Accelerated Master's Program
Accelerated Master's Program is a program that helps students achieve a Master's degree in five years.
Eligible Students:
To apply early for the Geology M.S. degree, students must be enrolled in the Geology B. S. degree program at Oklahoma State University. Students must complete 90 credit hours or more towards their bachelor's degree by the end of term of application, including GEOL 3014 and GEOL 3034. The total number of hours for the undergraduate degree is 120 and the total number for the Geology M. S. degree is 30, which means these two degrees can share 9 credit hours in accordance with the University Academic Regulations 4.7.
Program Admission Procedures:
Candidates for the Geology M.S. degree must be cleared by their undergraduate advisor and the Geology M.S. advisor prior to submitting an application to the Graduate College. Students should apply during the final semester of their junior year. Students applying to the accelerated master's program will be given a preferential review of the application. However, please note admissions to the Geology M.S. program are based on a number of factors including GPA, statement of objectives, and letters of recommendation. Students admitted to the accelerated master's program will meet with their undergraduate and graduate advisors to enroll in graduate courses prior to completion of the undergraduate degree. Upon admission to the accelerated master's program, the Graduate College will open a second matriculation in Banner to facilitate graduate course enrollment for the senior year.
To apply to the accelerated Geology M.S. program, applicants must submit:
- Official transcripts with a minimum 3.0 GPA on coursework completed at OSU
- Three letters of professional recommendation
- Statement of goals and objectives
- Vita/resume
Coursework Taken After Clearance into the Accelerated Master's Program:
After receiving clearance, a student may enroll concurrently in graduate level coursework applicable to the Geology M.S., under the guidance of the graduate advisor. A student will remain an undergraduate student and not be fully admitted into the Graduate College until completion of the undergraduate degree. A student enrolled in graduate courses will be classified as an undergraduate student until he/she is fully admitted to the Oklahoma State University Graduate College and shall retain the same rights and privileges granted to all Oklahoma State University undergraduate students, including classification as an undergraduate student of tuition and fee billing and financial aid. Students may take a maximum of 9 graduate credit hours over the course of the senior year.
All students in the accelerated master's program are required to take GEOL 5243 (Research Methods and Techniques in Geosciences) in their senior year. An additional six (6) credit hours of graduate coursework from GEOL courses numbered 5030 and above may be taken during the senior year to apply towards up to nine (9) credit hours of the required 18 electives for the undergraduate B.S. degree.
Prior to the start of each term, the undergraduate advisor must submit the Dual Level Credit Approval for Accelerated Master's Degree Program Courses form to the Graduate College, who will submit it to the Registrar's Office. This form indicates which graduate courses will be also applied to the undergraduate degree. Upon receipt, the Registrar's Office will note these courses in Banner, to facilitate Federal Financial Aid. Graduate courses will not appear on the undergraduate transcript or degree audit until the semester is over and a final grade has been submitted.
Admission to Graduate College:
A student enrolled in graduate courses will be fully admitted to the Graduate College following undergraduate degree completion. The bachelor's degree must be awarded prior to matriculation into the full-time master's program regardless of prior enrollment in the accelerated program.
Classification on Admission to Graduate College:
After completion of the undergraduate degree, a previously admitted accelerated master's student will be classified as a graduate student and will be granted all rights and privileges normally granted to Oklahoma State University graduate students. It is the student's responsibility to satisfy all Graduate College and master's degree program requirements. A student will not qualify for classification as an undergraduate for any purpose after regular admission to the Graduate College.
Fallback Position in Case of Non-Performance:
The provisional offer of accelerated master's program admission during an undergraduate student's senior year requires successful completion of graduate level coursework with a grade of B or better. The admissions offer will be rescinded for any student who does not successfully graduate from the undergraduate program.