The state of Mississippi, not usually known as a leader in the field of education, is taking a radical new approach to higher education degrees. The new plan, expected to be initiated by the spring semester of 2006, will award the coveted Bachelor of Arts or BA degree after students have completed only 124 hours of course work.
Cost is a Factor
Mississippi Commissioner of Higher Education, David Potter said in a press release, “This proposal will encourage our universities to operate more cost effectively, which will ultimately translate into savings for the state and better service for our students.”
The original proposal was to scale the requirement back to 120 hours from the original 131. The 124 hour figure was decided upon after some debate. Bachelors Degree requirements vary from state to state and school to school, and can be as high as 136 credit hours in some schools and 142 hours for certain specialty degrees.
Mississippi State University’s president, Charles Lee, interviewed in the Mississippi SunHerald newspaper, said, “We've had a lot of encouragement to do this and a lot of discussions among ourselves. This is a very complicated and very significant change in how we do business.”
Easier to Earn a Degree
The change will make it easier for students in Mississippi schools of higher education to earn bachelors degrees. Another result of the adjustment will be an increase in the number of BA Degrees awarded by the state’s colleges and universities without a significant increase in the state’s education budget. It also makes the state more attractive to students who are searching for a place to attend school. The difference between 131 credit hours and 124 can mean as many as three fewer courses needed to graduate with a BA degree.
