ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× Graduate School Expands 4 + 1 = Done! Accelerated Bachelorās to Masterās Degree Options
Wed, 09/01/2021 - 01:51pm | By: David Tisdale
Undergraduates at The ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× (ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ×) who have proven themselves academically and wish to pursue an advanced degree can do so at an accelerated rate with programs offered through the ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× Graduate School.
The 4 + 1 = Done! initiative allows undergraduate students in designated degree programs
to complete their bachelorās degree in four years while also sharing some coursework
along the way with a masterās 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 āBright Outlookā 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 masterās degrees have an advantage in a competitive job market. However, many
college students complete their education with only a bachelorās degree because of
the time and expense required to pursue a masterās degree. ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× helps students address
these issues by providing the opportunity to earn a masterās degree more quickly and
at a lower total cost with the following accelerated bachelorās to masterās 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 ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× (B.A.) to Master of ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× (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 ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× School of the Humanitiesā English Program is the first at the university to implement the 4+1 and Done framework with an accelerated path to a masterās degree in English. Dr. Monika Gehlawat, professor of English and associate director of the ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× 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 bachelorās degree being uncertain of what their next professional or academic steps should be.
āThey 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 ā4+1ā programs that encouraged strong students to earn a masterās degree following graduation,ā Dr. Gehlawat said. āWorking 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.
āIf 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 masterās thesis, they would be allowed to take it.ā
One of the English Programās most recent graduates of its B.A./M.A. accelerated plan earned their degree in summer 2021, Dr. Gehlawat noted. āHe was a semi-finalist for a Fulbright Scholarship, has numerous current and forthcoming publications, and is now a fully funded Master of Fine ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× 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.ā
āHolding a masterās degree can open doors in todayās job market, especially in professions that require advanced training and skills,ā said Dr. Karen Coats, associate provost and dean of the Graduate School. āČĖĘŽĀŅĀ×ās accelerated options prepare our students to gain that competitive edge more quickly while still experiencing all the value of the traditional route to the masterās degree.ā
Contact the ČĖĘŽĀŅĀ× Graduate School at 601.266.4262 or visit the website (/graduate-school/) for more formation about the 4+1= Done! initiative.