. >> reporter: interior architecture director lori anthony spearheaded a program last year to lower student costs and make chatham more competitive. even though it's less expensive, she says the degree is just as valuable. >> it is just the right amount of time to give them the skills they need to be successful. >> we repeat things so that students get it, but we have eliminated the redundancies. so it's a very focused course. >> why has it always been four years? i don't know. >> reporter: hannah grey is earning a three-year degree. she spends three extra hours in class each week, and takes an extra month of courses when school lets out in may. >> since i'm paying for this and taking out loans and stuff, financially, time is money. >> reporter: about 50 mass entirely new programs with more, weekend, and summer classes to help students graduate quicker. but not everyone thinks three- year degrees are a good idea. some worry accelerated programs could mean less time for internships and study abroad. so while skipping a year of college may save money, it still carries a cost. >> you could tak