Ten years ago, when Thomas College launched its 3-year bachelor’s degree program within the H. Allen Ryan School of Business, the Kiest-Morgan Scholar program was one of the first programs of its kind in the country. Since then, Thomas College has expanded the three-year option to all academic programs and added a +1 (one year) graduate program offering. Thomas is now still one of only a handful in the country with this degree and offers the only one of its kind in Maine.
“The three plus one program saved me well over $30,000 on my schooling compared to if I had received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in six years,” said Senior Operational Trainer at United Healthcare Kaitlyn Rourke ’18, M.B.A. ’19. “This program was a much better value-added program when compared to other schools’ offerings while providing me with an academic challenge.”
Ten years later, the 3+1 program is popular with currently 36 percent of all undergraduate students enrolled in the three-year option. Students thrive in this program, with retention rates 10 percent higher than their peers contributing to an increase in the average GPA of the entering class from 2.8 to 3.47 over the 10 years since launching the program.
At the same time the average entering class GPA has increased, the level of need for students is the same with still more than 40 percent of students qualifying as Pell-eligible.
“The three-year degree program has not made us more exclusive but more affordable, more accessible, and more aspirational,” said Thomas College Provost Thomas Edwards.
Launched in 2014 with the support of the Davis Educational Foundation, Thomas began offering high-achieving students the opportunity to complete their Bachelor’s in three years. Coupled with the Accelerated MBA, the program means the students can complete their Bachelor’s of Science and Master’s of Business in Administration degrees in four years or less.
The grant was received from the Davis Educational Foundation established by Stanton and Elisabeth Davis after Mr. Davis’s retirement as chairman of Shaw’s Supermarkets, Inc.
“Our data indicated that students could accelerate because they were already taking more early college credit in high school,” said Edwards.
The trend of early college credits to save on college costs is still popular. This Fall 2024, nearly 40 percent of the entering class at Thomas started college with close to a semester’s worth of early college credits.
“This program works, which tells us that the paradigm in higher education has shifted, and we at Thomas College realized this perhaps earlier than most. The traditional model was not the best option for students, and we recognized that,” said Edwards.
Edwards says the three-year degree program works so well at Thomas specifically because of its supportive environment.
“We attract high achieving students from underserved backgrounds who benefit from this more affordable program. Our students have the intellectual capacity and benefit from the support networks that Thomas does so well. This program is more affordable, plus gets students to their careers quicker with less debt and more long-term earning potential,” said Edwards.
“Thomas College made college affordable and realistic for a first-gen student. I didn’t have any idea what college would be like, how I would pay for it, or if I could even afford to finish and get my degree. When Thomas presented the option of the 3+1 program, in addition to all the other ways they supported me, I knew it was obvious this was my place. And I wasn’t wrong, as here I am, a 23-year-old woman, already on her third year in the field,” said Waterville Senior High School Science Teacher Noel (Frith) Glowa ‘22, MS. Ed. ’23.
Many students take advantage of the three-year bachelor’s degree to pair it with a one-year master’s degree to enhance their earning potential even more.
Since expanding the 3+1 model, Thomas College has seen a 50% increase from 2018 to 2024 in students choosing to opt into a +1-graduate program. Originally focused solely on business majors, the launch of online degree programs in Fall 2020 allowed 3-year students to pursue master’s degrees in education, criminology, and cybersecurity or choose an MBA concentration in Project Management or Human Resource Management. This flexibility allows students to tailor their educational journey to their needs—whether they prefer a full campus experience or the opportunity to work full-time while studying. Students in online graduate programs can still live on campus, participate in athletics, and have a traditional college experience while earning a master’s degree in their fourth year.
“I chose Thomas College because of the three plus one program,” said Senior Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Miranda Hall ’16, MBA ’17, CPA. “Thomas really places a focus on reaching for what you want. All of my professors encouraged me to go after my dreams. I think this program really helps people who are driven get where they want to go on the quickest path possible.”
“Students tell us that they value choice and Thomas College gives them the opportunity to chart their path to a degree in the way that works best for them,” said Edwards.