Catalog Navigator : Accelerated B.A./M.A. Program

Accelerated Bachelor's-Master's Program Offered at Rutgers University-Newark

This program allows highly qualified Rutgers University-Newark undergraduate students to take graduate-level courses during their senior year. Students must apply and be admitted to the accelerated master's program in the second semester of their junior year. Once admitted to the accelerated program, students will work with their undergraduate adviser and graduate program director to develop a plan of study for their fast-track graduate degree.

Accelerated Master's Programs offered by the Graduate School-Newark:

Global Affairs
Psychology
Economics
Jazz History and Research
Peace and Conflict Studies
Political Science

Other accelerated master's programs are offered by the Rutgers Business School: Graduate Programs-Newark and New Brunswick, the School of Public Affairs and Administration, and the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University-Newark.

Benefits of an Accelerated Degree at Rutgers University-Newark

Time Savings: Admission into an accelerated degree program allows you to take graduate and undergraduate courses in your senior year. Graduate credits are counted toward both degrees, allowing you to complete your graduate degree in less time than a traditional graduate program.

Money Savings: All graduate courses taken during the fall and spring* of your senior year are billed at the undergraduate tuition rate--which is almost half of the cost of graduate tuition. Depending on the program, some students are able to complete nearly half of their graduate degree for half the cost.

*Tuition benefit excludes Summer and Winter Session courses.

Number of Graduate Credits Admitted Students May Take during Their Senior Year

Participants may take up to 12 graduate credits during their senior year. The graduate programs, in collaboration with the Graduate School-Newark, monitor student progress to be sure students are adhering to graduate credit limits during senior year.

Requirement that Undergraduates Major in Specific Fields

Some programs require that you major in that specific field as an undergraduate, while others will accept students from various undergraduate majors. Students should check early on with an adviser in the graduate program to which they plan to apply.

Semester/Year Selected on the Graduate Application for Undergraduates in Junior Year

The semester you select on the graduate application should be the semester in which you intend to matriculate as a graduate student. This is typically the semester following the completion of your bachelor's degree.

For example, if you are on schedule to graduate from your bachelor's program in May 2026, you would apply during your junior year (spring 2025) and select fall 2026 on the graduate application.

Below is a detailed explanation of the timeline:

Spring 2025
This is the second semester of your junior year. Meet with your undergraduate adviser to ensure that you are on track to complete your bachelor's degree in May 2026, as expected. Then, review the graduate application requirements and file a graduate application online this semester, selecting fall 2026 on the application as the semester/year to which you are applying.

Fall 2025
If you were admitted to the accelerated bachelor's-master's program last spring, this is your first semester of senior year and you would begin taking both graduate and undergraduate courses at undergraduate tuition rates. You would continue to communicate with both your undergraduate and graduate academic advisers to ensure you taking the courses necessary to complete both of your degrees in a timely manner.

Spring 2026
This is the second semester of senior year. You continue taking both graduate and undergraduate courses at undergraduate tuition rates. You will complete your bachelor's degree by May of this semester, as planned. (For whatever reason, if you do not complete your bachelor's degree this May as planned, you must contact your graduate program adviser and admissions to request that your semester of graduate matriculation is changed immediately. Failure to do so may result in registration, financial aid, and billing issues).

Fall 2026
If your bachelor's degree was completed last semester, you would officially matriculate as a graduate student this semester and complete the remainder of your graduate degree at graduate tuition rates.

Applying to the Accelerated Program

Undergraduates enrolled at Rutgers University-Newark who have completed a minimum of 30 undergraduate credits at Rutgers University-Newark are eligible to apply to an accelerated program during the second semester of their junior year.

Each graduate program will have its own application deadlines and requirements that the student must comply with in order to be considered. While each of the programs will have its own separate application requirements, ALL applicants must have a 3.2 minimum undergraduate GPA to be eligible for any of the accelerated programs.

Are Rutgers students guaranteed admission to the accelerated bachelor's-master's program?

No. Admission to each program is limited and consideration is applied competitively to all applicants. Furthermore, for juniors admitted to the program, admission is conditional on successful completion of the undergraduate degree by the end of senior year. Students who do not successfully fulfill the requirements for their bachelor's degree may not officially matriculate as a graduate student or continue taking graduate coursework.

How do I apply for an accelerated bachelor's-master's program?

As an undergraduate junior, when you wish to be considered for the accelerated bachelor's-master's program, it is highly recommended that you meet with your undergraduate academic adviser before submitting an application to ensure that you are on track to complete your bachelor's degree as expected. Then, you must submit a Rutgers graduate application online at http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu, along with the required application fee, and any supplemental materials required by the program to which you are applying. All supplemental application materials should be sent directly to: Office of Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions, 190 University Avenue, Engelhard Hall, Room 101, Newark, NJ 07102-1896 (Phone: 973-353-5205; Fax: 973-353-1440; Email: admissions@newark.rutgers.edu.)

Note that each accelerated program has different application requirements and deadlines. Please review the requirements for your graduate program carefully on the graduate admissions website to ensure that your application is complete and on time.