Rhode Island Launches Accelerated Bachelor Program for Adult Students
Kingston, R.I. — Walking across a stage to receive a diploma is a milestone many students picture early in life, but work and family matters often interrupt those plans. To address an estimated 130,000 adults in Rhode Island who hold college credits but lack a completed degree, the University of Rhode Island launched its Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program, uri.edu reported.
Offered through URI Online and the College of Arts and Sciences, the accelerated program provides a flexible path for students who need to finish what they started. Angie Chiang, URI’s BIS program director and an associate public relations teaching professor in the Harrington School of Communication and Media, noted that the modality gives returning students the opportunity to achieve a long-sought-after degree.
Students in the program develop skills in writing, verbal communication, critical thinking, and research across multiple disciplines. The curriculum is delivered in seven-week sessions with two sessions per term across spring, summer, and fall. Focus areas include business, communications, health studies, film and media, public relations, journalism, political science, nonprofit, and psychology.
Students Apply Past Credits Toward BIS Requirements
A key feature of the program is that coursework students previously completed does not go to waste. If prior courses apply to the BIS requirements, students do not have to repeat those classes, according to URI reporting. Prospective students can also apply past college credits in the liberal arts to a cohesive graduation plan.
Applicants must have completed at least 45 post-secondary credits to enter the program. For those entering with an associate degree from a regionally accredited institution, applicants must have earned a minimum 2.4 GPA on a 4.0 scale, remain in good standing, and be eligible to return to institutions previously attended, web.uri.edu noted. Associate degree applicants are not required to submit a high school transcript.
The program itself requires 36 credits to complete, contributing to the 120 total credits needed to graduate, which includes general education courses. Required coursework includes Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS 199), Professional Writing (WRT 227), and an Interdisciplinary Capstone Project (BIS 399). Students also take nine additional classes in effective communication, strategic thinking, and ethics and leadership.
Spring Term Applications Close Nov. 24
Prospective students have until Nov. 24 to apply for the BIS program’s spring term, which begins Jan. 5, 2027. Applicants who have previously registered for courses at URI as degree-seeking students must apply using the readmission application.
For more information, prospective students can contact Angie Chiang at achiang@uri.edu.
