Accelerated Master's (Fast-Track) Programs

Policy Owner: Office of Graduate Programs

Policy Purpose

This policy establishes guidelines and requirements for Accelerated Master's (Fast-Track) Programs that enable eligible undergraduate students to complete both bachelor's and master's degrees in an accelerated timeframe. The policy ensures consistent standards across academic units while maintaining academic rigor and student success.

Policy Scope

This policy applies to all undergraduate students and all academic units offering or planning to offer an Accelerated Master’s (Fast-Track) Program at the Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech). This policy covers admission requirements, course requirements, and administrative procedures related to the Accelerated Master’s (Fast-Track) Programs. The policy encompasses students with either full-time or part-time enrollment status, as well as all locations and modalities of instruction.

Policy Statement

Florida Tech supports qualified undergraduate students in completing a bachelor's degree followed by a master's degree in an accelerated timeframe through Accelerated (Fast-Track) Master's Programs. These programs allow students to complete both degrees typically within five years by taking graduate-level courses during their undergraduate studies that can count towards satisfying requirements of both degrees.

Definitions

Accelerated Master's Program: A program that allows graduate credits earned as an undergraduate student to be applied to both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, leading to the completion of the master’s degree in an accelerated timeframe, typically one year after completion of the bachelor’s degree.

Double-Counting Credits: The practice of applying graduate credits toward both undergraduate and master’s degree requirements.

Regular Graduate Coursework: Standard graduate-level courses, excluding thesis, dissertation, graduate capstone, graduate research, graduate independent study, and graduate Final Program Examination courses.

Procedures/Guidelines

A. Eligibility and Admission Requirements

Students must

• have completed a minimum of 85 undergraduate credit hours (equivalent to senior standing),
• have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0,
• meet all additional department-specific admission criteria, including any program specific GPA requirements, outlined in the University Catalog, and
• obtain approval from the Office of Graduate Admission.

B. Accelerated Program Structure and Course Restrictions

1. Maximum Graduate Credits During Undergraduate Studies:
   • Students may take up to 12 credit hours of graduate level courses while classified as undergraduates.
   • No more than 6 graduate credit hours may be double-counted toward both degrees.
2. Academic Performance:
   • Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA in graduate coursework. Earned graduate credit not applied towards undergraduate degree requirements may still be applied to a master’s program degree requirements consistent with other graduate policies.
   • Credit from graduate courses taken by undergraduate students and completed with a grade below B will not count toward a master's degree if also applied to an undergraduate degree.
3. Course Restrictions:
   • Undergraduate students may only register for regular graduate coursework.
   • Undergraduate students are not permitted to register for:
     • Master's thesis or doctoral dissertation courses
     • Graduate capstone courses
     • Graduate research courses
     • Graduate level independent study courses
     • Graduate courses with Pass/Fail or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grades
     • Graduate Final Program Examination courses
4. Master’s Degree Completion Requirements:
   • Students will maintain their undergraduate student status until after they successfully confer their undergraduate degrees.
   • To earn a master’s level degree, students admitted to an Accelerated (Fast-Track) Master’s Program must meet the academic standards outlined in policies Master's and Specialist Degree Academic Standards and Master's and Specialist Degree Final Assessment and Committee Requirements and program-specific requirements described in the University Catalog.

Responsibilities

Office of Graduate Programs:

• Implements the policy based on the standards established by recommendation from the Graduate Council and approved by the Provost
• Monitors for effectiveness and compliance, reviews the policy at least annually, and recommends updates or revisions as needed
• Retains responsibility for communication, compliance, and enforcement of this policy
• Maintains graduate student records.

Academic Units:

• Establish program-specific degree and admission requirements
• Monitor student academic progress and compliance with academic policies
• Provide academic advising and support

Graduate Students:

• Complete all program requirements
• Maintain required GPA and academic standing
• Comply with academic and university policies

Compliance Reference

SACSCOC Standards

• Standard 9.2: Program Length
• Standard 9.6: Post-baccalaureate Program Rigor
• Standard 9.7: Program Requirements