An Accelerated Path to Get You Into the Workforce Faster
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Did you know you could get your bachelor’s in chemistry in just three years? The three-year degree, also called a concentrated or accelerated bachelor’s, is a relatively new option in U.S. higher education — though it’s been the standard in other countries, like the UK, for generations. Three-year degrees are offered at higher education institutions across the U.S., but Pacific University is the first in Oregon to offer in-person three-year degrees. The three-year accelerated degrees at Pacific are available starting in the fall 2027, offering chemistry undergraduates a faster pathway to graduation and starting their chemistry career.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Chemistry Degree in the Accelerated Program?
Generally, a chemistry bachelor’s degree takes four years at a U.S. college or university, but students earning an accelerated chemistry degree at Pacific complete the bachelor’s in just three years. At Pacific University, three-year degrees do not require summer courses or taking more courses per term than students earning a four-year degree. While the four-year bachelor’s degree requires 124 credits (about 31 courses), the three-year bachelor’s degree is more concentrated with fewer electives, requiring 96 credits (about 21 courses).
What Classes are Included in the Three-Year Degree Chemistry Requirements?
At Pacific, three-year chemistry degree students take the same required courses for the chemistry major that four-year students take. Whether they are earning the three-year degree or the four-year degree, Pacific students majoring in chemistry study general chemistry, organic chemistry, chemical literacy, calculus, and other requirements. Pacific students earning a three-year accelerated chemistry degree don’t take as many general education electives outside of their chemistry major, but instead follow a focused course structure.
Why Choose the Three-Year Chemistry Degree?
Students choose the three-year chemistry degree at Pacific for many reasons, including:
An accelerated chemistry degree gets you into the workforce faster.
Three-year degree students enter the workforce a full year before students earning a four-year degree. This means they save a year of tuition and begin earning money sooner. A three-year degree in chemistry prepares students for careers in industry, biotech, medical, research, manufacturing, food, pharmaceuticals, environment and more.
You want to get a bachelor’s in chemistry but four years of college is too expensive.
A three-year chemistry degree is 25% less expensive than the four-year option. If the cost of college feels prohibitive, a three-year degree could make it less so. An accelerated chemistry degree saves you a full year tuition costs and allows you to begin your chemistry career sooner. There are also no summer course requirements, meaning you can work during the summers to help pay for school.
You know chemistry is what you want to study and have clear career goals.
Accelerated chemistry degree students know what they want to major in chemistry and have a sense of their career goals after they complete their degree. Because there isn’t time to take as many electives in the three-year course, it’s important that students know their goals and understand how the three-year degree will help them to achieve them.
You’ve planned ahead with an academic advisor.
It’s important for three-year degree students to work closely with their academic advisor to make sure they understand their course sequence and are properly preparing for their post-graduation career. At Pacific, academic advisors work closely with three-year degree students to help them achieve their goals through the accelerated degree.