Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Degree Program

The Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Degree Program (Accelerated Program) at Penn GSE is a unique opportunity for University of Pennsylvania undergraduates and undergraduates from select partner schools to explore graduate education and apply GSE graduate courses to both degrees, at no additional cost. Through the Accelerated Program, you can begin taking coursework that will apply to your graduate degree, saving money and possibly time. To take full advantage of this opportunity, students are encouraged to apply for the Accelerated Program during their sophomore or junior year. 

Penn undergraduates can apply to enroll in up to four courses from any of the programs listed below. 

Please note that 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.

Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College Undergraduates
All Bryn Mawr College and Haverford undergraduates, regardless of their major, are invited to apply to the Accelerated Program and take coursework within any of the 14 programs listed above. Bryn Mawr students can take up to three graduate-level GSE courses, which will count towards both their undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Swarthmore College Undergraduates
Swarthmore undergraduates can apply to the Accelerated program and take up to two courses specifically within the Urban Teaching Apprenticeship Program. These two graduate-level GSE courses will count towards both their undergraduate and graduate degrees.

To discuss requirements and eligibility for your school, contact the representative for your school listed below:

Dr. Alice Lesnick – Term Professor and Chair, Bryn Mawr/Haverford Education

Dr. Diane Anderson - Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Educational Studies Swarthmore College

Application Process and Deadlines

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 Deadlines

Fall entry:  July 1
Spring entry:  December 1
Summer entry: May 1          

Application Process

STEP 1: 
1. Students complete the Accelerated Program Application and upload a resume, a personal statement of no more than 750 words, and unofficial transcripts to this application. 

2. 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.

3. 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.

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.

1. 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. 

2. 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.

Students from Penn or the  Tri-College Consortium who have already obtained their bachelor's degrees are not eligible for this accelerated degree program, but can apply for graduate study through our traditional application process.