In many countries, undergraduate degrees focus on one area of study and take three years. But in the U.S., students are expected to take a series of courses across the arts and sciences before they choose their major. This process is supposed to take four years, though many students need more time. An op-ed in Inside Higher Ed reviews the history of the three-year degree, and argues that U.S. students would save money, get better grades and receive better teaching under such a system. Lou Matz offers an argument in Inside Higher Ed. (May 2023)
Is It Time for the US to Offer 3-Year Undergraduate Degrees?
FILE - In this May 5, 2018, file photo, graduates at the University of Toledo commencement ceremony in Toledo, Ohio.