Hartwick College today announced the launch of a unique Three-Year Bachelor's Degree Program, beginning in fall 2009. Its Liberal Arts in Practice curriculum, upon which the new Three-Year Degree Program is built, combines traditional liberal arts study and experiential learning, and maintains the personalized teaching for which the College is known.
The new program is designed to cut more than $40,000 off the current cost of earning a Hartwick undergraduate degree, eliminating over $30,000 in tuition, and more than $9,000 in fees for room and board. This represents a savings to students and their families of approximately 25 percent.
Hartwick College is a nationally recognized, private liberal arts and sciences college in Oneonta, NY, with an enrollment of 1,480 undergraduates.
"This initiative responds to the national discussion about the cost and value of post-secondary education. Hartwick is looking to the future and we are committed to ensuring that students continue to have access to a high-quality liberal arts program," said Dr. Margaret L. Drugovich, Hartwick College's President. "This three-year program will deliver the same educational opportunity to qualifying students as our four-year program. We believe it is imperative for the higher education community to preserve the option of a top-quality education for any student who seeks it, regardless of the prevailing economic challenges or personal circumstances."
Unlike three-year bachelor's degree programs at other institutions, Hartwick's program is based on a two-semester academic calendar and does not require students to take classes during the summer months or complete coursework online. Those choosing the accelerated route to graduation complete the normal requirement of 120 hours of study, leading to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree by averaging 18 hours each fall semester, 18 hours each spring semester, and 4 hours during a special January Term for three years. Three-year program students will receive priority course registration and special academic advising.
Students enrolled in the Three-Year Bachelor's Degree Program will pay the same tuition for 40 credits a year as students in the school's traditional four year-program enrolled for 30 credits a year pay. In addition, with no summer school requirement, students in the Three-Year Program who need or want to work between academic years can easily do so. Having summers free also gives students a chance to participate in study abroad, collaborate with faculty on research projects, prepare for their careers with summer internships, or simply spend time with their families.
"Institutions of higher education, students, and their parents across the country are rightfully concerned about the escalating costs of securing an undergraduate degree," said Karl Mosch '69, Chair of the Hartwick College Board of Trustees. "Our Three-Year Bachelor's Degree Program is responsive to their affordability concerns, without affecting the quality of students' educational experiences."
The new program has the strong support of Hartwick's faculty. "The Three-Year Bachelor's Degree Program is not a shortcut to graduation," said Reid Golden, Professor of Sociology and a faculty advocate for the initiative. "It will give students choosing to finish in three years the same opportunities for internships, off-campus study, research, athletics, and other innovative programming that all other students enjoy. This new option provides a chance for academically talented students to gain an exceptional liberal arts education, as well as start their careers or graduate school a year earlier and at a significantly reduced cost."
Hartwick was recently ranked second in the percent of its students who study abroad by the 2008 Open Doors: Report on International Educational Exchange (Top Baccalaureate Institutions, 2006-07). Known for its longstanding commitment to experiential learning, Hartwick also provides scholarships in support of local, national, and international internships, study abroad, and student-faculty research, as well as programs for job-shadowing and service learning. In addition, nearly one-quarter of students participate in one its 17 intercollegiate athletic programs. All these benefits are incorporated into the three-year degree program.
According to Meg Nowak, Hartwick's Vice President for Student Life, students pursuing the three-year degree will be full participants in all traditional campus life activities, including residential living, study abroad, community service, leadership in student organizations, and the development of leadership skills through co-curricular involvement. "Hartwick believes the richness of its education is the result of curricular and co-curricular experiences in class, on campus, and in the community," she said.
Incoming students must graduate from high school with a 3.0 GPA average out of a 4.0 to qualify for admission to the new program. The College also will make it available to current students who meet eligibility requirements. Those accepted sign a declaration of intent to graduate in three years and pay a non-refundable $500 fee that, upon successful completion of a degree within three years, is credited to their final tuition payment. For more information, visit www.hartwick.edu/threeyearbachelors.xml.
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Hartwick College is a private liberal arts and sciences college of 1,480 students, located in Oneonta, NY in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Hartwick's expansive Liberal Arts in Practice curriculum merges traditional liberal arts study, personalized teaching, and experiential learning approaches to emphasize Connecting the Classroom to the World. Add to that a wide range of off-campus internships, collaborative research, study-abroad opportunities, and a unique January Term, and Hartwick prepares students for the world ahead. Strong financial aid and scholarship programs keep a Hartwick education affordable.
Contact: Francis Borrego
E-mail:borregof@hartwick.edu
Phone: 607-431-4465
