How Accelerated Graduate Education Works at Simmons

Undergraduate students may pursue one of two paths to accelerated graduate education: direct or exploratory. You may take two graduate-level courses as an undergraduate, which can count toward your graduate degree. 

Direct Pathway

Students who know what they want to study and where they want to take their career may apply for an accelerated bachelor’s to master's degree program during the undergraduate admission process.

View our accelerated programs

Exploratory Pathway

In the exploratory pathway, students work with the Edge advisor to finalize their undergraduate and graduate program. Some accelerated degree options are aligned with specific majors, while others are open to a variety of majors.

Current exploratory pathways include:

• Behavior Analysis
• Children's Literature
• Gender and Cultural Studies
• History
• Library and Information Sciences
• Nutrition
• Public Policy
• Public Health
• Social Work
• Coming Soon – Additional exploratory pathways in: 
  • Data Science
  • Management + Leadership 
  • Strategic Communications

Undergraduate to Graduate Degree Program Pathways

• Joint Programs
• 3+1 Programs
• 4+1 Programs
• 3 or 4+3 Programs
• Other Accelerated Pathways

How to Apply 

Your undergraduate to graduate accelerated pathway takes off during junior year. 

During junior year, you will:

• Complete your pre-application form to indicate an interest in a program (form will go to program director and Edge Advising coordinator. (Fall of junior year)
• Meet with the relevant graduate program direction for an interview and discussion of the program. (Prior to February 1)
• Submit your application by the February 15 priority deadline. 
• Register for your first semester graduate course during senior year (April)

During senior year, you will take a total of two graduate-level courses. 

Key Dates

• Priority Application Deadline: February 15
• Admission Decision: March 15 
• Register for Graduate Course: April 

Policies and Requirements 

• Minimum GPA of 3.0 required
• Students must have an advising meeting with the program director before applying and their application fee will be waived.
• Students have until June 15 after they have completed their junior year to apply to the exploratory program to enter the accelerated master's program. 
• Students who begin a graduate program as an undergraduate are not required to finish the graduate program in order to count toward their undergraduate degree.
• Acceptance into a graduate program is conditional upon passing all prerequisite and all graduate classes taken with the grades required by the program. Prerequisites and required grades vary by program.