Why does a bachelor's degree require 120 credits? And what happens when an institution asks whether those credits actually represent the learning students need?

In Part 2 of our conversation with Brian Ashton and Boyd Baggett, we examine the development of the three-year, 90-credit bachelor's degree offered through BYU-Idaho and BYU-Pathway Worldwide.

Boyd takes us behind the scenes of a process that began years before approval: changes in accreditation standards, a growing emphasis on student learning outcomes, collaboration with the College in 3 movement, and a willingness to question assumptions built into the traditional credit-hour model.

But shortening a degree isn't simply a matter of removing 30 credits. Brian and Boyd explain what had to remain, what students may give up, why the model isn't right for everyone, and why clearly defined and assessed learning outcomes are essential to maintaining quality.

The conversation then turns toward institutional mission, values, AI, rapid change, and what higher education leaders will need to navigate the future.

In this episode:

• Why BYU-Idaho pursued a 90-credit bachelor's degree
• How accreditation standards created an opening for innovation
• Why the Carnegie credit hour was never designed as a measure of student learning
• Building support for the three-year degree
• The enrollment response after the new degree was announced
• Why a shorter degree cannot simply mean cutting 30 credits
• Which students benefit most—and which may not
• What students give up in a more prescriptive degree pathway
• Employer and graduate-school response to the three-year degree
• Preserving institutional mission while redesigning curriculum
• Navigating AI, changing values, and a rapidly changing world
• Brian and Boyd's advice for engaging learners more effectively

The three-year degree raises a larger question for higher education: If students can demonstrate the learning they need in less time and at lower cost, what assumptions are we willing to reconsider?

Guests: Brian Ashton, President, BYU-Pathway Worldwide; Boyd Baggett, Associate Academic Vice President for Curriculum, BYU-Idaho

Hosts: Michael Cottam and Vernon Smith, Engaged by Design

Join us at www.engagedbydesign.com to learn more about

• The Course Design Accelerator
• Faculty-in-the-Loop AI in Higher Education

What would higher education look like if it were designed from the beginning for students who need education to be affordable, flexible, relevant, and immediately useful?

In Part 1 of our conversation with Brian Ashton, president of BYU-Pathway Worldwide, and Boyd Baggett, associate academic vice president for curriculum at BYU-Idaho, we explore a model now serving nearly 100,000 students around the world.

Brian and Boyd explain how BYU-Pathway combines online-first design, dramatically different tuition models, student support, and job-ready stackable certificates to create pathways into meaningful work and bachelor's degrees. We also discuss how designing specifically for online education changes the economics of higher education—and how BYU-Pathway uses data, instructional design, and AI to support students at scale.

Along the way, Brian shares the story of a student in Argentina whose first certificate helped launch a career that eventually led to a vice president role at JPMorgan Chase.

In this episode:

• Why talent may be equally distributed while opportunity is not
• How BYU-Pathway serves students in nearly 200 countries
• Designing for online learning rather than adapting a campus model
• Keeping education affordable while maintaining quality
• Why students begin with job-ready certificates instead of general education
• How stackable certificates lead toward associate and bachelor's degrees
• Using data and AI to provide better student support at scale
• Designing curriculum around changing labor-market needs
• Preparing students not simply to use AI, but to develop judgment and become lifelong learners

This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. In Part 2, we explore one of BYU-Idaho and BYU-Pathway's most significant innovations: the three-year bachelor's degree.

Guests: Brian Ashton, President, BYU-Pathway Worldwide; Boyd Baggett, Associate Academic Vice President for Curriculum, BYU-Idaho

Join us at www.engagedbydesign.com to learn more about

• The Course Design Accelerator
• Faculty-in-the-Loop AI in Higher Education

What does it take to build a nationally competitive cybersecurity program from the ground up?

Dr. Ken Williams knows firsthand.

In the final episode of this series, Ken shares the challenges of launching Louisiana's first fully aligned cybersecurity degree program—from curriculum design and faculty hiring to building industry partnerships and preparing students for careers with organizations like the FBI, NASA, Cisco, IBM, and Amazon Web Services.

The conversation closes with Ken's deeply personal philosophy of teaching: treating every student like family while challenging them to become confident critical thinkers who are ready to solve problems the world hasn't even imagined yet.

It's an inspiring conversation about leadership, service, and creating educational experiences that truly change lives.

In this episode

• Launching Southern University's cybersecurity program
• Building a degree program from scratch
• Hiring and developing cybersecurity faculty
• Creating partnerships with industry leaders
• Preparing students for careers in government and technology
• Louisiana's statewide cybersecurity consortium
• Lessons in educational leadership
• How to engage more learners more effectively

Join us at www.engagedbydesign.com to learn more about

• The Course Design Accelerator
• Faculty-in-the-Loop AI in Higher Education