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Dear Colleagues,
I'm writing to you today about 90-credit applied bachelor’s degree programs, the subject of considerable regional and national engagement over the past two years among universities and systems seeking to offer innovative learner pathways while ensuring that quality and rigor remain foundational to everything they do.
Our primary accreditor, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), has approved 90-credit programs at Merrimack College in Massachusetts, Plymouth State University in New Hampshire, and Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island. We expect other institutions in New England and beyond to seek approval for programs of their own imminently.
I first addressed 90-credit programs with faculty and staff during my spring 2024 visits to our universities. Subsequent discussions have occurred among faculty, students, staff, and System and university leaders in a variety of contexts.
At their January 13 meeting in Portland, the University of Maine System (UMS) Board of Trustees authorized the development of up to five 90-credit applied bachelor's programs (total) as a pilot cohort focused exclusively on adult degree completers.
As some of you may already know, development and approval of 90-credit programs in our System will entail four steps:
- Authorization by our trustees (secured this month, as noted above).
- The creation of programs by interested faculty in accordance with established, regular UMS curricular processes as articulated in our policies and administrative practice letters (APLs).
- Confirmation from the state of Maine.
- Approval by NECHE.
I will be sharing updates on this important work with trustees and presidents throughout the semester, and with you during my spring visits to your universities. I have also asked Vice Chancellor St. John to share updates with your faculty senates and assemblies, Board of Trustees faculty and student representatives, the UMS Faculty Governance Council, the provosts, and others.
I expect to send you another message on this subject in the spring. In the interim, I look forward to following progress made in this arena as we seek to reach adult learners with accessible, affordable, high-quality 90-credit programs.
Regards,
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