Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Programs
Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's degree programs (ABM programs) offer WVU students the opportunity to pursue both a bachelor's and a master's degree at WVU in the same or related disciplines in an accelerated time frame. Students in approved programs can take required courses for the master’s degree at the 400 or 500 levels prior to completion of the bachelor’s degree.
Students admitted to an ABM program will have their bachelor’s and master’s degrees conferred simultaneously upon completing all requirements for both degrees.
The bachelor’s degree in an ABM program must require at least 120 credits, and the master’s degree must require at least 30 credits, including any courses (up to 14 credits) approved to count for both degrees. For additional information, see the section below on Attaining Multiple Curricula.
Admissions, Enrollment, and Program Standards
All ABM students are expected to work closely with an academic adviser.
- Regular admission may not be any earlier than the semester in which an undergraduate student is expected to complete 60 credits or later than the semester after which the student needs two additional semesters to complete the bachelor’s degree.
- The minimum standard for regular admission is a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0, with no provisional admission allowed. The individual programs determine additional admissions criteria (such as completion of specific courses, entrance exam scores, letters of recommendation, or personal statements).
- Students must complete at least 24 undergraduate credits in residence to be eligible for admission into an ABM program.
- Each ABM program will determine when students begin taking graduate-level courses; students should consult the WVU Catalog for the ABM plan of study. ABM students do not need to complete a Senior Petition to enroll in graduate-level courses.
- Courses taken and credits earned while enrolled as an undergraduate student will be recorded on the undergraduate transcript even when used to fulfill graduate requirements.
- Undergraduate ABM students will have their academic status updated to graduate as prescribed by their ABM program.
- Students must maintain academic standards set forth by the academic unit corresponding to their status (i.e., undergraduate or graduate).
- Students must be switched to graduate status effective the semester after they have reached 120 credits and have met all other undergraduate graduation requirements. The ABM program coordinator will request the change of status during the semester when the undergraduate requirements are expected to be completed, effective the following semester. If students fail to complete the undergraduate requirements, their status for the following semester will be changed back to undergraduate.
- Students admitted to an ABM program must maintain full-time continuous enrollment during fall and spring terms unless given specific permission by the appropriate dean. Individual programs determine enrollment requirements in the summer term.
- Students admitted to an ABM program may not pursue a dual degree, double major, or certificate unless approved by the appropriate dean(s). They may pursue minors and areas of emphasis as approved by their advisor.
- Students’ eligibility to remain in the ABM program will be evaluated at the end of each semester. Students failing to meet academic standards of the university, college, school, or program will be placed on program probation for no more than one semester, after which they will be terminated from the ABM degree program. Terminated students and students who choose not to continue in the ABM degree program will be eligible to receive their bachelor's degree when they have completed the bachelor’s degree requirements and earned a minimum of 120 credit hours. The credits earned in graduate-level courses apply to the minimum credits required by the bachelor’s degree program.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Students in an ABM degree program are charged undergraduate tuition and are eligible for undergraduate financial aid as defined by each program in the Catalog. Once the student’s academic status has been updated to graduate level, students are charged graduate tuition. They are eligible for graduate assistantships (with permission of their program) or other graduate student funding opportunities and financial aid.
Approved ABM Programs:
- Bachelor of Science in Physical Education & Kinesiology and Master of Science in Physical Education Teacher Education
- Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Sport Management
- Bachelor of Science in Sport and Exercise Psychology and Master of Science in Sports Management
- Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Journalism
- Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications
- Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications
- Bachelor of Science in Advertising & Public Relations and Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration-Accounting and Master of Science in Forensic and Fraud Examination
- Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Economics
- Bachelor of Arts in French and Master of Arts in Linguistics
- Bachelor of Science in Immunology and Medical Microbiology and Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences
- Bachelor of Science in Environmental Microbiology and Master of Science in Applied & Environmental Microbiology
- Bachelor of Science in Health Services Management and Master of Health Administration
- Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Master of Public Health
Accelerated Programs offered, by college/school:
- Arts and Sciences, Eberly College of
- Business and Economics - John Chambers College of
- Creative Arts and Media
- Applied Human Sciences
- Engineering and Mineral Resources - Benjamin M. Statler College of
- Medicine
- Public Health
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
John Chambers College of Business and Economics
College of Creative Arts and Media
- B.A. Game Design and Interactive Media and M.A. Game Design
- B.A. Multidisciplinary Media Studies and M.S. Integrated Marketing Communications
- B.S.J. Advertising and Public Relations and M.S. Integrated Marketing Communications
- B.S.J. Advertising and Public Relations and M.S.J. Journalism
- B.S. Integrated Marketing Communications and M.S. Integrated Marketing Communications
- B.S.J. Journalism and M.S. Integrated Marketing Communications
- B.S.J. Journalism and M.S.J. Journalism
College of Applied Human Sciences
- B.S. Physical Education and Kinesiology and M.S. Physical Education Teacher Education
- B.S. Sport and Exercise Psychology and M.S. Executive Sport Management
- B.S. Sport Management and M.S. Executive Sport Management
Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
- BSAE Aerospace Engineering and MSAE Aerospace Engineering
- BSBME Biomedical Engineering and MSBME Biomedical Engineering
- BSCE Civil Engineering and MSCE Civil Engineering
- BSCHE Chemical Engineering and MSCHE Chemical Engineering
- BSEE Electrical Engineering and MSEE Electrical Engineering
- BSME Mechanical Engineering and MSME Mechanical Engineering
- BSIE Industrial Engineering and MSIE Industrial Engineering
School of Medicine
- B.S. Exercise Physiology and DPT Physical Therapy
- B.S. Exercise Physiology and M.S. Athletic Training
- B.S. Health Informatics and Information Management and M.H.A. Health Administration*
- B.S. Immunology and Medical Microbiology and M.S. Medical Laboratory Science
- B.S. Immunology and Medical Microbiology and M.P.H Public Health**
School of Public Health
- B.S. Health Informatics and Information Management and M.H.A. Health Administration*
- B.S. Health Services Administration and M.H.A. Health Administration
- B.S. Immunology and Medical Microbiology and M.P.H Public Health**
- B.S. Public Health Sciences and M.P.H. Public Health
Notes
* B.S. resides in School of Medicine and M.H.A. resides in School of Public Health
** B.S. resides in School of Medicine and M.P.H resides in School of Public Health