By Eric Allen, News Staff

Northeastern will offer students the option of earning a bachelor’s degree in four years with two full co-op experiences in addition to the traditional five-year program, according to a Dec. 9 press release.

To facilitate the new program, Northeastern will make some courses, like advanced writing classes, available online so students on co-op can take them at night, according to a Dec. 9 article in The Boston Globe.

Vice President of Marketing and Communications Mike Armini did not immediately return requests for comment Wednesday morning.

President Joseph Aoun predicted the majority of students will opt for the four-year program within three years, according to The Globe article. Only 17 percent of students currently graduate in four years.

Offering a four-year co-op program marks a shift to ‘a student-centered ‘-‘ rather than instructor-based ‘-‘ educational model,’ Aoun said in the press release. He expects the institution of the program to be ‘viral’ and ‘spread like wildfire,’ according to The Globe.

Northeastern’s co-op program began in 1909 to offer students an opportunity to learn vocational skills. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the program.

To read the press release, click here.