Incoming freshmen will need only 120 credits for degree

BY TANAJA CAMPBELL / VN STAFF WRITER

Detroit Mercy has decided to lower the number of credits required for bachelor degrees for incoming freshmen entering in fall 2020.  

The required number will drop from 126 credits to 120 credits.

Students currently enrolled in an undergraduate program will still be required to take 126 credits, depending on their program. 

This change will save incoming students time and money, allowing them to complete a degree after eight semesters of 15 credits.

The Undergraduate Standards and Enrollment Management Committee recommended that the requirement be changed and the McNichols Faculty Assembly (MFA) voted in favor of it.  

“This modification of the credit hour requirement is one of the many strategies the university is implementing to support recruitment, retention and student success,” Provost Pamela Zarkowski wrote in an email to the university community.

Current students will not benefit from the change, which some students view as unfair.

The university hopes to attract more students and improve student satisfaction in the future.  

The proposal for the credit reduction noted that the university was one of the only Jesuit institutions requiring more than 120 credits.

Such public universities as Wayne State and Michigan also have a 120-credit minimum for a bachelor’s degree.  

Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Oakland University all have undergrad requirements of 124 credits.  

University officials feel this will not only benefit students, but also the university and contribute to the success of its five-year plan.