NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Tennessee education officials have paved the way for colleges to create bachelor’s degree programs that could be completed in three years and approved two new academic programs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission on Thursday finalized its approval process for Focused Baccalaureate Degrees, which may allow academic institutions to develop programs requiring as few as 90 credit hours to meet growing workforce demand while reducing student debt.
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Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, who also serves as the Vice Chair of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, has supported the idea in a series of op-eds as a way to boost enrollment and access to better paying jobs.
The commission also approved two new programs for the state’s flagship university: a Bachelor of Arts in Civic and Constitutional Thought and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design.
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The first four-year program of its kind in the state, the industrial design program will prepare students at UT Knoxville for careers supporting industries like manufacturing and healthcare. According to the commission, the Civic and Constitutional Thought program will teach skills that can transfer across multiple fields like government, law, education, public relations, and management…