Accelerated Master’s Degrees
Accelerated master’s degree (AMD) programs offer high achieving students the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree and master’s degree with one additional year of study. These programs allow for an efficient move through two degrees and the ability to jump-start student professional development by completing two degrees in less time than it would to complete them separately.
How it Works
Students take both graduate and undergraduate classes during their senior year. They graduate with a bachelor's degree at the end of their senior year (except Accounting) and seamlessly transition into their master’s degree program for one additional year to complete the graduate degree program.
- In the spring of the junior year, students apply to the AMD via the internal transfer application. Once accepted, the student is placed in a new undergraduate sub-plan. In their senior year, the student will then apply for the graduate program.
- Students will be matriculated to the Graduate Career in Campus Solutions upon completion of their undergraduate degree. Students will only be in one career at a time.
At this time, Illinois State University has several accelerated master's degree programs and an agreement with Jiangsu Normal University in China for math students. Participants complete three years at Jiangsu Normal University then complete their senior year and the master’s degree at ISU in two years.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The student will be charged undergraduate tuition rates for courses taken while they are in the undergraduate career and graduate tuition rates for courses taken while in the graduate career.
The student is eligible for undergraduate financial aid until they switch from the undergraduate career to the graduate career. Once the student is in the graduate career, they are eligible for graduate financial aid as well as graduate merit award consideration through the department (if available) and the Graduate School.
Students are eligible for a graduate assistantship, graduate tuition waivers, or other graduate student funding sources once they have completed their undergraduate degree. Accounting students are eligible for these funding opportunities once they have completed 120 hours.
Graduation
Degrees are awarded sequentially.
All details of undergraduate commencement are handled in the same manner and by the same timelines as all other undergraduate students. Once in the graduate career, students abide by the graduation deadlines set forth by the Graduate School.
Sample Timeline
| Semester | Total Grad Hours | Undergrad Courses (hours) | Grad Courses (hours) | Task |
| Junior Year – Spring 2018 | Apply for admission through the internal transfer application | |||
| Senior Year – Fall 2018 | 6 | ABC 380 (3) ABC 374 (3) |
ABC 497 (3) ABC 472 (3) |
Place student in the accelerated master’s degree sub-plan; remain in the undergraduate career |
| Senior Year – Spring 2019 | 6 | ABC 378 (3) ABC 398A36 (1) Undergrad Elective (3) |
ABC 373 (3) ABC 445 (3) |
|
| Senior Year – Summer 2019 | ABC 398A30 (12) | |||
| August - 2019 | Graduate with BS | |||
| MS - Fall 2019 | 9 | ABC 474 (3) ABC 475 (3) Elective (3) |
Matriculate and term activate in the graduate career | |
| MS – Spring 2020 | 9 | ABC 453 (3) ABC 476 (3) ABC 466 (3) |
||
| MS – Summer 2020 | 3 | ABC 400/498/499 | ||
| August - 2020 | Graduate with MS |