Unlike many first-year college students, Katie McPartlin has her life mapped out. After she finishes her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, she plans to work as a corrections officer. Then, she’ll put her minor in psychology to use by training in forensic interviewing, a method of gathering evidence typically used with children and other vulnerable victims of crimes. Also, unlike many college freshmen, Ms. McPartlin will complete her degree in three years. Why We Wrote This Three-year degrees offer students tuition savings and faster career entry. But questions remain over whether accelerated, narrowly focused coursework is preferable to a well-rounded education, and how these programs could affect society. Students like Ms. McPartlin could soon become more common as more institutions consider offering three-year bachelor’s degrees.…