Instructional Leadership, emphasis: K-12 School Leadership (MEd)
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Accelerated programs

Shorten the distance to your goals

For driven students who enter their undergraduate experience knowing they want to get an advanced degree, we offer accelerated programs that reward ambition. Qualified students enrolled in one of these programs begins earning credits toward their master’s degree while completing their bachelor’s degree. Find the accelerated program that fits your career goals.

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Get ahead with dual-degree options

Start your master’s degree while simultaneously completing your bachelor’s degree. Five CEIAS bachelor’s degrees are eligible for pairing with a master’s degree, offering you an accelerated pathway.

All NAU accelerated degree program options

Requirements and policies

  • Conditional admission to the Accelerated Bachelor/Master’s Program may be granted to either freshmen, transfer students, or continuing students that meet the requirements. Conditional admission will be discontinued once you earn a BSCS or BSE degree while maintaining required performance levels.
  • Submit an application for the Accelerated Bachelor/Master’s Program as a freshman, transfer student, or once you have completed 60 semester hours with at least a 3.25 GPA and 24 hours completed at NAU, and at least a GPA of 3.5 and 12 hours of NAU major-prefix courses (CS for BSCS, EE for BSE). You must apply and be admitted before you take any of the credits that will be used for both degrees. You will maintain undergraduate status (for tuition and financial aid purposes) even while taking graduate classes until you receive your BSCS/BSE degree. Students admitted conditionally must have an overall NAU GPA of 3.25 and a 3.50 GPA in their major prefix coursework at their BSCS graduation. Students are ineligible to continue in the accelerated program if their overall NAU GPA drops below 3.0 at any time or if they fail to demonstrate adequate progress as defined by the academic program.
  • Students admitted into the accelerated program will sign an agreement, a copy of which is forwarded to the Graduate College. The Graduate College will seek confirmation from students of their intent to continue after they accumulate at least 90 credits. A student may withdraw from the accelerated program by informing the academic program in writing, with a copy to the Graduate College.
  • Students must submit an undergraduate application for graduation (BSCS/BSE) during the term before their expected graduation (which must be at least one semester prior to your MSE/MEng graduation). Upon posting of your BSCS/BSE degree, you will be granted full graduate status and will be eligible for graduate assistantships and other graduate financial awards.
  • A minimum of 120 units are required for a BSCS degree, 127 units are required for a BSE degree, and 30 units for the master’s degree. Up to 6 units can apply to both degrees.
  • All required coursework for the bachelor’s degrees must be completed with a grade of C or higher. For the BSCS degree, one D is allowed in CS electives or technical elective coursework. For the BSE degree, two D’s are allowed in elective coursework. Any coursework credited to both bachelor’s and master’s degrees must be completed with a grade of B or higher.
  • The master’s degree allows for up to 6 units to be a combination of 400-level or individualized study (either 685 – Graduate Research or 697 – Independent Study).
  • Your six undergraduate major electives that will be counted for both degrees must be at the 400- or 500-level and must be approved by your graduate committee; for co-convened classes that count for both degrees, you must take the 500-level option.

Learn more about NAU’s policy on earning both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree at an accelerated pace.