St. Edward's University graduates during commencement 2024

Accelerated Graduate Pathways

Get a Head Start on a Graduate Degree

Undergraduate students on the hilltop have a unique opportunity to start earning a graduate degree from St. Edward’s through our Accelerated Graduate Pathways program. Earn two degrees in five years, and save money on tuition! 

You’ll complete graduate coursework in your senior year for credit toward your master’s degree. Students in most undergraduate majors can pursue any of the following accelerated graduate degree options.

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Why Begin Your Graduate Degree Early?

  • Save money by receiving up to 6 credit hours of graduate tuition at no additional cost. You’ll take graduate courses in your senior year that fit within the maximum coursework available per semester (18 credit hours of undergraduate and graduate courses combined). 
  • Achieve early admission to graduate school.
  • Complete both your bachelor’s and master’s degrees in as little as five years.
  • Enter the workforce sooner and with the competitive edge a graduate degree from St.  Edward’s provides.

Accelerated Graduate Pathways Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for an Accelerated Graduate Pathway, you must be enrolled in a St. Edward’s University undergraduate program that feeds into a specific graduate program. See the list below of our undergraduate programs that can lead to an accelerated graduate degree.

To apply, you must meet these requirements: 

  • Complete 75 hours of undergraduate course credit.
  • Achieve a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA in undergraduate courses.
  • Complete all required undergraduate prerequisite courses for the Accelerated Graduate Pathway of your choice. (Follow the links above for details on our Accelerated Graduate Pathways.)
  • Complete the application for the specific Accelerated Graduate Pathway.

In addition to the requirements above, the following stipulations apply to program participants. 

  • Undergraduate students may not take more than one graduate-level class at a time while enrolled in at least 12 credit hours that count toward their undergraduate degree requirements.
  • Undergraduate students may take a maximum of six graduate-level hours during their entire enrollment as an undergraduate student.
  • Accelerated Graduate Pathways are open to student-athletes and international students, with the caveat that they must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours that count toward their undergraduate degree requirement in both the fall and spring semesters.
  • International students studying with F-1 student visas must maintain full-time enrollment in face-to-face courses in both the bachelor’s degree program and the graduate degree program in which they are enrolled. F-1 visa holders are not eligible for an online graduate program.
  • Once program participants are fully admitted to the graduate program, they will benefit from the regular tuition rate per credit hour with a 15% alumni discount.

Explore Our Accelerated Graduate Pathways

We offer undergraduate programs that allow you to get a jump start on achieving your master’s degree from St. Edward’s. Follow the links below to learn about each of the undergraduate majors to graduate-degree pathways. Your success coach will help you choose your program and guide you through undergraduate and graduate courses to maximize benefits. 

We are continuously expanding our program offerings, with ongoing efforts to include additional options. Please note that this list is not comprehensive, new programs are added regularly. We encourage you to check with your success coach for the latest details.

Learn more and create a custom plan for achieving your accelerated degree.

Contact Your Success Coach