Degree in 3: A Career-Focused Bachelor's Degree with the Full College Experience
Maximize return on investment with a three-year bachelor’s degree from Rivier University.
Rivier’s innovative three-year bachelor’s degree programs combine guaranteed internships, career-focused learning, and the full college experience, preparing students to graduate workforce-ready in just three years.
Rivier offers 90-credit applied bachelor’s degrees in Artificial Intelligence, Business Management, Criminal Justice, and Elementary Education. Unlike many three-year degrees, the programs are not accelerated and do not require summer enrollment. Students complete a full-time course load on campus over six semesters during the academic year, rather than eight semesters for a traditional four-year degree.
A hallmark of the three-year degree is its emphasis on experiential learning. Every student completes a guaranteed internship, providing meaningful workplace experience before graduation. Elementary education majors benefit from a collaboration with the Nashua (N.H.) School District, working in a Nashua-area elementary school to prepare for New Hampshire site-based licensure.
Three-year degree students qualify for Rivier’s Employment Promise Program, and those interested in graduate school can pursue a 3+1 pathway, allowing them to earn a master’s degree with just one additional year of study.
“Rivier has always responded to the changing needs of students while remaining grounded in our mission,” says Sister Paula Marie Buley, IHM, President. “These programs create a new pathway to a bachelor’s degree while preserving the transformative education and sense of community that define Rivier.”
Three-year degree students receive the same campus experience as all undergraduate students at Rivier, including campus housing, NCAA Division III athletics, clubs, organizations, and leadership roles, campus events, and full access to academic and student support services.
Students save one full year of tuition, room, board, and related expenses, and benefit from an additional year of income by entering the workforce sooner.
“Students and families are paying close attention to cost and career outcomes,” says Ricky Mott, Vice President for Enrollment Management. “Rivier’s three-year degree programs lower the overall cost of a bachelor’s degree while giving students the extensive career preparation and campus experience they expect from Rivier.”
Rivier’s three-year applied bachelor’s degrees are approved by the New England Commission of Higher Education and the New Hampshire Higher Education Commission.
There is still time to enroll for the Fall 2026 semester. Learn more about three-year degree programs at Rivier University.