In March 2026, the University of Lynchburg will begin admitting first-year students to MaxImpact — reduced-hour degree programs with optionally built-in pathways to master’s programs offered by the University.
Lynchburg is the first institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, of 750-plus accredited institutions, approved to offer these types of degree programs.
“This decision reflects the confidence SACSCOC has in our strength as an institution and as a leader in higher education,” said University President Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar. “It demonstrates their belief in our academic excellence and our ability to innovate.”
Students may apply for the Bachelor of Applied Public Health or the Bachelor of Applied Educational Studies, re-engineered versions of the existing public health and educational studies majors.
By taking on a reduced credit load, students can complete a bachelor’s degree in three years. With an additional year of graduate study, they can add a University of Lynchburg Master of Public Health or Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction.
Those pursuing education studies, for example, “will take several graduate-level courses at the undergraduate level and could finish with a master’s degree and a teaching license in four years,” said Dr. Stephen Smith ’97, ’99 MEd, interim associate vice president of academic and strategic operations and associate professor of athletic and coaching education.
Earning a bachelor’s degree in three years instead of four will save students an entire year’s tuition, room, and board, making the programs financially efficient. Return on investment is also a plus, with students gaining “an additional year of earning potential,” estimated at $87,750 to $133,600, according to the degree prospectuses.
The ideal MaxImpact candidates are described as students who possess the motivation, maturity, and preparation to handle a focused applied degree pathway.
Each program will admit up to 15 full-time first-year students in its first semester.
