution asks whether those credits actually represent the learning students need?In Part 2 of our conversation with Brian Ashton and Boyd Baggett, we examine the development of the three-year, 90-credit bachelor's degree offered through BYU-Idaho and BYU-Pathway Worldwide.Boyd takes us behind the scenes of a process that began years before approval: changes in accreditation standards, a growing emphasis on student learning outcomes, collaboration with the College in 3 movement, and a willingness to question assumptions built into the traditional credit-hour model.But shortening a degree isn't simply a matter of removing 30 credits. Brian and Boyd explain what had to remain, what students may give up, why the model isn't right for everyone, and why clearly defined and assessed learning outcomes are essential to maintaining quality.The conversation then turns toward institutional mission, values, AI, rapid change, and what higher education leaders will need to navigate the future.In this episode:Why BYU-Idaho pursued a 90-credit bachelor's degreeHow accreditation standards created an opening for innovationWhy the Carnegie credit hour was never designed as a measure of student learningBuilding support for the three-year degreeThe enrollment response after the new degree was announcedWhy a shorter degree cannot simply mean cutting 30 creditsWhich students benefit most—and which may notWhat students give up in a more prescriptive degree pathwayEmployer and graduate-school response to the three-year degreePreserving institutional mission while redesigning curriculumNavigating AI, changing values, and a rapidly changing worldBrian and Boyd's advice for engaging learners more effectivelyThe three-year degree raises a larger question for higher education: If students can demonstrate the learning they need in less time and at lower cost, what assumptions are we willing to reconsider?Guests: Brian Ashton, President, BYU-Pathway Worldwide; Boyd Baggett, Associate Academic Vice President for Curriculum, BYU-IdahoHosts: Michael Cottam and Vernon Smith, Engaged by DesignJoin us at www.engagedbydesign.com to learn more aboutThe Course Design Accelerator Faculty-in-the-Loop AI in Higher Education