Purdue creates competency degree program, putting students in charge

The College of Technology program allows students to progress at their own rate as they demonstrate mastery of specific skills, rather than performance measured only at fixed calendar intervals of classroom time.

Instead of letter grades serving as a general indicator of classroom accomplishment, competencies will indicate to employers what graduates can do.

As part of the Purdue Moves initiative, students will experience yearlong industry-sponsored design projects, study abroad programs and design-lab courses their freshman year.

The degree program comes during the transformation of the college into the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, where teaching methods will shift to a hands-on curriculum.

Daniels wrote an open letter to the Purdue community in January, offering two $500,000 grants: one for the first department or program to create a three-year degree, and one for the first to create a competency degree. The award for a three-year degree program went to the Brian Lamb School of Communication.