The Rise of “Slow Majors”: Why More Students Are Taking a Longer Road Through College

College is a whirlwind experience.

Four years of classes, exams, a flurry of activities, all racing toward a singular finish line. The idea is to get in, power through, and emerge, diploma in hand, ready for the world.

But in recent years, a shift has taken place. More and more students are choosing to take a longer, more winding path through college—a path often dismissed or overlooked. They’re embracing the “slow major,” a self-paced approach that values depth over deadlines and often stretches their college years to five, six, or even seven.

The Financial Benefits

Financial pressures certainly play a role. The rising cost of tuition means that students at many state schools, like California State University, often find themselves balancing classes with jobs. According to a recent study from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, over 70 percent of students work while in college, with a significant portion working over 15 hours per week. Many of these students are spreading their coursework across five or six years, which allows them to make ends meet while also focusing on a degree they’re passionate about. Universities like Arizona State have responded with “Pay-As-You-Go” programs, which allow students to take fewer credits each semester and still graduate on a longer, more affordable schedule.

Slowing Down = More Intellectual Exploration?

But financial necessity doesn’t tell the whole story. At Hampshire College in Massachusetts, where self-designed majors are the norm, students are encouraged to slow down and delve deeply into their fields, often taking extra time to explore interdisciplinary projects and participate in experiential learning. The college’s approach rejects the “credit hour” model altogether, focusing instead on narrative evaluations and projects that allow students to work at their own pace. For Hampshire students, the four-year timetable isn’t a goal—it’s a suggestion. Many graduates look back and say the experience was far richer without the pressure to meet rigid academic deadlines.

Meanwhile, Northeastern University’s signature co-op program allows students to gain up to 18 months of full-time work experience, frequently extending their college years. Students at Northeastern work in industries directly related to their majors, and by graduation, they often have more substantial resumes than students who rushed through college in the standard four years.

For these students, an extra year or two spent balancing work placements with coursework is a trade-off that opens doors to more advanced roles post-graduation. In fact, over 90% of Northeastern students participate in at least one co-op, and many opt for two or even three, extending their college experience but giving them unparalleled preparation for their careers.

There’s also been a philosophical shift underpinning this trend, inspired by programs like the University of Virginia’s “New College Curriculum,” which encourages students to explore broad, interdisciplinary paths rather than rigidly structured programs. Students in the curriculum can take a variety of exploratory courses, many of which emphasize skills like ethical reasoning and critical thinking over rote learning.

The program has drawn students who want a less linear, more inquiry-based approach to education, and, as a result, students often take longer to complete their degrees, filling those extra semesters with experiential classes and interdisciplinary work. This gradual approach resonates with students who see education as a journey rather than a finish line.

Challenges of the “Slow Major”

Of course, the “slow major” doesn’t come without challenges. In a culture that values speed and productivity, a lingering stigma persists against the extended timeline—a notion that students who don’t finish in four years have somehow fallen behind. Parents, too, may worry about the cost implications, as extending a degree often means additional semesters of tuition, housing, and expenses. However, in a world where over 40% of students at four-year public institutions now take longer than four years to graduate (according to the National Center for Education Statistics), the “slow major” may simply reflect the new normal, rather than an anomaly.

And yet, there’s something quietly radical in the act of slowing down. The students choosing the slow path aren’t opting out of success—they’re redefining it. For some, that success means taking time to pursue a research project, complete multiple internships, or even study abroad more than once. In a way, the slow major is an invitation to rethink the entire concept of education. It’s about seeing college not as a race to the finish line but as a chapter worth lingering over, a space to experiment with ideas, identities, and ambitions without the pressure to hurry along.

Concluding Notes

In the end, Slow Majors may remain a niche group, outliers in an education system still dominated by traditional metrics. But their presence hints at a larger question, one that speaks to the nature of learning itself. If education is truly about growth and discovery, perhaps it’s time we reconsider the value of speed. Maybe, in this era of fast everything, the students taking the long road know something the rest of us have forgotten:

the best way forward isn’t always the fastest.

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Joshua S. R.
Founder
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