The Business Division is planning to roll out a new program to help business students earn their degree in three years.

Michael Young, head of the Business Division and associate professor of business, said that he was asked by Bayard Baylis, provost, to create a three-year program. Baylis said that he was interested in such a program because the college was “looking at ways to be responsive to student needs.”  Baylis said further that the most important need of students is to “get into the workforce as quickly as possible.”  Timothy Detwiler, associate provost for traditional programming, said that it is “an alternative delivery style for students.”

Young is currently working with William Riter, associate professor of business, to create a plan that will allow it. As of right now, Young said that “the program is not set in stone.” Currently, this program will be for students with management, marketing or accounting degrees.

In order to get a business degree in three years, students would have to take classes year round, said Young. This would include taking classes in May and classes during the summer, as well as the regular semesters.

The new program is new to Cornerstone, said Baylis, but several other colleges have similar programs. Detwiler agreed saying that “other institutions have a demand for this kind of program.”

According to Detwiler, this kind of program “has been talked about for about six months to a year.” As of now, the Business Division is the only one that has such a program, but Detwiler said that “all divisions are free to be creative and do similar.”

This program would have been much harder to accomplish before the switch from B.A. to B.S. because of the increased credit requirements under the old system, said Young.

Because students take classes year round, the program costs the same as a regular four-year program. Baylis said that the only savings would come from not having to pay for room or board during what would have been the fourth year. Baylis also said that in the fourth year, students could start earning money instead of having to study.

Students who take this program are required to have already taken their required math classes. Young said that they are “working on a way for students to take the required math classes over the Web.”

The major benefit for students is the ability to get into the work force earlier. Young said that the new program would enable students to get into graduate school sooner.

The program will be rolled out this Friday at Family Orientation Day. It will take full effect this fall.

This new program will be “easier for incoming students, harder for continuing students,” said Detwiler.  Changing majors would also cause a problem, said Young.

All three agree that this new program would attract new students because of its accelerated nature.