Why Is College 4 Years? The Ancient History Of 'Modern' Education

Vertical windmills. Mechanical clocks. Eyeglasses. The 4-Year Degree. We have the 13th century to thank for providing us with these inventions. Sadly by now in 2022 most have aged out and were replaced with newer and more advanced versions. All except 1, which got us thinking. Why is a traditional college journey still 4 years today?

While it’s true that we should learn from the past, not everything rooted in history or tradition has to remain. Especially not rooted firmly in place for centuries. We’re developing, innovating, and accelerating at an alarming pace, and it’s time for education to keep up.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at how the 4-year education model came to be. What does that model look like now? What potential for change does the future hold?

4 years of College: Where it started

Most students assume that’s how it’s always been. Just like in high school, you enter as a freshman and exit as a senior. And, a lot of life and learning takes place in between. However, there’s a real origin to where this model began. Understanding the roots and history of this model can help us pinpoint if it remains relevant today.

The language we use

NOTE - Some of the words mentioned in this piece use language we refrain from using in the common vernacular at Uvaro like 'Master' and 'Grandmaster' - but have been included in this piece to learn more about their origin and use in traditional education systems.

In 13th-century Europe, teachers and scholars began to organize into communities called guilds. Each guild had different levels:

• Apprentice
• Journeyman
• Master
• Grandmaster

It's important to note that these terms stem from a white supremacist ideology. It's no surprise that it is colonizer countries who primarily use the term "Master's Degree.' It's common in France, Spain, and the U.K., as well as in colonized countries like the U.S., Canada, and Australia. There have been recent and ongoing protests against the usage of the term in reference to academic titles. In 2016, Harvard renamed any staff titles with reference to the word "master" to "faculty dean's." However, the widely used "Master's Degree" still remains today.

In the 13th century, once someone obtained master or grandmaster status, guild members could become licensed to teach. However, they had to first achieve a professional certification, known as a degree.These degrees were not accessible to women. Institutions did not view POCs as citizens and so POCs also did not have access to any sort of education.

And it remains today...

Symbols of colonialism and slavery are incredibly prevalent and systemic within University and College systems. There have been huge efforts by the Black Lives Matter network to rename schools, and take down statues of slave owners and colonizers all across the globe. For example, in Toronto, the University formerly known as Ryerson University — reference to Egerton Ryerson, a key contributor to the creation of the residential school system — was renamed the Toronto Metropolitan University.

While language is crucial to shaping how we view inclusivity and reparations, it's important to remember that just because a name changes does not mean that the institution itself — one that was built on the foundational institutional ideals of colonization — does not still uphold those racist and oppressive systems.

When we talk about the foundations of higher education, beginning in the 13th century before mass colonization began, the positions of "masters", "grandmasters", and "doctors" were all white men.

The ranks of your education

Back then, there was only 1 real degree in higher education: master or doctor. At that time, both degrees were considered to be on the same level — though a doctorate degree is higher today. A baccalaureate, or bachelor’s degree, was just a stage that members would pass as they worked toward their mastership.

It was awarded to candidates who had studied all of the prescribed texts in the 3 classical phases. These were known as the trivium: grammar, rhetoric, and logic. This process took around 3 to 4 years.

Once they completed those studies and passed their requisite exams, they were 1 step closer to becoming a master. If they wanted to move beyond that rank, they could go on to study the quadrivium. This required 4 additional years of work in music, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and other fields.

Thus, the 4-year degree industry is born with the post-grad following in its footsteps.

4 years of college: Where it went

We’ve moved beyond wind-up clocks and quartz spectacles, so it stands to reason that the ancient European model of academia could use a little dust-off.Not only from academics, but from those who have been systemically undermined by academia as well.

Somehow, most employers remain steadfastly devoted to the value attached to a traditional 4-year degree. For a period in the early 2000's they were requiring it at rising rates, leading to an issue that many have dubbed degree inflation”. This means that jobs that didn’t historically require a bachelor’s degree are now listing it among their requirements, even if it isn’t actually necessary for the role.

As a result, individuals with sharp skill sets and years of work experience but without the financial or geographical means to obtain a degree, are losing out in the job force. They are often eclipsed by applicants who have only a fraction of their capabilities but hold that coveted piece of paper.

While current industry professionals might not have degrees, as they retire or change positions, their replacements are expected to. This leaves companies struggling to fill openings, even with a qualified workforce right under their nose.

Currently, only 1 out of 3 American adults hold a 4-year bachelor’s degree. Globally, only 7% do.

Do you actually need to go to college for 4 years to get a job?

The Internet changed everything

Many experts point to the increasing role of technology in virtually every industry, from retail to food and beverage. Just a few short years ago, employees could get by with basic skills and on-the-job training. Now, they’re connected to one another via smart devices, using automated machines to make mission-critical decisions.

This also means that knowledge is more accessible than it ever has been.

In 2011, the U.N. deemed access to the internet a basic human right. This primarily had to do with the additional access to knowledge and education that remote learning — even self-taught — can provide. This, along with the importance of remote community-building, is exactly what some industries see as huge wins for a remote workforce.

Employees also need to know how to navigate the nuances of the workplace in the new era of remote workforces. They need to practice soft skills. Great communication, and social abilities are required learning whether through 4 years in college or elsewhere.

Does a degree keep me relevant?

Companies often assume that a degree program provides all of the soft, and hard skills needed to do a job in a student's field of study. So, they list a 4-year degree” as a prerequisite and assume it checks all the boxes.

Well-meaning as it might be, this step not only automatically disqualifies an entire group of capable and competent workers, it also isn't necessarily the truth. Not every 4-year program offers the exact same tenets as another and the standard for skill-building can vary wildly. This automatic rule also significantly impacts populations that are less likely to graduate from a 4-year program — often keeping the same historically oppressed groups away from education once again.

Despite all of this, when we look at the job market today — having a 4-year degree actually ISN'T a prerequisite to work at a lot of the top tech companies. In the search for the best talent — not the most educated talent — companies like the ones below cut the requirement of a 4-year degree to huge hiring success.

You tell us if you've heard about them over the last few years to see if they are still relevant...

• Netflix
• Apple
• IBM
• Dropbox
• Google
• Tesla

The State of the 4-Year Degree Today

While enrollment in bachelor's degree programs remains relatively steady, the tides are slowly shifting. According to one study, 42% of students say that their ideal post-secondary plans would include no more than 3 years of study, with 31% preferring to spend 2 years or less.

Increasingly, they’re looking at alternative learning options that would still allow them to learn the skills they need to achieve career success, without spending time and money on a traditional university program.

According to a 2022 Gallup report, associate degrees and certificate programs are the most popular credentials of interest for individuals who are currently not enrolled in any type of post-secondary institution.

While changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic are largely to blame, college enrollment in 2020 reached its lowest rate in a decade. That year, only 63% of high school students immediately enrolled in college, compared to 70% in 2018.

This year, the trend continues, with more than 1 million fewer students enrolled in the Spring 2022 semester compared to Spring 2020. As these numbers continue to drop, tuition rates are steadily on the incline, along with student debt burdens. Thus, it’s easy to see why student perception of additional education is waning. Many are turning to direct-to-career programs that put them in the driver’s seat of their professional future, seeking out apprenticeship and training programs that have guaranteed job placements upon competition.

Others are eschewing long-form university programs for abbreviated online platforms that help them hone their craft in a shorter period of time so they can start working — and earning — sooner.

Reimagining the Potential of Education

Why is college 4 years? There are many advantages to pursuing a 4-year degree. As mentioned, many employers have made this a prerequisite on their job listings, even if the job itself does not require such advanced knowledge. 

While this is an understandable tactic, it also limits who can apply. For those who do go this route, competition is fierce and mismatches are frequent. It’s not uncommon for college-educated individuals to wind up in jobs that are greatly below their capabilities and pay grades.

At Uvaro, we’re here to help you bypass those roadblocks. With our interactive, cohort-based learning programs, you can acquire the skills and experience you need to excel in your chosen career field. Plus, you can do it all in as little as 4 to 12 weeks. The 13th century was a formative one, but we don’t have to stay there. If you’re ready to embrace a new, alternative learning model, take a look at the workshops, classes, and resources we offer.

Download our Career Success Catalog to learn more today!