Three-Year Degree Students on Reaching Their Career Dreams Sooner

Can you picture yourself as a luxury brand liaison, virtual events producer, intelligence analyst or cloud solutions architect? These are just a few examples of new, forward-thinking careers for students majoring in Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Design and Hospitality Management might consider. And JWU's Three-Year Career-Focused Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered in those same majors.

Our three-year degree program is designed for students eager to earn their degrees and start their careers in less time — just six semesters — than it would take in traditional degree programs. This semester, nearly 100 students began their three-year degree programs at JWU’s Providence Campus and through JWU Online. Most of them already had a career in mind when they applied for the program, and a group of them shared their career goals and why the three-year degree was important to them for achieving those goals.

What is your career goal?

“I run a baby shower shop on Etsy, and my goal is to grow my business beyond that by creating branding and websites for other businesses. I’m working with Jeff Binczyk, director of the Larry Friedman Center for Entrepreneurship, in The Launch Pad program to build my business the right way — so by the time I graduate I’ll have a strong foundation and a fully running agency.”
Arianna Llerandi ’28
Design

“To become a lawyer at an early age.”
Jazmin Y. Cuello ’28
Criminal Justice

“When I moved to the U.S., to Rhode Island, I had to wait a year before I could attend college, so during that time I worked multiple part-time jobs while deciding what I wanted to major in. While working part-time in bartending, I realized I wanted to learn more professional knowledge about hospitality. I searched for schools and found Johnson & Wales University and found that it is a really good school for Hospitality Management. I wanted to find a way to go into an upper-level area such as a beverage management.”
Tommy Tang ’28
Hospitality Management

“To obtain a higher-end job as a graphic designer or a creative director. I’ve always been a creative person, and I wanted to do something in the creative field that would also provide well for me financially.”
Elyse Brassard ’28
Design

"To get a secure IT or software job before turning 26 [to obtain his own health insurance]."
Logan Fansler ’28
Computer Science

"To become a professional graphic designer, ideally working in branding or digital design. I’ve always loved the idea of creating visuals that help tell a story or shape how people see a brand."
Samantha Lind ’28
Design

How important is the three-year-degree program for reaching your career goal?

“It’s extremely important. The three-year program offers exactly the kind of curriculum I need to grow and strengthen my business. I know it will give me the knowledge, structure and hands-on experience I need to reach my goals and build a successful creative business. The professors and the curriculum make the program important for reaching my goals. My Design professors are amazing; they truly care. And because they’ve worked in the field, they give the kind of feedback that helps me grow. The coursework is straightforward and focused, giving me exactly what I need to build the skills and knowledge to succeed."
Arianna Llerandi ’28

“It’s important because it will get me closer to becoming a lawyer and give me hands-on experience. It teaches and introduces me to other subjects within criminal justice. And it will also help me graduate early and save some money.”
Jazmin Y. Cuello ’28

“I had already spent more than two years studying languages in China. I am 22 and chose the three-year degree program to save a year’s time. Also, I think the three-year degree program has a strong relationship with the 600 hours of Work Integrated Learning, which I think is key to the program. I also wanted to try something new, and I think this is a good path for me.”
Tommy Tang ’28

“It is important to me because I can indulge in more courses that exercise my creativity and strengthen my graphic design skills with programs such as Illustrator and Photoshop rather than having several general education classes. The WIL [Work-Integrated Learning] will guide me not only with graphic design, but also with social skills and customer service that will benefit me in the future.”
Elyse Brassard ’28

"I can learn what is needed for many IT or software jobs quicker and for less tuition, and possibly even start working while still earning my degree. My goal is to securely have a job by a certain time, so the quicker I can start the job the more secure the position will be."
Logan Fansler ’28

"It helps me reach my goal faster while still giving me the same opportunities and experiences as a traditional program. The pace keeps me motivated and focused, and I feel like I’m building professional-level skills early on, which will give me a strong advantage when I start my career."
Samantha Lind ’28

Why is it important to start your career in three years instead of four?

"I’ve already taken the time to explore my passions, and I know what I want to do. The four-year program is great for exploring interests, but the three-year program is more focused and straight to the point, which will allow me to start building my career sooner."
Arianna Llerandi ’28

"It is important for me because I will be able to get into the workforce earlier than normal and be able to gain more experience. Hopefully this will help me obtain a higher-end job as a graphic designer or creative director."
Elyse Brassard ’28

What inspired you to choose your major and your career goal?

“In my search to find my passion, I found digital products. I began by creating coloring books for a baby shower game, and I started selling them. I was excited that something I made sold and that motivated me to keep going. I began making invitations, welcome signs and other digital templates for baby showers. A friend asked if I could make her business website. I had no idea what I was doing, but I said yes, and I ended up falling in love with the process. That’s when I realized I could expand my business and turn it into something bigger.”
Arianna Llerandi ’28

“I have always been interested in criminal justice and the jobs that fall under that subject. I am fascinated by everything related to criminal justice.”
Jazmin Y. Cuello ’28

"I've always liked computers, and programming makes logical sense. I also want to graduate and start a job by the time I am 26."
Logan Fansler ’28

"I chose my major because I’ve always been drawn to creativity and design — I love combining art and communication to bring ideas to life. What really inspired me was realizing how much design impacts everything we see every day, from ads to websites to packaging. It’s exciting to know that I can be part of that process."
Samantha Lind ’28

Careers Related to Three-Year Degree Majors

Since not every student knows what they want their future career to be, here’s a list of some current roles related to each of the three-year degree majors, including their projected growth for 2025-2034, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you’re interested in a more futuristic career, there are examples of those, too.

Computer Science

• Computer and Information Research Scientists: 20% growth
• Software Developers: 15% growth
• Computer Network Architects: 12% growth

Criminal Justice

• Private Detectives and Investigators: 6% growth
• Attorney: 4% growth
• Police and Detectives: 3% growth

Design

• Web Developers and Digital Designers: 7% growth
• Art Directors: 4% growth
• Graphic Designer: 2% growth

Hospitality Management

• Tour and travel guides: 8% growth
• Food Service Managers: 6% growth
• Meeting, Convention or Event Planner: 5% growth

Newer, Futuristic Careers

Computer Science

Prompt Engineer: Creates prompts to use for getting generative AI tools to perform tasks.

Criminal Justice

Cybersecurity Analyst: Protects computer systems and networks from cyber threats.

Design

Metaverse Architect: Designs online environments that feel natural and engaging to get people to engage.

Hospitality Management

Experience Curators: Creates meaningful experiences to meet guests’ individual tastes, interests and backgrounds.

Apply
Visit
Transfer