ACCELERATED MASTERS
PROGRAMS
& SENIOR PERMISSION
Michael Edwards
Coordinator of Graduate Admissions
GETTING A HEAD START
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
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Why encourage students to pursue the
Accelerated Option?
Why encourage students to pursue Senior
Permission?
Can students be Accelerated Masters students
and pursue Senior Permission?
Who should be applying to the Accelerated
Masters Program and Senior Permission?
QUIZ



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What are the requirements to be an Accelerated
Masters applicant?
Which semester should an Accelerated Masters
applicant select on the application?
Every Accelerated Masters program offers the
same number of credits to be earned?
How late can an applicant apply to the
Accelerated Masters Program?

All approvals must be completed prior to the end of the Change of Schedule
Period for the course(s).
QUIZ



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Are the accelerated masters program admission
requirements the same as the admission
requirements of the traditional masters program?
Should a student enroll in the undergraduate
equivalent of the class before being admitted?
Can the Accelerated Masters Program be used
retroactively?
Are Accelerated applicants a Graduate Student?
QUIZ



Can an Accelerated Masters student take any
graduate course in the program?

“Students admitted into an approved Accelerated Masters Degree Program may have a
limited number of 600-level or higher courses counted toward both the undergraduate and
graduate degree”. -- Academic Regulations
(http://www.missouristate.edu/policy/Op3_04_4_AcceleratedMasters.htm)

Not all Accelerated Masters Programs are the same: “If accepted, graduate courses chosen
from CHM 602, CHM 607, CHM 642, CHM 652 and CHM 675 may be counted towards both
the undergraduate and graduate degrees, with a maximum of 12 credit hours counted
towards both the undergraduate and graduate degrees”.
Does it matter if a student is in the system as an
Accelerated or Traditional applicant?
Who can be an Accelerated applicant?

MSU, Evangel, Drury, SBU (MAcc)
30 ACCELERATED MASTERS PROGRAMS
Program
| Credits
Program
| Credits
Master of Health
Administration
6
Master of Science, Health
Promotion and Wellness
Management
12
6
Master of Arts, History
9
Master of Science, Cell and
Molecular Biology
12
Master of Science in Education,
Literacy
12
Master of Science, Chemistry
12
Master of Science, Materials
Science
9
Master of Arts, Communication
10
Master of Science, Mathematics
6
Master of Science,
Communication Sciences &
Disorders - Education of the
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
12
Master of Science in Education,
Mathematics
6
12
Master of Science, Criminology
12
Master of Natural and Applied
Science
Master of Science, Early
Childhood and Family
Development
Master of Science, Nursing
10
10
Master of Science, Plant Science
12
12
Master of Science, Elementary
Education
Master of Science, Project
Management
6-12
Master of Public Administration
12
Master of Arts, Writing
(Professional/Technical Writing)
12
Master of Public Health
12
12
Master of Science, Geospatial
Sciences in Geography and
Geology
Master of Arts, Religious
Studies
12
Master of Science in Education,
Secondary Education – History
6
Master of Global Studies
12
Master of Science in Education,
Special Education - ASD
Master of Accountancy
6
Master of Science, Applied
Anthropology
6
Master of Science, Biology
12
Master of Business
Administration
12
SCENARIOS
SCHOLARSHIPS
Accelerated Masters
Program

MSU General
Scholarship

Scenario: Applicant
applies for Spring
2014 as Accelerated
applicant. Some
scholarships may not
be available as they
are given for an
Academic year.
Senior Permission

Undergraduate
scholarships will not
cover the graduate
course work.
SUBTLE DIFFERENCES
IN ADMISSION
Accelerated Masters
Program
Traditional Masters
Program
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Submission of GRE or MAT scores prior to the
beginning of the second semester of course
work. For information on these tests, please see
the "Admission to Graduate Study" section of the
Missouri State University Graduate Catalog.
Junior standing with a cumulative GPA of 3.25.
Major in the School of Communication Studies or
the equivalent, having completed 15 hours in the
major department, including at least six hours at
the 300-level or above, with a GPA in the major
of 3.50 or better.
A letter of recommendation by a faculty member
in the School of Communication Studies.
A personal statement of no more than 2 pages
addressing the applicant's qualifications for the
Accelerated program and the role the program
plays in the applicant's personal and professional
goals.
Date for first consideration for
applications: March 1.



REQS
The applicant must submit scores for either the
General Record Examination (GRE) OR the
Millers Analogy Test (MAT) prior to the
beginning of their second semester of course
work. For information on these tests, please see
the “Admission to Graduate Study” section of the
Missouri State University Graduate Catalog.
The student must have attained a GPA of at
least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale for the last 60 credits of
academic work or at least a GPA of 2.75 on a
4.00 scale for the last 60 credits of academic work
and a score of 153 or above on the verbal section
of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and
a score of 140 or above on the quantitative
section of the GRE or a score on the MAT in the
50th percentile or higher.
Students who do not meet the normal admission
requirements, but who show an indication of
high promise, will be considered for probationary
admission. Probationary conditions will be
defined by the Graduate Director. All other
University and Graduate College requirements
for admission to a degree program will also
apply. Please refer to the requirements given in
this catalog.
GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS
Accelerated Masters
Program

Available.
Must meet all regular
GA requirements.
 Graduate College
Evaluation more
intense.
 Still restricted to two
years as a GA.

Senior Permission

Not possible.
ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY
Accelerated Masters
Program
After 60+ hours
earned (Junior status)
 Must have already
earned 60 hours.
Cannot have 45 hours,
but be in 15+ of
classes and apply.
They need to wait.
 Must be accepted into
Graduate Program.

Senior Permission
After 90+ hours
earned. (Senior
status)
 GPA of 3.00 on last 60
hours

MAXIMUM CREDIT
Accelerated Masters
Program

A maximum of 12
though this is
program dependent.




Communication:
History
Project Management:
Global Studies:
Senior Permission

A maximum of 12
credits of graduate
course work may be
earned.
SEMESTER RESTRICTIONS
Accelerated Masters
Program

University overload
policy applies.
Senior Permission

Eligible students are
limited to a maximum
of 9 credit hours of
graduate level courses
and a maximum of 15
credit hours of
graduate and
undergraduate
courses combined
during a semester.
REGISTRATION
Accelerated Masters
Program


Be Accepted into
Accelerated Masters
Program.
Mixed-Credit Form:
Receive written
approval:




Department Head
Program Director
Graduate College
Graduate College will
take the document to
Registrar’s Office after
evaluation.
Senior Permission


Complete Senior
Permission for Graduate
Form:
Receive written
approval:
Department Head
 Graduate College


Graduate College will
take the document to
Registrar’s Office after
evaluation.
FINANCIAL AID
Accelerated Masters
Program

Classes are counted
toward both
undergraduate and
graduate so financial
aid is available for all
accelerated classes.
Senior Permission

Graduate hours do not
receive financial aid
and do not count
toward full-time
undergraduate status.
FORMS
Accelerated Masters
Program

Completing the
Mixed-Credit Form:
Only after the
applicant has been
admitted.
 Do not sign and turn
in the mixed-credit
form

Senior Permission
Always check that the
applicant meets GPA
requirement before
signing.
 Graduate College will
evaluate the GPA and
deny the applicant.

PROBLEMS?

Wrong semester chosen? What then?

Email GraduateAdmissions@missouristate.edu
Full Name
 Date of Birth
 Statement specifying change requested.


Graduate Admissions Contact: 836-5331
POWERPOINT & FORMS

http://graduate.missouristate.edu/facultystaff/Dir
ectorInformation.htm
1. Go to: http://graduate.missouristate.edu.
 2. Click on Faculty and Staff (on the left)
 3. Click Program Director Information link.


PowerPoint, Senior Permission and Accelerated
Masters Program forms available.
QUESTIONS

Discussion?