CSU system opens pathway for 3 new, reduced-credit degrees. What to know
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- CSU Board of Trustees approved B.Ed., BPS and BAS degree types at its Long Beach meeting.
- New degree types will facilitate creation of reduced-credit programs.
- Goal is to create flexible pathways for diverse learners and address workforce needs.
For the first time in more than thirty years, the California State University system added new bachelor’s degree types to its academic offerings this week. At its meeting in Long Beach, the CSU Board of Trustees voted to create a Bachelor of Education, a Bachelor of Professional Studies and a Bachelor of Applied Studies.
Designed to meet the needs of working adults and returning learners, the new degree types provide the framework for creation of condensed programs that require fewer credits than traditional models. This move, officials said, is part of the system’s efforts to create flexible learning pathways to expand access to college education to a diverse set of students while also addressing California’s workforce needs.
“These new degree pathways will help more Californians access an affordable, rigorous and relevant bachelor’s degree that supports upward mobility, workforce success and thriving communities,” Vice Chancellor Junius Gonzales said in a statement Wednesday.
With the California Education Code amended to include the new degree types, the CSU’s 22 campuses can now begin designing career-focused undergraduate programs to fit into them.
The Bachelor of Professional Studies degree will emphasize leadership, management, communication and applied problem-solving in professional contexts, CSU officials said. While a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree typically requires 120 semester units, professional studies programs could be developed in reduced-credit formats of 90 to 119 units.
The Bachelor of Applied Studies degree will focus on the practical application of technical or occupational skills. It will target students with backgrounds in technical or vocational fields, especially those with Associate of Applied Science degrees. Applied studies programs too will be available in a reduced-credit format of 90 to 120 units.
The Bachelor of Education degree will provide academic preparation for teaching jobs at elementary and secondary schools in California and complement existing pathways to the profession.
Up until 1982, California state colleges and universities offered the Bachelor of Education degree. However, when the state adopted increased requirements of post-baccalaureate credentials for teachers, the degree lost some of its utility and was eventually discontinued. Now, in the face of chronic teacher shortages and with the state’s investment in academic programs that allow students to simultaneously earn a bachelor’s degree and teaching credential, the degree has regained its relevance, officials said. Education programs could also be offered in reduced-credit formats of 90 to 119 units.
All three degree types are already available at other universities in the nation. Professional studies programs are offered at the University of Kansas and Syracuse University, for example. Applied studies programs are available at the University of Iowa and the University of Pennsylvania. Schools including the University of Toledo and Regent University in Virginia offer Bachelor of Education programs.
Following the design and approval of the new programs at CSU campuses, the earliest the added degrees may be offered will be in Fall 2027, officials said.
