Early Entry to Graduate Programs

GET AN EARLY START! 

Undergraduate students with outstanding academic performance may apply for “Early Entry“ to a graduate program and begin graduate coursework while completing undergraduate degree requirements. Accepted students receive provisional acceptance to the graduate program pending the award of their bachelor’s degree. Up to 12 hours of graduate courses  may be taken as an undergraduate and "double counted" toward the undergraduate and graduate degrees limitations vary by program. Students are charged undergraduate tuition and fees for all courses for which they register until the bachelor’s degree is attained (see restrictions below). Students considering Early Entry to a graduate program should speak with the respective master's program advisor to be sure they will meet prerequisites for the anticipated Early Entry courses. Early Entry is currently available for master's programs in: 

Early entry benefits 

Double Count Your Classes

Gain Cost Savings 

Double count credit hours for graduate and undergraduate degrees.

Students are charged undergraduate tuition and fees for all courses taken (both graduate and undergraduate) until the bachelor's degree is complete. 

(see restrictions below)

requirements

  • Apply for Graduate School admission.
  • Earn an acceptable score on the appropriate graduate standardized test.
  • Complete 75 or more hours of undergraduate coursework. (Typically, close to 90 hours will be earned by the time the first graduate course is taken.)
  • Earn at least a 3.2 overall GPA.
  • Complete the Early Entry Course Approval Form and have it approved by both the Graduate Program Director and the Graduate School. Failure to obtain prior approval negates a student’s ability to “double count“ courses.
  • Learn more from the Graduate Admissions office.  

More information about early entry

  • If an Early Entry student has not met the normal admission requirements of a 3.0 GPA at the end of the baccalaureate degree, the student will be dismissed from the graduate program.
  • M.S in Economics and M.S. in Math Finance:  A maximum of 12 credit hours taken at the graduate level may be double-counted toward the undergraduate degree. However, Early Entry students may take up to 15 hours (two semesters not including summer terms) of graduate-level work prior to completion of the undergraduate degree.
  • No courses taken before early admission to the graduate program may be applied to a graduate degree.
  • Students who are admitted as Early Entry but do not enroll in a graduate course in their first semester will have their admission withdrawn and will need to reapply for admission upon completion of the bachelor’s degree.
  • Early Entry students cannot postpone graduation from the undergraduate program in order to pursue coursework for the graduate program.