NYU Plans Three-Year Bachelor’s Degrees in Nursing and Hospitality

New York University (NYU) plans to offer three-year bachelor’s degrees in nursing and hospitality, its president Linda Mills has said, making it one of the most prominent US universities to back shorter undergraduate degrees. Mills set out the proposal in a Washington Post opinion article published on 23 October 2026.

NYU will seek authorisation from the New York State Education Department and then begin to solicit student interest in fall 2027, according to Forbes. The four-year degree will remain the university’s main offering.

What Is NYU Proposing?

Mills wants to start NYU’s three-year initiative, roughly 90 credits rather than the usual 120 or so, with two professional bachelor’s programmes where students often have workplace experience and where the curriculum centres on hands-on training: nursing, and events management and hospitality.

Citing a large projected shortage of nurses in New York, she wrote: “A three-year bachelor’s would not alter any nursing-focused curriculum or any of the general-education degree components.” For hospitality, another field short of trained staff, reducing the number of required electives would speed up completion with no impact on job readiness, according to Mills.

Mills acknowledged that “the four-year bachelor’s degree is a cornerstone of American society” and said it would “continue to be the mainstay of what NYU offers across an array of disciplines”. She added: “Universities must evolve. NYU always has.”

Do Students Already Finish Early at NYU?

Yes, in some cases. Mills noted that one in seven NYU undergraduates already finishes in less than four years, helped by Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate credits earned at school. The university also already runs some accelerated programmes, including a three-year bachelor of fine arts in dance.

How Common Are Three-Year Degrees in the US?

At least 70 US colleges and universities now offer or are considering three-year bachelor’s programmes, according to the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, cited by Forbes. The idea has existed for years but struggled because of limited student demand, faculty concerns that shorter degrees are inferior, and resistance from accreditors.

That is starting to change. Forbes reported that the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities was the first accreditor to approve three-year programmes, with other regional accreditors following. Backing from a prestigious private university such as NYU is seen as a sign that the model is gaining ground.

• Proposed programmes: nursing; events management and hospitality.
• Length: three years, roughly 90 credits.
• Next step: New York State authorisation.
• Student interest: to be sought in fall 2027.
• Wider trend: at least 70 US institutions offering or considering three-year degrees.

What Could This Mean for Students?

Shorter degrees could cut a year of tuition and living costs and let graduates start work sooner, which matters as the cost of US higher education keeps rising. Critics worry about less time for broad learning, so students should check how any accelerated programme affects licensing, graduate study and employer recognition.

For students in the UK and elsewhere, three-year bachelor’s degrees are already the norm. If you are weighing options abroad, see our guides on how to study abroad and how to find and win scholarships, and our report on the National Student Success Project.

Featured image: NYU’s Elmer Holmes Bobst Library in New York, by Ajay Suresh / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Sources

• Forbes — New York University President Proposes Offering Three-Year Bachelor’s Degrees (24 October 2026).
• The Washington Post — Opinion: Colleges should offer three-year degrees (23 October 2026).