Officials at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio have received approval to launch a new accelerated bachelor’s degree program that allows students to graduate in three years instead of the traditional four.
The program, called Lake Express, will begin this fall. Students enrolled in the track can complete a bachelor’s degree in six semesters through a streamlined curriculum that removes most elective requirements. Students must declare a major in their first semester and typically take 15 to 16 credit hours per term.
The university’s accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), approved four majors for the program: Psychology, Social Work, Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Childhood Studies, which focuses on preparing students for careers in early childhood education.
The university said the program requires about 95 credit hours instead of the usual 120. Officials explained that the reduced total does not lower academic value, but instead relies on carefully structured course sequencing and overlapping requirements between majors and minors rather than general electives.
University President Abel Chávez said the initiative is aimed at improving access, affordability, and efficiency in higher education by allowing students to graduate sooner and reduce overall costs.
SACSCOC President Stephen L. Pruitt said the program shows that innovation can be combined with academic quality and that degree requirements remain intact even in an accelerated format.
University officials also said they believe they are the first institution in Texas approved to offer a three-year bachelor’s degree program under SACSCOC standards. The change reflects a broader national trend of colleges exploring shorter degree pathways to reduce costs and improve enrollment outcomes.