College & Department FAQs: Accelerated Degree Programs
When should my accelerated degree study apply for graduation from their bachelor's degree?
It is highly recommended that a student applies for the completion/conferral of the bachelor's degree in the semester they complete the undergraduate degree requirements.
Why is applying for a bachelor's degree as soon as the degree requirements are completed an important step?
This is a requirement for Federal Aid compliance, and delaying degree conferral once the requirements are met does not satisfy regulations. Overall, applying as soon as the degree requirements are done ensures that the degree completion is reported as earned to KBOR, IPEDS, etc... and that the college and department are given appropriate credit for successful degree completion.
Waiting can cause issues for both the student and the program, especially if the student decides to step out and not complete the master's degree. The college and department then need to work through the add-back/retro-conferral processes instead of ensuring the credential is conferred once officially completed.
Who is responsible for ADP student success?
For the purpose of recruiting and advising Accelerated Degree Program (ADP) students, the undergraduate advisors should work with the Academic Department and Program Director to ensure the student is on track for successful completion of both programs.
Reminder: While the student is in the primary undergraduate degree seeking program, it is important that the undergraduate advisor and the College Dean's Office are kept abreast of the completion of the nine (9) graduate-level credits and the timing with the bachelor's degree completion.
Can my students finish their bachelor's and master's degrees in the same semester?
NO.
In regular student service discourse, students are either firmly classified as undergraduate or as graduate/professional students. An Accelerated Degree Program student is admitted pending the successful completion of the bachelor's degree and, per policy, is admitted under the condition that they may take up to nine (9) credit hours of graduate-level courses that will count towards both degree requirements.
As their advisor, I know which courses should count toward their bachelor's degree only, their master's degree only, or towards both degrees. Who do I need to inform so KSIS assigns the correct level to the students' courses?
First, KSIS does not choose the assignment of the level of the students' course, but the student will do so when they enroll for the semester. When the student logs in to KSIS, they choose the undergraduate or graduate career at the point of registration and need to ensure that they are in the right career when they register.
As the student's undergraduate advisor, all you need to do is make sure that ALL coursework taken while the student is officially an undergraduate student will count toward the completion of the bachelor's degree program (including the nine (9) credits of graduate-level coursework).
As the student's faculty/program director at the graduate level, it is imperative that you also ensure that the same nine (9) credit hours being taken for graduate-level credit are degree-applicable and are also allowed to count towards the undergraduate degree-seeking program. You should coordinate with the undergraduate academic advisor and College Dean's Office.
How do we calculate the credit-hour fees for these students?
You don't.
The tuition and fees will follow the rates designation based on the students' primary plan and then follow the career/level of the course registration. Refer to the FAQs about Tuition and Fees for additional information.
Can both the bachelor's and master's graduations occur simultaneously, or does the bachelor's graduation need to happen earlier?
NO, the graduations cannot occur simultaneously, but instead the bachelor's graduation should occur first.
The student can take NO more than nine (9) graduate-level credit hours that will apply toward both the completion of their intended undergraduate and graduate degrees. Students do not officially move from a "provisional admit" status from their graduate program until they have officially graduated/completed their undergraduate degree-seeking program. Consequently, the bachelor's graduation will always happen earlier.
The student will not be allowed to continue with graduate-level coursework/registration for graduate credit beyond the nine (9) credit hours of graduate-level coursework until the undergraduate/bachelor's degree has been completed/conferred in KSIS.
Can dual bachelor's majors apply for graduation in different terms?
For instance, the student will finish a B.S. in Statistics/Data Science in Fall of 2023 and has also declared the ADP BS/MS in Math set to complete in Spring of 2025. Can the student graduate with the first bachelor's degree (BS in Stat/Data Science) and keep taking undergraduate courses for the BS in Math?
That is a great question, and the answer is premised on the assumption that in addition to working on two separate undergraduate bachelor's degrees, the student also wishes to work toward the degree that is in an approved Accelerated Degree Program.
It is best practice to apply for graduation as soon as a student has successfully completed all courses for the completion of the program of study.
The student should complete all requirements for the B.S. degree in Statistics/Data Science first, and the coursework must be exclusively at the undergraduate level. After having completed the B.S. degree in Statistics/Data Science, the student can next apply to be "provisionally" admitted as a non-degree seeking graduate student for the Accelerated Degree Program for the BS/MS in Math.
Remember that only nine (9) credit hours of graduate-level coursework can be applied to the completion of the B.S. degree in Math. Any graduate-level coursework beyond those nine (9) credit hours can only be taken once the student has been fully admitted into the graduate program AND has met all the course requirements for completion of the B.S. degree in Math.
The underlying reason for this requirement is that, from a student financial aid perspective, ALL coursework taken for a specific term must either apply toward the completion of an undergraduate degree OR a graduate degree.
