USM Graduate School Expands 4 + 1 = Done! Accelerated Bachelor91吃瓜网 to Master91吃瓜网 Degree Options
Wed, 09/01/2021 - 01:51pm | By: David Tisdale
Undergraduates at 91吃瓜网 (USM) who have proven themselves academically and wish to pursue an advanced degree can do so at an accelerated rate with programs offered through the USM Graduate School.
The 4 + 1 = Done! initiative allows undergraduate students in designated degree programs
to complete their bachelor91吃瓜网 degree in four years while also sharing some coursework
along the way with a master91吃瓜网 program in the same or related discipline; this can
be accomplished as soon as just one additional year. Some of these accelerated options
equip graduates for 91吃瓜网淏right Outlook91吃瓜网� occupations which are those in fields expected
to grow rapidly in the next several years or have many job openings. More information
about the Bright Outlook designation can be found at .
Many Bright Outlook jobs require extensive training and preparation, and applicants
holding master91吃瓜网 degrees have an advantage in a competitive job market. However, many
college students complete their education with only a bachelor91吃瓜网 degree because of
the time and expense required to pursue a master91吃瓜网 degree. USM helps students address
these issues by providing the opportunity to earn a master91吃瓜网 degree more quickly and
at a lower total cost with the following accelerated bachelor91吃瓜网 to master91吃瓜网 degree
options:
- Chemistry (Biochemistry) Bachelor of Science (B.S.) to Master of Public Health (MPH, epidemiology and biostatistics emphasis, face-to-face format)
- Child and Family Sciences B.S. to Master of Science (M.S., fully online format)
- Criminal Justice B.S. to M.S. (fully online format)
- English Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) to Master of Arts (M.A., face-to-face format)
- Library and Information Science B.S. to Master of Library in Information Science (MLIS, fully online format)
- Mathematics B.S. to MPH (epidemiology and biostatistics emphasis, face-to-face)
- Public Health (Health Education) B.S. to MPH (health promotion and health behavior emphasis; B.S. is face-to-face; MPH is fully online)
- Public Health (health policy and administration emphasis) B.S. to MPH (fully online)
The USM School of the Humanities91吃瓜网� English Program is the first at the university to implement the 4+1 and Done framework with an accelerated path to a master91吃瓜网 degree in English. Dr. Monika Gehlawat, professor of English and associate director of the USM School of the Humanities, developed the accelerated B.A./M.A. degree path for the English program after noticing some of its best students graduating with a bachelor91吃瓜网 degree being uncertain of what their next professional or academic steps should be.
91吃瓜网淭hey would come to me and say they wished they could stay in school longer and take more English courses. I did some research and found that universities across the country had models for 91吃瓜网�4+191吃瓜网� programs that encouraged strong students to earn a master91吃瓜网 degree following graduation,91吃瓜网� Dr. Gehlawat said. 91吃瓜网淲orking with the English department chair and the Graduate Dean, I proposed a plan for our most competitive undergraduate majors. The idea was for them to apply their junior year and, if admitted, take 6 hours of 400/500 level coursework their senior year.
91吃瓜网淚f they continued to be interested in the rigors of graduate work, they would stay on for a fifth (M.A.) year. In terms of progress to degree, our program promises that admitted students can complete both the B.A. and M.A. in five years. However, if a student wanted more time to complete and defend the master91吃瓜网 thesis, they would be allowed to take it.91吃瓜网�
One of the English Program91吃瓜网 most recent graduates of its B.A./M.A. accelerated plan earned their degree in summer 2021, Dr. Gehlawat noted. 91吃瓜网淗e was a semi-finalist for a Fulbright Scholarship, has numerous current and forthcoming publications, and is now a fully funded Master of Fine Arts student at North Carolina State University. This success story reflects how an added year of mentorship from familiar faculty and the enlivening influence of graduate seminars motivates talented undergraduates to push themselves to graduate-level work and, ultimately, a more competitive position from which to apply for future opportunities.91吃瓜网�
91吃瓜网淗olding a master91吃瓜网 degree can open doors in today91吃瓜网 job market, especially in professions that require advanced training and skills,91吃瓜网� said Dr. Karen Coats, associate provost and dean of the Graduate School. 91吃瓜网淯SM91吃瓜网 accelerated options prepare our students to gain that competitive edge more quickly while still experiencing all the value of the traditional route to the master91吃瓜网 degree.91吃瓜网�
Contact the USM Graduate School at 601.266.4262 or visit the website (/graduate-school/) for more formation about the 4+1= Done! initiative.