There's no time like the present to start working on that advanced degree. Many universities offer dual degree programs that allow you to start your master’s while you finish your bachelor’s degree.
Examples include Eastern Michigan’s accounting program, Michigan State University’s physiology and zoo and aquarium science programs and the University of Michigan’s Aerospace Engineering program.
Private colleges also offer the option, such as Drexel University in Philadelphia, Stanford University in California and MIT in Massachusetts. Students usually have to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and meet other academic criteria.
To find out if your college offers such programs, check with the admissions office, your academic adviser or department heads.
Some courses may count for both degrees, which saves even more time and money. And, speaking of money, bachelor’s/master’s gigs often offer the master’s classes at undergraduate rates. Don’t forget to ask about possible scholarships available to you if you enroll.
These programs also allow you to waive or at least postpone graduate entrance exams, which are challenging tests required for traditional grad school admission. Most programs also require a 3.0 or higher GPA, and ask that you fill out the graduate school application and be accepted by the grad school’s admissions boards. Usually only juniors and seniors can apply, but some programs start are open to freshmen.
Expect to produce letters of recommendation and to commit to earning a set number of credits for your bachelor’s and master’s degrees. A common breakdown is 120 and 30 credits, respectively.
The major benefit of going the bachelor’s/master’s route, says Gary B. McCombs, a professor at Eastern Michigan University’s College of Business, “is that obtaining bachelor’s and master’s degrees is an effective and efficient process. Most higher-end employers now expect our students to have graduate degrees.”