Accelerated pathway dual degree programs provide academically outstanding students an accelerated pathway to complete an undergraduate and a master's degree in a reduced period of time. Accelerated pathway programs provide undergraduate students permission to take a specified number of master's level courses as electives toward completion of their bachelor's degree. The students then apply to the graduate degree program, and if accepted, the previously completed graduate coursework during the senior year is counted as transfer credit toward the completion of the master's degree.
Students wishing to apply for the Psychology, BA or BS/Master of Public Policy accelerated pathway program must complete an application no later than the end of their third year of undergraduate study. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA to enter the program. Applications are available from the academic advising office in the Hobby School of Public Affairs and the Department of Psychology.
If admitted to the accelerated pathway program, the student may take up to 21 credit hours of graduate courses during their senior year. (See list of courses below.) These courses will count as upper-level elective credits toward their bachelor's degree. The student should then complete the full graduate school application to the master's degree program during their senior year. If they are admitted to the master's program, the student will receive transfer credit for the graduate-level work taken during the senior year and will have 18 credits left to complete the master's degree.
It is important to note that students who are admitted to the accelerated pathway program during their junior year are not automatically admitted to the master's degree program. They must complete all requirements of the graduate school application and must be formally admitted to the master's degree program following their final undergraduate year.