For Colorado adults with unfinished college credits and limited time, the University of Denver is rolling out a faster and cheaper way to finally grab that diploma.
The school is launching an online Accelerated Bachelor of Professional Studies that trims the usual requirements to 136 quarter credits, down from the traditional 180. The first version, focused on information technology, is slated to start in fall 2026 and is aimed squarely at adult learners who want to finish college without dragging it out for years.
DU says the program is designed for students who already have some college under their belt and can be admitted with at least 24 quarter hours (or 16 semester hours). More majors are expected after the initial IT track. As reported by the Denver Gazette, the idea is to speed up degree completion for adult learners and cut the time and cost of finishing a bachelor’s.
Per the University of Denver College of Professional Studies, the BPS runs on 10-week courses, can be taken fully online or in a hybrid format, and treats transfer credits as permanent, so many students can wrap up the degree in a little over a year, depending on what they bring in. The program page also spells out per-credit pricing and other enrollment details for anyone weighing the accelerated route.
The program cleared a key regulatory hurdle in January, when the Higher Learning Commission signed off on DU’s request to offer a reduced-credit Bachelor of Professional Studies in information technology at 136 quarter credit hours. The commission’s January actions list the formal approval.
Where the idea is already happening
Reduced-credit and three-year bachelor’s paths are no longer experimental. Ensign College has reworked several majors into three-year formats ranging from 90 to 96 credits, and public systems such as the University of Maine have signed off on 90-credit pilots aimed at adult learners. Reporting from Inside Higher Ed highlights how this model is spreading, especially in applied, workforce-focused fields. Ensign College details its move to three-year degrees.
What this means in Denver
DU is pitching the BPS as the only program of its kind in Colorado for now and notes that the Colorado Department of Education is weighing whether to let public institutions try similar reduced-credit options. The Denver Gazette also reported on the department’s review, which comes as DU is grappling with enrollment and budget pressures that have pushed campus leaders to hunt for new revenue and recruitment strategies. Local reporting on the university’s enrollment slide and fiscal challenges has laid out the financial backdrop for this kind of program, as per Hoodline.
Who this is for
University materials make clear the pathway is meant for adults who already have credits to transfer, not for students in licensure-heavy majors or academic research tracks. Per the University of Denver College of Professional Studies, applicants must have at least 24 quarter hours or 16 semester hours to qualify, and they are urged to confirm how their transfer credits will slot into a specific degree plan.
As more colleges test-drive shorter bachelor’s degrees, Colorado students with some college credit will have a fresh option to consider this fall. Prospective learners should review DU’s credit-transfer rules and talk with academic advisers to decide whether the accelerated Bachelor of Professional Studies lines up with their career and licensing goals.
