The university’s seven accelerated online degree programs reduce tuition costs and provide working adults with the state’s fastest path to a bachelor’s degree.
NEWBERG, Ore. — George Fox University is the first university in Oregon to offer a 90-credit online bachelor’s degree.
The region’s accrediting body, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), has approved George Fox to offer seven 90-credit bachelor’s degrees in fall 2026. These degrees—delivered through George Fox Digital—are designed specifically to meet the needs of online learners and working adults. The innovative accelerated model provides a more efficient, student-centered pathway by cutting 30 credits of elective requirements while maintaining the full general education core and all major coursework. The change will save students 25% on tuition and allow them to graduate three semesters early. Students who transfer to George Fox with an associate degree can complete their bachelor’s degree in as few as 16 months. Students with no college credit can graduate in as few as 24 months.
“For decades, the 120-credit hour requirement has been the immovable standard of the American bachelor’s degree,” says Brian Doak, Vice President of Digital Programs & Academic Innovation. “However, for many working parents, first-generation students, and financially strapped learners, a bachelor’s degree’s final 30 credits of electives represent a significant barrier of thousands of dollars and an extra year of debt. We want these programs to attract students who might not otherwise be able to afford the time or tuition required to attain a George Fox education.”
The Accelerated Online Degree program is designed for adult students whose significant work and life experiences already encompass skills traditionally taught in the elective courses. While the majority of George Fox’s undergraduate students are in the traditional 18-to-22-year-old age range and will still earn a 120-credit bachelor’s degree, George Fox has four decades of experience providing education programs that meet the needs of working adults. The university offered Oregon’s first degree-completion program for adults in 1986.
“Our accelerated degree students often bring decades of experience to the classroom,” said Jennie Harrop, associate dean of George Fox Digital. “This is just one of the many ways we are recognizing the valuable learning they’ve already done while focusing their time at George Fox on the transformative, whole-person education that will impact their lives and career for years to come.”
Ninety percent of students who start degrees in the accelerated online program graduate, thanks to the flexible format, personalized advising, supportive faculty, exceptional digital design, and discounted tuition. Students in the Accelerated Online Degree program also benefit from free textbooks and no additional online course fees, further lowering the barrier to entry for adult learners.
The accelerated degrees are well-suited for adult students who entered the workforce without a degree but now find themselves unable to advance in their workplace.
“The 90-credit degrees are designed to support the same outcomes as our traditional programs — workforce entry, career advancement, and preparation for graduate study — while expanding access for adults balancing significant life responsibilities,” says Doak “With strong academic oversight and robust student support systems already in place, the university is well positioned to implement these offerings while upholding our commitment to excellence and our Be Known promise.”
George Fox’s 90-credit bachelor’s degrees will be offered in the following online majors:
- Cybersecurity
- Data Analytics
- Healthcare Administration
- General Studies
- Management and Organizational Leadership
- Project Management
- Psychology & Mental Health Studies
George Fox is seeking approval to offer an accelerated teaching bachelor’s degree through its College of Education.
The 90-credit accelerated degree initiative reflects an emerging national trend that has been percolating for years. In 2009, Newsweek ran a cover story on the concept of a three-year degree, but 2023 was the first year an accrediting body gave approval to a college to move beyond the pilot phase of a degree program with fewer than 120 credits.
Tuition for the George Fox Accelerated Online Degree programs is $499 a credit. George Fox’s accelerated students will maintain full eligibility for federal financial aid. To learn more about George Fox’s Accelerated Online Degrees or to apply for the fall 2026 term, visit georgefox.edu/online.
About George Fox
George Fox University, Oregon’s largest private university, is a U.S. News & World Report “Best National University.” Enrolling nearly 5,000 students across its Newberg campus, regional centers in Portland and Redmond, and online, the institution offers more than 60 undergraduate programs and 21 graduate degrees.
