Accelerated Pathway (BA/BS to MS)
The Sociology Department has created two accelerated pathway programs leading to an M.S. degree
in Sociology: 1) B.A. in Sociology to M.S. in Sociology and 2) B.S. in Sociology to M.S. in Sociology.
These programs are designed to provide high-achieving undergraduate students with the opportunity
to complete foundational graduate coursework during their senior year in order to accelerate graduate
degree completion.
Undergraduate seniors take at least 2 graduate courses in their senior year (SOC 500 & SOC 580), 1 graduate course in the summer following their senior year (SOC elective) and the remaining 21 credits, including the required SOC 570 Applied Research in Sociology, in the following academic year to complete the Master of Science in Sociology. Program and curriculum maps for the 4+1 Accelerated Pathway program are available online here.
If you are interested in this program, please contact the Graduate Coordinator.
Undergraduate students declare their intention to join an Accelerated Pathway in their junior
year using the Selection of Degree Program link.
Eligibility requirements for the Accelerated Pathway program are:
- Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 across all major sociology courses
- Students who meet these requirements by the spring of their junior year are eligible to take one graduate course each semester in their senior year.
- Eligible students in the Accelerated Pathway program will apply for early acceptance graduate admission in the spring semester of their senior year.
- Acceptance into the undergraduate Accelerated Pathway does not automatically guarantee admission to the graduate Accelerated Pathway.
- All undergraduate seniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 are eligible to register for a graduate course, regardless of whether they are in the Accelerated Pathway program.
- Students formally accepted into the Accelerated Pathway program may register for graduate courses without needing to first obtain a Petition for Irregular Schedule form.
- Undergraduate seniors who are not in the Accelerated Pathway program may register for one graduate course per semester (up to a maximum of 9 credits) by completing and submitting the Petition for Irregular Schedule form to the School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS).
- For more information, see the handout called Are You a Senior Interested in Taking Graduate Courses?