Accelerated Master’s Degree Programs

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Admissions Requirements

Advising and Support

Application Process

Current Programs

Curriculum Guidelines

Financial Aid and Tuition

Graduate Assistantships

Graduation Timing

Minimum GPA Requirements

Purpose

#Withdrawal from Accelerated Program

Purpose
Accelerated master’s degree programs at Fairmont State University allow exceptionally well-qualified undergraduates to pursue both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in a reduced time frame without compromising educational quality and rigor. Students should consult with advisors early in their program to determine eligibility and ensure optimal degree planning.

Admission Requirements

Eligibility: Only currently enrolled Fairmont State students may be considered for regular admission into an accelerated master’s program. All programs must adhere to a baseline admission
requirement, including a minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.30 and a 3.30 GPA in the major at the time of application. Individual programs may set additional admission
requirements as needed. Undergraduate students must have completed a minimum of 72 credit hours in their bachelor’s program to apply. Transfer students must complete at least 24 credit hours as degree-seeking students at Fairmont State before applying. These 24 credit hours should include upper-division coursework relevant to the graduate program.
Accelerated programs are not available to students seeking a second or subsequent bachelor’s degree unless approved by the Graduate Program Director and Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies.

Application Process

Undergraduate students must complete a separate application for admission to the accelerated master’s program. The application fee will be waived. Programs must
clearly specify any additional requirements, such as standardized test scores (e.g., GRE, GMAT) or professional references. If such requirements differ from those for regular admission, they should be explicitly stated in the program’s materials.

Student Status
Accelerated students will remain classified as undergraduates until they have completed all undergraduate degree requirements and are awarded their bachelor’s degree. They will not be
classified as new graduate students for retention calculations but will be considered continuing graduate students for headcount purposes. A clear transition process will be established to outline
steps for changing student status fromundergraduate to graduate.

Curriculum Guidelines

Credit Hour Requirements
1. To earn a bachelor’s degree, students must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours that count
toward the undergraduate degree, and a minimum of 30 additional graduate credit hours to also earn
a master’s degree.
2. Up to 12 credit hours of graduate coursework may count toward both undergraduate and graduate
degrees, subject to the following conditions:
a. Graduate courses must be relevant to both programs and approved by the program coordinators.
b. Graduate courses are typically taken during student’s senior year, with up to 6 credit hours each semester double-counted.
c. Only courses completed with a grade of ‘B’ or above may fulfill both undergraduate and graduate requirements.
d. Undergraduate courses will not count towards graduate degrees.

Graduate Coursework
1. All graduate courses must be numbered 500 or above.

2. Students may not continue taking graduate courses beyond the approved double- counted credits until they have satisfactorily completed their undergraduate degree, all graduate admission
requirements, and the graduate program has moved to their primary degree program.

Advising and Support

1. Each accelerated program will designate a primary advisor or coordinator (e.g., Graduate Program Director) responsible for advising students on course selection, dual requirements, and
transition processes.

2. As part of its degree-audit process, when certifying students have met all master’s degree requirements, the Graduate Program Director will verify that a minimum of 30 graduate-level credits
have been successfully completed by the student while maintaining good academic standing.

Financial Aid and Tuition

Financial Aid Eligibility

Accelerated students who take graduate courses to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements will be eligible for financial aid as undergraduates. Once students complete their bachelor’s degree and their graduate program becomes their primary program, they will be classified as graduate students for financial aid purposes. Students are advised not to proceed with additional graduate courses beyond the approved double-counted courses until they complete all undergraduate degree requirements to maximize financial aid benefits.

Tuition Rates

Undergraduate students electing to take graduate courses (numbered 500 and above) will be assessed at the undergraduate tuition rate without a graduate surcharge while still pursuing their undergraduate degree. Graduate tuition rates will be applied once the graduate program becomes the primary degree.

Minimum GPA requirements and continued eligibility

Accelerated students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or higher, if specified by program) in both their undergraduate and graduate courses. Grades for courses counted toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degree requirements will be factored into both GPAs to determine satisfactory academic standing.

Withdrawal from Accelerated Master’s Degree

A student may withdraw at any time from an approved Accelerated Master’s Degree program by informing the Undergraduate Advisor, the Graduate Program Director, and the Dean of the Graduate Studies in writing. A student’s status will then revert to the standard undergraduate degree program. Any graduate hours earned must be approved for use in fulfillment of bachelor’s degree requirements by the student’s advisor and College Dean.

Graduation timing

Accelerated students can apply for each degree credential as soon as the respective degree requirements have been completed. If a student is unable to complete the graduate degree, they remain eligible to complete their undergraduate degree requirements and obtain their bachelor’s degree.

Graduate Assistantships

Undergraduate students in accelerated programs are not eligible for graduate assistantships until they transition to full-time graduate status. Alternative opportunities for undergraduate scholarships, research, or academic involvement should be communicated to students during their undergraduate years.