A bachelor’s degree from a private university in three years instead of four, at a fraction of the published price: that is the promise at the center of an expanded partnership announced by Lindenwood University and Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC).

The partnership’s signature pathway – “1 Program. 2 Colleges. 3 Years.” – maps every course a student takes from the first day at SWIC to the final semester at Lindenwood. Students complete foundational coursework at SWIC, transfer with every credit counting toward their bachelor’s program, and, through continuous enrollment, can finish a Lindenwood bachelor’s degree in as little as three years. The first pathway launches in Business Administration, with additional programs to follow. 

For students and families, the advantage is concrete on three fronts: 

  • Time. A three-year route to a bachelor’s degree eliminates up to a full year of tuition and living costs, and puts graduates into the workforce, a year earlier. 
  • Money. SWIC graduates transferring into traditional undergraduate programs qualify for academic scholarships of up to $11,000 per year, and Phi Theta Kappa honor society members earn an additional $1,000 per year – up to $12,000 annually. Working adults in Lindenwood’s evening and online programs receive $80 off every credit hour after completing an associate degree. 
  • Certainty. The pathway removes the single biggest fear in transfer: losing credits. Every course is mapped in advance, so students know exactly how their SWIC coursework applies to their Lindenwood degree before they ever fill out an application. 

“Transfer students too often pay for the same course twice or discover a semester too late that credits they earned will not count. This partnership is built so that never happens,” said Senior Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management and Marketing Dr. Aggie Hanni. “A SWIC graduate can now see the entire road to a bachelor’s degree before they even start: every course, every dollar, and every semester. That is what a genuine partnership between two institutions looks like, and it is what students deserve.” 

The partnership deepens one of the region’s strongest transfer relationships: SWIC is among the largest sources of transfer students to Lindenwood, and Lindenwood offers the lowest published tuition of any private university in the St. Louis metropolitan area. For a SWIC graduate earning the full $12,000 award, that combination brings the annual cost of a private bachelor’s degree within reach of, and in many cases below, the cost families expect from public options, with the smaller classes and personal attention of a private university. 

“The agreement reflects a broader commitment of Lindenwood: meeting students where they are, honoring the work they have already done, and removing every unnecessary barrier between a student and a degree with this and our bridge agreements,” Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Kathi Vosevich said. 

Applications for Fall 2026 are still open. SWIC graduates are encouraged to apply now for Fall 2026. For more information or to schedule a campus tour, contact the Lindenwood Office of Admissions at (636)-949-4949.