Whitworth Online Transitions All Undergraduate Programs for Adult Learners to Accelerated 90 Credit Degrees

Whitworth University is committed to expanding access to high quality education for working adults and responding to regional workforce needs. That’s why the university is launching accelerated, 90 credit degree pathways for its adult undergraduate programs through Whitworth Online.

Approved by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the new pathways reduce both the time and total cost of a degree by about 25 percent while preserving Whitworth’s full general education curriculum and program rigor.

“At Whitworth, innovation grows out of our mission, not apart from it,” Whitworth President Scott McQuilkin says. “Accelerated degree pathways allow us to remove unnecessary barriers while preserving the depth, formation and academic excellence that define a Whitworth education. This is about honoring adult learners’ time, expanding access and strengthening the communities we serve.”

Beginning this August, every Whitworth Online program from business management and human services to teacher certification pathways and interdisciplinary studies will adopt the new accelerated, 90 credit structure, marking a major leap forward in flexibility and access for adult learners.

This new structure will:

• Preserve Whitworth’s rigorous core by retaining all general education requirements and essential disciplinary coursework. 

• Cut unnecessary credits, eliminating excess electives to streamline students’ path to graduation. 

• Maintain full Title IV eligibility while advancing Whitworth’s broader cost clarity initiative, ensuring students have a transparent, affordable path forward.

“When working adults can complete a degree faster and with less debt, the benefits ripple outward to families, employers and the broader community,” says Brooke Kiener, dean of Whitworth Online. “These pathways reflect our belief that education should be both transformative and attainable.”

The university is encouraging regional employers to expand or reinstate tuition assistance programs in response to the increased accessibility of Whitworth Online degrees.

Whitworth University has served adult learners for more than a century, with degree completion programs in formats accessible to working adults. Whitworth Online programs are designed for students ages 23 and older who bring professional experience into the classroom. The new accelerated model strengthens that legacy while positioning Whitworth as a leader in innovative online education in the Pacific Northwest.

About Whitworth University:

Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. 

Contacts: 

Trisha Coder, associate director of media relations, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu.