What are accelerated plans?
An accelerated master’s plan allows you to take the first 12 credits of a master's degree while you are still an undergrad. This can save you up to a year’s worth of time and tuition and allow you to enter the workforce ahead of the competition.
Which Master’s degrees are offered at CIC?
- Master of Arts
- Master of Data and Communications
- Master of Information Security and Cyber Leadership
- Master of Library and Information Science
- Master of Mass Communications
Who is eligible?
All students who have at least a 3.4 GPA and at least 90 credits can pursue an accelerated master’s plan. You do not need to be in any particular undergraduate major; you just need the approval of your advisor, professors, the graduate director of the master's program you intend to apply for, and the Graduate School.
How do accelerated plans work?
When you enroll in a course for accelerated credit, you will be held to the graduate student standards outlined in the syllabus for that class. This means you will have extra work to do in the course that students taking it for undergraduate credit do not have.
Each semester that you take an accelerated course, you must complete a G-ABGSP form (pdf) and file it with the Graduate School before the drop/add deadline.
How do I apply?
To earn accelerated credits, you only need a 3.4 GPA, 90 earned hours and a completed G-ABGSP form (pdf).
To be admitted to the USC Graduate School after you complete your bachelor’s degree, you must still apply to your chosen graduate program through the regular admissions process. Check application requirements and deadlines on the Graduate School website..
Your graduate credits will remain valid for six years, so you can even take a year or two off between undergraduate and graduate school if needed.
Plan Ahead
If you’re interested in an accelerated plan, talk to your academic advisor. Only 500+ level classes are eligible for accelerated credit, so you’ll want to work with your advisor to map out when it makes sense for you to take your upper level coursework.
When you’re ready to start taking accelerated courses towards one of CIC’s master’s degrees, schedule an appointment with CIC’s undergraduate student services manager, Rebecca Boyd. You can also email her at boydrr@mailbox.sc.edu.