LSU of Alexandria has received accreditation approval for its new 90-credit-hour accelerated bachelor’s (AccB) degrees in bioinformatics and information technology, clearing the way for LSUA to launch two first-of-their-kind programs designed to reduce the time and cost required to earn a bachelor’s degree while preparing graduates for rapidly growing technology careers.
The approval from The Commission on Colleges and Universities marks a significant milestone for LSUA and a new model for public higher education. LSUA is the first public institution in the Commission’s membership to receive approval for a program under its new accelerated bachelor’s degree framework, which allows institutions to demonstrate that rigorous undergraduate learning outcomes can be achieved through thoughtfully designed programs requiring fewer than the traditional 120 credit hours.
“Louisiana State University of Alexandria is the first public institution in our membership to receive approval for a program under our new framework,” said Stephen L. Pruitt, Ph.D., President of The Commission on Colleges and Universities. “Being first is not a small thing. It means making the case without a template to follow. We ask institutions to justify program length against the outcomes they promise students, and LSUA did that with evidence. Congratulations to Chancellor Beard and to the faculty who built a bioinformatics pathway that is shorter without being thinner.”
The accreditation represents the culmination of an ambitious academic development process that began when LSUA faculty identified an opportunity to rethink how a bachelor’s degree could be structured for high-demand, rapidly evolving STEM fields. Faculty developed focused curricula that preserve the full 39-credit-hour general education core and provide 51 credit hours of intensive major coursework while removing electives that are not essential to degree outcomes.
“These are not shortened degrees. They are intentionally designed, academically rigorous bachelor’s degrees focused on the knowledge and competencies students need to succeed,” said LSUA Chancellor Liz Beard, Ph.D. “This approval validates the work of our faculty and their willingness to challenge traditional assumptions about how undergraduate education must be structured. More importantly, it gives students another pathway to earn a high-quality LSU degree in less time and at a lower total cost.”
The AccB in information technology will prepare students for careers in systems administration, networking, cloud computing, and cybersecurity. Coursework has been aligned with industry credentials from CompTIA, AWS, and Cisco, allowing students to develop applied skills and pursue certifications valued by employers while completing their degree.
The AccB in bioinformatics will combine biology, data science, and computational analysis to prepare graduates for careers in biotechnology, health informatics, genomic research, and other data-intensive life sciences. Students will study genomics, programming, machine learning, and applied artificial intelligence as part of a curriculum built around the increasing role of computational tools in healthcare and biological research.
The LSUA accelerated bachelor’s degrees are also the first approved in the state of Louisiana by the Board of Regents. Working closely with the campus, Regents supported the development of the accelerated programs and adopted a statewide policy to support the development of three-year (90 credit hour) degrees at other institutions.
“With these new ‘tall, skinny’ 90-hour degrees, students can now spend more of their time dedicated on that specific area of concentration,” said Dr. Tristan Denley, Deputy Commissioner for Academic Affairs and Innovation for the Louisiana Board of Regents. “It is important that higher education is able to provide the workforce demand that Louisiana needs, and these accelerated degree programs provide campuses with the flexibility and nimbleness they need to meet those demands.”
Nathan Sammons, Ph.D., Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, helped champion the accelerated degree model and led faculty efforts to develop the new curricula.
“Particularly in STEM fields, innovation moves quickly,” Sammons said. “Our responsibility is to make sure the education we provide evolves with it. Our faculty have identified the knowledge, technical skills, and applied experiences students need, then built these degrees deliberately around those outcomes. The result is a rigorous pathway that reduces time to degree without reducing what graduates are prepared to do.”
LSUA developed the programs as students, families, and employers increasingly place greater emphasis on affordability, career relevance, and demonstrable outcomes from a college education. The accelerated structure provides an additional option alongside LSUA’s traditional bachelor’s programs rather than replacing them, allowing students to select the pathway that best fits their academic and career goals.
Written by Adam Lord (LSUA) and Chris Yandle (Louisiana Board of Regents)
Photo by Mira Alvarado