Fremont University Offers Faster 3-Year Psychology Degree

New streamlined program aims to reduce costs and time to graduation.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 5:22pm

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A bold, colorful silkscreen illustration of stacked psychology textbooks repeated in a grid pattern, conceptually representing an innovative university program designed to streamline the path to a bachelor's degree.SFBU's new accelerated psychology degree program aims to make higher education more accessible and affordable for students.Fremont Today

San Francisco Bay University (SFBU) in Fremont, California has introduced a new accredited three-year psychology program, allowing students to complete a bachelor's degree in just 90 credits instead of the traditional 120. The university says this will reduce the average cost of attendance by around $11,000 and help 'flatten barriers to higher education'.

Why it matters

The new three-year psychology program at SFBU is part of a broader trend in higher education to offer more affordable and accelerated degree options, especially in high-demand fields like psychology. This could make college more accessible for students who face financial or time constraints in pursuing a traditional four-year degree.

The details

The three-year psychology program at SFBU will follow the same academic standards as the four-year path, but will focus on emphasizing major requirements and general education while excluding expanded electives. University officials say this 'trim the fat' from a conventional four-year degree. The program is offered in hybrid and remote models to accommodate students from the broader San Francisco Bay Area.

  • SFBU announced the new three-year psychology program earlier this month in April 2026.

The players

San Francisco Bay University (SFBU)

A university located in Fremont, California that is introducing a new accredited three-year psychology degree program.

Nick Ladany

The president of SFBU and a licensed psychologist who says the new program aims to 'flatten barriers to higher education'.

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What they’re saying

“By streamlining psychology education and all our undergraduate options, we're making good on SFBU's core promise: to flatten barriers to higher education.”

— Nick Ladany, President, SFBU

What’s next

SFBU plans to continue expanding its portfolio of accelerated three-year degree programs in other high-demand fields beyond psychology.

The takeaway

SFBU's new three-year psychology degree is part of a growing trend in higher education to offer more affordable and time-efficient pathways to a bachelor's degree, especially in fields with strong job prospects like psychology. This could open up college access for students who face financial or time constraints with a traditional four-year program.