Students at California State University campuses like Cal Poly may soon be able to earn new kinds of bachelor’s degrees that take less time and are designed more directly around jobs, as the CSU moves to rethink what a college degree looks like.
Under a policy approved by the CSU board of trustees on May 6, the system will create three new undergraduate degree categories—the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) and Bachelor of Applied Studies (BAS)—expanding beyond the traditional Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science.
The change marks the first major expansion of CSU degree types in more than 30 years and could eventually shape what kinds of programs campuses like Cal Poly choose to offer, particularly for transfer students, working adults, and students with prior job or military experience.
Junius J. Gonzales, vice chancellor for Academic Affairs told trustees during a May 5 meeting that the shift is a response to a declining number of high school graduates in California, rising competition from other universities and online programs, and growing pressure to align higher education more directly with workforce needs.
“This work supports the strategic objectives of CSU Forward,” Gonzales told trustees, describing the policy as part of an effort to modernize academic structures and expand career-connected pathways.
The new degrees would not replace existing majors at CSU campuses. Instead, they would give universities like Cal Poly the option to create additional pathways for students who may not follow a traditional four-year, 120-unit model.
The proposal also expands the system’s authority to offer reduced-credit bachelor’s degrees, ranging from about 90 to 120 semester units—which could shorten the time to earn a degree for some students to as few as three years.
“These new degree pathways will help more Californians access an affordable, rigorous, and relevant bachelor’s degree,” Gonzales said, framing the change as part of an effort to improve economic mobility.
Each of the new degrees is aimed at a different student population. The Bachelor of Education would revive a degree last offered in the CSU system before 1982, designed in part to address teacher shortages by combining undergraduate study with credential preparation.
The Bachelor of Professional Studies is designed for working adults moving into supervisory or leadership roles, allowing students to incorporate prior coursework, certifications, military training, and job experience into their degree.
The Bachelor of Applied Studies would focus on technical and vocational pathways, especially for students transferring from associate degree programs, with an emphasis on faster completion and applied skills.
The new frameworks are optional and will not change existing degree requirements, but they could lead to new program designs that compete with or sit alongside traditional majors, a March 11 CSU Committee on Educational Policy item states.
The proposal also surfaced debate over whether reduced-credit degrees could dilute the meaning of a bachelor’s degree.
“I just have a problem with this where why wouldn’t I go and get a bachelor’s in professional studies with 90 units instead of wasting another 30 units,” trustee Jack McGrory said. “It just seems to me we’re diluting the quality and the importance of a BA degree by lowering the unit count.”
Cal Poly does not anticipate faculty discussing and exploring possible degrees until the next academic year, Cal Poly media spokesperson Keegan Koberl told New Times via email.
If campuses move forward, new programs could begin development as early as 2027, with the first degrees expected to launch in 2028, according to the CSU. ∆
This article appears in May 14-21, 2026.