SIS Global Scholars Program

Three-Year Bachelor’s Program Creates Concern With Students

Students at American University are concerned with the effects of the new three-year Bachelor of Arts program at the School of Service of International Studies.

Caroline Smith, current senior at American said, “It takes away from college experience most people anticipate.”

Students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland typically have three years to complete B.A. programs, as three-year programs are the typical models at the University of Cambridge and Oxford University in England.

Currently schools in the United States are looking at three-year B.A. programs for students to complete.

American University is joining other schools by creating a three-year B.A. program for the school for the Service of International Students. The three-year BA program is called the Global Scholars Program, which will start in the fall of 2011.

The Global Scholars Program is a test program, which will admit 25 students into the first class. The students admitted into the three-year BA program work towards a degree in international relations in three years, instead of four years, with an opportunity to complete a B.A. or either an M.A. in four years. The program is also a test program as other schools may adopt three-year programs if this program is successful.

Associate Dean Marie Cowles, said, “ (The Global Scholars Program) was an act of different sources. The Provost office knew of other three-year B.A. programs at other schools. And the person who took the lead (for the Global Scholars program) was Leeanne Dunsmore.” Dunsmore looked at other models in the country and made sure the program at American University was a quality program.

The Global Scholars Program is designed too so that students participate in core-required courses in a Global Scholars cohort during the first year. According to the Global Scholars website, students are required to take certain classes including certain general education requirements.

Additionally, students are required to live in a residence hall the first year of study with other participants in the Global Scholars Program, as part of a living learning community. This living learning component is important and participants will not be allowed to live in other living learning communities such as the honors community although participants will be allowed to be apart of the honors program. Students can also study abroad to American University or the Service of International Studies Study Abroad programs during the summer between the first or second years.

Interim Faculty Director, Sarah Knight, said, “This program has all the requirements of a four year program, it’s not different in that sense.”

Participants can also conduct research, intern abroad, and study a new language in the second or the third year.

The Global Scholars program is conducted in a sense that students can “enjoy tailored co-curricular experiences such as mentoring by your Global Scholars program director and alumni, focused sequential career development and advising, and undergrad research opportunities, including presentation at research conferences,” according to a brochure for the Global Scholars Program.

Three-year B.A. programs have several benefits as the programs help to save college students tuition, as most college programs cost up to $40,000, according to a Washington post article, Colleges Consider Three-year Degrees to Save Undergrads Time, Money.

According to Dean Goodman, Dean for SIS, “the total cost for students will be about $8,000 less and students will save on living expenses.” Goodman also said, ”there are additional expenses and revenue for the summer however this will be an efficient cost of university revenue. Student’s family would save a lot of money.” According to financial aid, a students financial aid will not be affected, a student will just receive financial aid for 3 years instead of four.

Also, grad school admissions does not think a three-year B.A. program will affect a students ability to apply or to participate in a graduate school program.

Additionally, three-year B.A. programs help students save time in their undergraduate studies.

Although there are several benefits to a three-year B.A. program students are concerned with the effect a program like this can have on the college experience for students.

One concern is this program will take away from student activities. Brianna Hurley, sophomore at American University, said, “The college experience will be a rush to complete within three years and this will take away from college activities.”

Some student activities a three-year B.A. program could interfere with are athletics. Steve Jennings, Head Coach for Field Hockey, said in an email, “Without knowing any real details of the new three year program I would say while it could be difficult for athletics, it could also allow us to have a distinct advantage over other universities as student athletes may decide to begin work on their masters in year four. In essence a student athlete could get athletic scholarship money to help them through their bachelor's degree and half of their masters, which is in itself a big incentive. As always the true effect remains to be seen.”

Basketball is another sport that could be affected by a three-year degree. Jeffery Jones, head coach for men’s basketball, said, “ …It could create potential problems in a patriot league school.” Jones was not sure if the patriot league would allow a student to receive a graduate waiver if a student wanted to participate in graduate school during the student’s fourth year.

However, as a three-year bachelor’s degree may be difficult, Mark Davin, head coach for men and women’s swimming and diving said, “three years is no big problem at all, it may be a bit of a disadvantage since students may not have the ability to compete in their fourth year.” Additionally, Davin said, “studying abroad in the summer does not affect a students ability to participate in swimming, everyone does it in the summer.”

Students are also concerned with the affects the Global Scholars Program may have on a student’s general education courses as although students are required to take general education courses, there are specific courses students are required to take.

Hurley said, “The program takes away from the purpose of a liberal arts school and the program takes away from the purpose of the general education program.

The living component also concerns students as Heather Ginsberg, junior at American University said, “I wouldn’t want to live with students taking classes with it affects students social experience affects how students meet new people.”

Other schools with B.A. programs include Hartwick College on Oneonta, New York who launched its 3-year B.A. program in February 2009. Also, Bates College in Maine and Ball State University in Indiana.

And Purdue University’s College of Technology in Indiana announced a two-year bachelor’s degree, which is aimed at educating unemployed auto and manufacturing workers.

There have been failed attempts to the three-year B.A. programs as only five students chose the three-year program at Upper Iowa University when it was offered several years ago.

Currently students are being chosen for this program through the early decision process and the deadline regular decision is January 15.

Knight said, “There was nothing like this when I was in college. I did not know what my major was going to be. I probably would not have participated in a program like this. However, there are students who know what they want to do, (students who have a) crisp focus.” These are the students who are right for this program.