Transforming our campus-based undergraduate education model to increase learner-centricity, affordability, and accessibility in a financially sustainable model
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) — Goal 1 Initiative Transforming our campus-based undergraduate education model to increase learner-centricity, affordability, and accessibility in a financially sustainable model
SNHU is committed to delivering high-demand, accessible, and affordable education options for all students. This initiative will build on that promise by making the campus experience more broadly available for underserved students and expanding offerings for existing programs.
Beginning in the Fall of 2021, incoming students will have the ability to choose from more than 40 campus programs with different pricing options and a broad, institutional-based aid plan. Offerings from the Discover More and Experience More programs will also be expanded in Fall 2022 and beyond for enrolled students.
Discover More, billed at $15K/year for tuition, will be enrolled in reimagined traditional programs, with face-to-face instruction most often in a classroom setting. Students enrolled will have the opportunity to explore electives, internships, project-based courses, service learning, and study abroad into their curricula. Experience More, at $10K/year, will provide students with structured pathways to their degrees, including a minimum of 36 credits earned through experiential learning. The Experience More program will be a career-focused experience, allowing students to engage with their education in a new way.
Through the piloting of these programs, SNHU hopes to increase the total percentage of undergraduate students enrolled as well as the graduation rate, making top-notch education accessible for a greater number of students.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the unstable economy, and the great uncertainty facing higher education, college affordability and accessibility have never been more critical. By fundamentally rethinking the cost and delivery of our programs and by decoupling the academic and developmental elements of a campus-based educational experience, SNHU is putting higher ed — and all the social mobility and aspirational benefits of earning a degree — back into reach for many more students and families.
Initiative Differentiators
The initiative develops two new programs – the Discover More and Experience More pathways – to meet the needs of a diverse student population. The initiative also reforms the undergraduate tuition model by prioritizing the financial need of each student when assessing and awarding institutional financial aid. All campus programs will be eligible for this new, institutional need-based financial aid calculation.
Key Interventions and Milestones
During the course of the initiative, SNHU will develop the Experience More and Discover More programs based on identification of student needs. The incoming 2021 class in September will be the first to experience this new campus model, and the Experience and Discover More programs will diversify their offerings beginning in 2022. By 2023, all students will become a part of the new model.
Expected Impact
SNHU expects that this initiative will increase total undergraduate enrollment through opening up more accessible education options for all students. The initiative also aims to increase the graduation rate of students, as well as increase the academic quality of offerings university wide.
