Bachelor's/master’s or “accelerated master’s" degree programs are designed to allow qualified students to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree through an integrated program in a cost-effective, academically rigorous and timely manner. Requirements for the available majors are found in the accelerated programs list section.

Benefits to Student

• Time to completion of the graduate degree can be reduced;

• Cost of completion of the combined undergraduate and graduate degrees can be reduced;

• Undergraduate and graduate courses may be chosen with greater flexibility;

• Graduate courses may be taken after entering the accelerated degree program;

• Work on a thesis/project or research may begin upon acceptance to the accelerated degree program; and

• Continuity with facilities, faculty and colleagues is maintained.

Admission Requirements

Minimum admissions requirements for an accelerated master’s degree program include:

• Current admission into a bachelor's degree program;
• A 3.0 cumulative GPA;
• Completing 24 credits in the undergraduate major program requirements; and
• Junior standing

Individual degree programs or departments may establish different admission criteria while meeting these minimum requirements (i.e. a higher GPA, standing, etc.).

Degree Requirements

An accelerated master's program requires a minimum of 138 credits as opposed to the minimum of 150 credits required for separate bachelor's (120 credits) and master’s programs (30 credits). All general requirements for bachelor's degrees (e.g., general education, ethics, degree-specific requirements) are maintained, but departments may have different choices of major requirements for a bachelor's degree and an accelerated master’s degree. Minors are allowed but not required for either the accelerated Bachelor of Science or the accelerated Bachelor of Arts. At least 30 credits, with a minimum of 21 credits at the 600 level, must be applied to the master’s degree. Students in accelerated programs will still be expected to complete a Graduate Study Plan and the other requirements of a master’s degree.

After Admission

Students must maintain a cumulative GPA established by the accelerated degree program, or the university minimum of 3.0, while in the accelerated degree program. Students accepted into an accelerated master’s degree program must complete all degree requirements within seven years from admission to the program and comply with all other graduate school policies and requirements. Students admitted to an accelerated master’s program may be eligible for graduate research assistantships.

A student has the option to transfer back from the accelerated program to the bachelor's program. In this situation, they can graduate with a bachelor's degree once they satisfy all the bachelor's degree requirements (which may be different from the requirements in the accelerated master’s program). Departments proposing accelerated master’s degree programs must indicate paths for students to graduate with a bachelor's degree via this route. If a student graduates by this route, they have left the accelerated program, and cannot later apply for the master’s degree based upon the accelerated program degree requirements. However, they can apply coursework not used for bachelor's graduation requirements toward the completion of a conventional master's degree.

A student who graduates from the accelerated master’s program will receive both their bachelor's and master’s degrees in the same semester.