Accelerated Degree Pathway (ADP) Requirements

Qualifying current UCO undergraduate students seeking an Accelerated Degree Pathway (ADP) must abide by the policies and procedures outlined within the Graduate Catalog. Accelerated pathways are only available in approved bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

• The undergraduate student must be pursuing an undergraduate UCO major that is designated and approved as part of the official UCO Accelerated Degree Pathway offerings.
• The undergraduate student must be classified as “senior” standing or be completing the last semester of their junior year (soon to be entering into their senior undergraduate year.
• The undergraduate student must have a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher and 3.0 or higher in major specific coursework; the undergraduate GPA will be verified by the student’s undergraduate academic advisor and by a representative of the Jackson College of Graduate Studies.

Students applying for a Master Degree through the Accelerated BS/MS Degree Program must submit the following items to the Engineering Physics Department Accelerated Program Admissions Committee:

• Application for admission received by March 5 in the spring semester of the junior year.
• Official copies of transcripts from each institution attended. Transcripts must show:
  • The applicant is a UCO Mechanical Engineering major;
  • A minimum overall GPA of 3.00;
  • A minimum GPA of 3.00 in all Engineering and Physics
    courses specified in the junior year for their major. Grades for engineering courses taken in the spring semester of the junior year will be submitted when courses are completed at the end of junior year.
• Two letters of recommendation from Engineering & Physics faculty.
• A statement of purpose describing the applicant’s:
  • Plans and rationale for graduate study at UCO;
  • Intentions toward and involvement in research activities.

Note: All applicants must receive approval for admission to the program from the Department’s Accelerated Program Admissions Committee. The student must choose the thesis option in the graduate program. The thesis option requires the submission and public defense of an acceptable thesis based on independent research activities. In this program three 5000-level ENGR, BME, or PHY courses (9 hours) taken during the senior year will count towards both the BS and MS degrees. The three courses are specified by the undergraduate major being sought.