Revolutionizing Higher Education
The LE3 Program is Changing How We Learn and Work
Think You Don’t Have Time for a Degree? Think Again.
For many working adults, the dream of earning a bachelor’s degree can feel out of reach, too expensive, too time-consuming, and nearly impossible to juggle with work and family.
Sure, a degree can still open doors, but rising tuition, student debt, and the growing value of on-the-job experience have led many to hit pause on their education. Short-term training might offer quick skills, but it rarely carries the long-term career boost a degree can. And let’s be honest—traditional college programs often miss the mark when it comes to preparing students for today’s fast-moving workplace.
But what if you didn’t have to choose?
What if you could work full-time, earn your degree faster, and build the career and life skills you actually need all at once?
That’s exactly what students in National Louis University’s Learn and Earn in Three (LE3) program are doing. And it’s transforming more than just their resumes—it’s reshaping their futures.
Turning Experience into Opportunity
LE3 is a groundbreaking, work-integrated Bachelor’s degree program that helps students earn their degree in just 2.5 to 3 years while working full-time. It’s built for people who can’t afford to put their jobs and careers on pause to pursue an education. This innovative model blends real-world work experience with academic learning, unlocking new opportunities for students to accelerate their careers, and gain confidence in themselves along the way.
A Degree Designed for Working Learners
Traditional college models often require students to choose between work and school. LE3 flips that script by treating the workplace as part of the classroom. Students receive college credit each quarter for their on-the-job experiences, allowing them to advance academically while progressing professionally.
For many students, this connection between their work and education is eye-opening:
“I was worried about not getting this all done…but I was able to work on goals and time management like we practiced in class…and I’m proud of myself.”
What Makes This Program Different?
Most degree programs prioritize theory first, application later. LE3 flips that approach. Our courses emphasize experiential learning, meaning students don’t just absorb information—they use it.
- Course Credit for Work: LE3 treats the workplace as part of the classroom experience, expecting students to learn while they work and work while they learn. Students earn 25% of their program's course credit from time spent at work.
- Applied Learning: Students tackle real-world challenges, working on problems they'll use at work right away.
- AI Personalized Learning: Each course utilizes AI-powered tutoring and adaptive learning to tailor support and enhance comprehension.
- Industry-Relevant Skills: Every course is designed to build durable, transferable skills that support long-term career success.
- Flexibility Without Compromise: Engage in 100% online, asynchronous coursework, live support, weekly Zoom sessions, and a monthly virtual Saturday Leadership Lab, offering flexibility without compromising structure or community.
Students are already seeing the difference this flexible, tech-supported approach can make:
“The system is easy to use. It’s also a bit fun—I didn’t understand the way the system had phrased something, so I just asked it to explain it differently, and it did!”
“I thought college was going to be boring!”
Building Durable, Life-Ready Skills Employers Want
LE3 graduates leave not just with a degree but with a portfolio of durable, career-ready, and life-ready skills, including:
- Critical Thinking and Adaptability
- Leadership and Collaboration
- Communication and Networking
- Creative Problem Solving and Empathy
- Empathy and Resilience
These skills position graduates to excel in today’s ever-changing workforce and in their broader lives. Students often reflect on how their perspective shifts as they progress:
“I thought I understood communication…but now I’m learning about the role I play in communicating appropriately…it feels powerful.”
We are seeing students change the way they interact with the world, and the place they see for themselves in the world. This personal transformation is perhaps the most powerful outcome of all.
Real Support, Real Success
Balancing full-time work and school is no small task. That’s why LE3 embeds coaching and mentorship into the student experience. Weekly check-ins, leadership labs, and professional skills seminars ensure students stay on track and build confidence along the way.
“ALIAS [the AI learning tool] has given me insight into some of what I want to work on; it really got me thinking about my values.”
The impact goes beyond academics. It is also helping students grow as professionals and as people.
The program launched its first cohort in January 2025, and the response from students has been overwhelmingly positive. Many are discovering that the program is not just about getting a degree. It’s about becoming the kind of professional, and leader, they aspire to be.
A New Model for Higher Ed
LE3 is more than just an accelerated path to a degree. It’s a new model for higher education that aligns learning with the realities of modern work. For students balancing jobs, families, and dreams of a better future, this is a pathway that turns experience into opportunity. It’s not only preparing students for work, it is also preparing them for life.
Ready to work, learn, and lead on your terms? Learn more about LE3 at nl.edu/learn-and-earn-in-three.
