Steering Students from Campus to Career in Three Years

Employers like FLIK Hospitality Group, which have hired many JWU students and alumni over the years, have a new reason to be excited — JWU’s Three-Year Career-Focused Bachelor’s Degree.

“A three-year, 90-credit degree offers students an excellent return on investment — faster graduation, lower costs and the ability to enter the workforce sooner and start benefiting. It's a win-win for students and employers,” said Rick Russo '87, sector president at FLIK, when asked about the new degree program.

Students who start their 90-96 credit three-year degrees in fall 2025 when the program kicks off will be slated to graduate and start their career journeys in spring 2028. For employers, this means that those students are ready for the work world after only three years at JWU. And the type of student that the program is designed for are those who know what career they want and what industry that they want to work in — and they want to reach that goal sooner rather than later.

JWU’s three-year degree program is offered in computer science, criminal justice, graphic design and hospitality management, all areas with high interest in industries with projected growth majors. The programs also include experiential education as a requirement, making sure students gain both the knowledge and experience needed to put them ahead in the workforce.

iHeart Media has hired many JWU students over the years for paid internships. Rhonda Lapham, regional president – Northeast at iHeart, had a positive reaction to the new three-year-degree announcement: “College is expensive — let’s give students what they need in less time. A three-year, 90-credit bachelor’s degree makes sense!”

When asked if she thought the type of student this degree is geared towards (those who are eager to learn, graduate and begin their career) seem like a good match for her company, Lapham said, “100 percent. I think that shows they are focused, and they're driven. And so many companies are looking for those individuals who are driven and task-oriented. Sign me up.”

In addition to courses focused on program’s majors, and having 600 hours of Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) included in their degree, students also receive strong support from JWU’s Experiential Education & Career Services (EE & CS) office that helps students get that first position, move up in the industry and succeed in their fields.

The Experiential Education & Career Services office offers guidance and career preparation to students, including help with everything from résumé writing to personal branding to mock interviews. Here’s a list of the support services available to all JWU students:

• One-on-one advising with personalized support from career advisors and faculty mentors
• Guidance throughout their 600 hours of required Work-Integrated-Learning (WIL) hours (three-year students only)
• Support with building their career plan, a roadmap that aligns their experiences and skills with what top employers and grad programs are looking for
• Developing a digital portfolio that showcases their experiences, projects and accomplishments, which will enhance the student’s career plan
• Résumé and cover letter critiques
• Guidance on branding themselves for online job searches and networking platforms
• Mock interviews using AI technology
• Career advising on confidently articulating skills and achievements when networking with employers and during interviews
• On-Campus recruitment opportunities with industry leaders and JWU alumni including career fairs, networking events, company info sessions and more

Thanks to our generous employer sponsors, students have access to cutting-edge career technology platforms with a broad spectrum of job postings, AI-supported mock interviewing, and career assessment and planning tools for comparing career options, setting goals and making smart career preparation choices using real data.

"At JWU, we go beyond helping students with their job search by supporting them as they explore and plan for their careers from day one to graduation. Through personalized advising, real world experiences and powerful employer connections, we empower students to step into the future with confidence,” said Sheri Young, ’94, Ed.D, assistant provost of Experiential Education & Industry Relations at JWU.

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