Penn GSE Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Degree Program

The Accelerated Program is a unique opportunity for ��̳ undergraduates to take graduate-level courses at Penn’s Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE) and apply these courses toward both their undergraduate and graduate degrees at no additional cost.

Save Money and Time

Through the Accelerated Program, students will save money and possibly time on their graduate degree. To take full advantage of this opportunity, students are encouraged to apply for the program during their sophomore or junior year.

All ��̳ undergraduates, regardless of their major, are invited to apply to the program and take coursework within any of the 14 graduate programs listed below.

Penn GSE Graduate Programs

How It Works

Students can take up to three graduate-level Penn GSE courses, which will count towards both their undergraduate and graduate degrees. Students in the Accelerated Program remain solely in their undergraduate status until their bachelor’s degree is conferred. After completing the bachelor’s degree and confirming their intent to enroll in the Penn GSE master’s degree, the student will become an official graduate student at Penn GSE.

Students may apply for the Accelerated Program during their sophomore, junior, or the first semester of their senior year. Students are encouraged to apply earlier in their academic careers to maximize the program’s financial benefits.

Application Process:

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Step 1

Students complete the and upload a resume, a personal statement of no more than 750 words, and unofficial transcripts to this application.
On the Program Information page of the application, students should choose “Accelerated Program” in the Degree Selection question. They will then choose the appropriate program in the Program Selection pulldown menu where they hope to begin taking courses.
Additionally, students must submit two letters of recommendation. Students will enter their recommenders’ information in the application, and the system will send the recommenders links to upload these letters. At least one of these letters should come from an academic source.
Note: Students from ��̳ who have already obtained their bachelor's degrees are not eligible for this accelerated degree program but can apply for graduate study through .

Step 2

Will be completed in a student’s final undergraduate semester. This step will change the student’s status to a graduate student for the following semester.

Penn GSE’s Office of Admissions and Financial Aid will contact the appropriate Accelerated students in their final undergraduate semester to confirm their intent to enroll in the relevant master’s degree programs.
The students will be asked to complete an online form that confirms their enrollment in the master’s program, effective either in the summer or fall immediately following their undergraduate degree conferral.
Note: Students from ��̳ who have already obtained their bachelor's degrees are not eligible for this accelerated degree program but can apply for graduate study through .

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