New programs help students save time, reduce costs, and enter the workforce sooner.
Ensign College now offers 3-year bachelor’s degrees on campus. The degrees in communication and information technology , recently approved by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), are designed to require approximately 90 credits. Ensign College and BYU-Idaho were the first institutions in the nation to offer three-year bachelor’s degrees online through a partnership with BYU-Pathway Worldwide.
As the average cost of higher education continues to increase, access is challenging for all, but particularly for first-generation students and students from underserved populations. Ensign College’s new degrees require fewer credits than the traditional 120-credit, four-year bachelor’s degree and are designed to be completed in just three years. The 3-year bachelor’s degrees maintain high-quality programming and will continue to include the important and foundational general education and major courses in all academic areas.
Ensign College has designed academic programs so that every credit earned carefully prepares students to develop workplace skills and the characteristics employers seek. Students will save as much as a full year with a 3-year bachelor’s degree. Less time and fewer credits mean lower tuition costs and faster entry into the workplace, all of which translate into less debt upon graduation.
Ensign College employment partners have expressed overwhelming support for the degrees. “The development of every course relies heavily on input from employers in the industry,” said Tim Sloan, Academic Vice President of Ensign College. “By combining our expertise in applied curriculum design with program advisory boards, we ensure that graduates are prepared with real skills that are valued by employers.”
A September 2025 study by Tyton Partners reveals that 72% of students (and 73% of parents) consider a 90-credit bachelor’s degree as valuable, if not more valuable, than a traditional 120-credit degree. 1 These degrees, fully accredited by NWCCU, meet the same education outcomes and satisfy requirements for consideration in most graduate programs.
While Ensign College already provides one of the least expensive degrees in Utah, 3-year bachelor’s degrees are the latest innovation to help students get into the career they want while reducing the likelihood of accumulating debt. “A 2024 study by The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) showed only one-third of public bachelor’s-granting institutions are affordable,” says President Bruce C. Kusch. “Ensign College is committed to reducing the cost and time needed for a student to gain a college education while gaining the skills and experience that will expand their job and career opportunities.” 2
Ensign College develops capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ through affordable and practical education that builds career-ready skills, facilitates global connections, and inspires growth and personal transformation.