Mississippi University for Women
Accelerated Bachelor’s/MAT Degree Program
Purpose and Benefit: The Accelerated Bachelor’s/MAT Degree Program allows high performing W students an opportunity to complete both bachelor and master degrees at an accelerated pace. Participating students can apply as many as 12 credit hours of graduate-level coursework toward both of their degrees. Participating students will benefit by accelerated completion of two degrees, reducing time and cost.
Intent: Students interested in pursuing an Accelerated Bachelor’s/MAT Degree should make their intentions known to their undergraduate advisor and the School of Education’s MAT Program Coordinator no later than early in their junior year (preferably during the sophomore year) in order to receive the most benefit from advising on course selection. Each advisor will help to ensure satisfactory academic progress is being met and will create a plan of study for the program.
Eligibility: To be considered for admission, students must have completed at least 75 credit hours in their undergraduate program, including credits earned from dual enrollment and advanced placement. Transfer students must have completed at least 24 credit hours at MUW. All students must have a cumulative and institution GPA of 3.25/4.0 or higher on course work completed at MUW.
Students must be making satisfactory progress towards completion of a declared undergraduate degree aligned with one the MAT’s approved licensure certification secondary education subject areas. The following undergraduate degree programs qualify: Biology (B.S.), General Business (BBA), Chemistry (B.S.), Communication (B.A.; B.S.), English (any B.A. other than English Secondary Education), Fine Arts (any BFA); History (B.A.), Exercise Science (B.S.), Mathematics (B.A.; B.S.), Music (B.A.; B.M.), Political Science (B.S), Spanish (B.A.).
Application: Students must complete an application for admission to the Accelerated Bachelor’s/MAT Degree Program to be considered for the program. Application to the program does not guarantee acceptance. The application deadline is April 1 of the student’s junior year.
Additional Requirements: Students must receive a grade of B or higher in the courses to be applied toward both the bachelor and master degrees. If a student’s cumulative undergraduate and graduate GPA falls below the required program minimum (3.25), he/she will need program approval to continue in the accelerated program.
Accelerated Bachelor’s/MAT Degree Program students may enroll in 12 hours and must select from the following set of MAT courses only:
ED 538: Diversity and Inclusion in the Educational Setting (3 credit hours)
ED 549: Instructional Assessment Practices & Procedures (3 credit hours)
ED 551: Managing the Instructional Environments (3 credit hours)
Either:
ED 514: The Professional Role of Educators (3 credit hours)
Or
ED 520: Foundations of Education (3 credit hours)
Voluntary or Administrative Withdrawal: Students may withdraw voluntarily from the Accelerated Bachelor’s/ MAT Degree Program at any time. Students must notify, in writing, the MAT Program Coordinator and their undergraduate academic advisor. A student who withdraws or is administratively withdrawn from the accelerated program may not subsequently count courses for both degrees; the student may count eligible courses toward one degree only.
Application to Graduate Program: Students will be granted their bachelor’s degree when they complete all of the undergraduate requirements; they are undergraduate students until that point. Students must apply for admission into the MAT program during their senior year by the prescribed deadline. Admission to the Accelerated Bachelor’s/MAT Degree Program does not guarantee admission to the Graduate School. An accelerated student must have a grade of B or higher on graduate coursework to be eligible for application for full admission to the graduate program. Students cannot opt to bypass the bachelor’s degree.