When Holly Tapper, J.D., joined Saint Mary’s Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs as the inaugural dean of the School of Advancing Studies, she was armed with more than a wealth of experience in higher education leadership and adult learners. Tapper also returned to Saint Mary’s with passionate new ideas and her proverbial running shoes in hand.
“I don’t love to run, but I am dedicated to working out and running fast with my career and five grown children. And I have heard our students plead for opportunities to get a faster start once they find their path,” said Tapper.
“As a former Saint Mary’s employee and alumni parent, I have received such a warm welcome back and am just thrilled to make an immediate impact on the future of adult and continuing education here,” she said. “Thanks to the generosity of a remarkable alumnus of the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs (SGPP) who funded my position and the School of Advancing Studies, we have the opportunity to start laying the groundwork for the first 90-credit online bachelor’s degrees in Minnesota.”
Q: How would you describe the 90-credit online bachelor’s degree initiative?
It is really a strategic, mission-driven reform that advances affordability, flexibility, and access for our online students. The initiative streamlines degree pathways from 120 to 90 credits while preserving the essential elements of a bachelor’s degree. Piloted through the B.S. in Applied Psychology, the program integrates academic excellence with character and virtue formation, workforce-aligned outcomes, and the Lasallian values of faith, community, and service.
Q: Why did Saint Mary’s create a 90-credit bachelor’s program?
The impetus was to make higher education more affordable, accessible, and mission-aligned for working adults and transfer students. Saint Mary’s Lasallian mission — to “awaken, nurture, and empower learners to ethical lives of service and leadership” — guided the decision. The reduced 90-credit format removes financial and time barriers for nontraditional students, helping them complete degrees faster and with $13,200 in savings.
Q. How does the 90-credit model align with Saint Mary’s mission and strategic plan?
This initiative fulfills the Lasallian focus on access and equity, expands opportunities for underserved adult learners, and advances the strategic plan’s goals of flexibility, affordability, workforce alignment, and mission-centered character formation. It also builds on the School of Advancing Studies initiative, which consolidates adult and online programs with a focus on career-connected, values-based education.
Q. What benefits does the 90-credit initiative provide for students and for Saint Mary’s?
Students benefit from lower costs, reduced debt, faster completion, integrated work experience, and character formation. Saint Mary’s benefits through improved retention, enrollment growth, and alignment with its workforce-driven mission. The 90-credit model positions Saint Mary’s as an early regional adopter, enhancing its competitiveness and reputation for innovation.
Q. What other 90-credit programs will follow the Applied Psychology pilot?
Following the B.S. in Applied Psychology, Saint Mary’s plans to propose five additional 90-credit online B.S. programs within the School of Advancing Studies: Business Administration, Criminal Justice Leadership, HR, Healthcare Administration, and IT. These will follow similar structures of general education — with character and virtue development — and workforce alignment.
Q. How was the 90-credit curriculum designed, and what is the rationale for this structure?
The new structure retains 36 major credits and 30 general education credits, reducing only elective credits from 54 to 24. This maintained disciplinary integrity while reducing excess coursework. Core courses were refined for applied, career-aligned learning.
Q. How does Saint Mary’s ensure academic rigor and quality in the 90-credit model?
Rigor is maintained through:
• Alignment with national psychology outcomes or career equivalent.
• Use of Lightcast data to match course assignments with regional employer skills.
• Shared core courses in ethics, leadership, and communication across programs to enhance interdisciplinary depth.
• Embedded work-integrated learning, microcredentials, and internships.
• General education coursework infused with National Association of College and Employers (NACE) competencies and the character and virtue framework from the Jubilee Centre.
Q. How does the 90-credit B.S. Applied Psychology program in Advancing Studies compare to the 120-credit B.A. Psychology major at the College?
The B.A. Psychology (Winona Campus) is a 120-credit residential bachelor’s degree which includes labs, minors, and co-curriculars; the 90-credit B.S. Applied Psychology (online) emphasizes application, social impact, and flexibility for working adults.
Q: How will the 90-credit programs be delivered, and what learning infrastructure supports it?
Fully online and asynchronous, supported by our Canvas Learning Management System, Student Central, and The Nest portal with access to tutoring, writing support, IT, and advising. The 90-credit model builds on Saint Mary’s longtime experience with online master’s programs since 2012.
