Accelerated Master's Pathway

Overview

Start your graduate coursework while completing your undergraduate degree! A maximum of two graduate courses can be earned before your undergraduate degree graduation, and it can be free!

Student Eligibility

APSU undergraduate students who:
- Have completed at least 96 GPA credit hours toward graduation requirements
- Earned a 3.25 GPA or higher (some programs may require a higher program specific GPA)
- Are enrolled in at least 12 undergraduate credit hours

Graduate Course Registration Process

Explore Graduate Programs: Review all the graduate programs offered at APSU. Note the graduate coordinator’s name and email address for programs that interest you.
Contact Graduate Coordinators: Email the graduate coordinator of the selected program to express your desire to start and confirm your qualification for the Accelerated Master's Pathways.
Complete and Submit Registration Form: Fill out the AMP course registration form and send it to the graduate coordinator.

Costs and Conditions

APSU will provide scholarships for up to two graduate-level courses for students accepted to the AMP program, but the following conditions must be met:

Enrollment Requirements: Students must enroll in a minimum of 12 undergraduate credit hours per fall or spring semester before enrolling in a graduate course to ensure full-time status.
Financial Aid Details: Graduate-level courses are not eligible for financial aid or military benefits as undergraduate students cannot be admitted to a graduate-level degree while still completing their undergraduate degree.
Performance Standards: To stay eligible, Students must earn a “B” in all graduate classes. If a student receives a grade lower than a “B,” they are allowed to retake the course should it be offered in the following semester. If the course is unavailable in the next semester, retaking it in a future semester will be at the student’s own expense.
Scholarship Eligibility: Students must enroll in at least 12 undergraduate credit hours to be eligible for the AMP scholarship. Exceptions are made case-by-case.

Financial Aid and Military Benefits

All financial aid, including military benefits, cannot be applied to graduate courses while the student is still an undergraduate.
Students with a credit balance at APSU will have all financial aid applied to the balance, including graduate courses in the AMP program, if conditions are not fully met.
- For instance, if enrolled below 12 undergraduate credit hours, graduate courses are subject to standard rates rather than the scholarship rate of $98 per graduate credit hour.
Students in the AMP program are not considered admitted to an APSU graduate program and are not degree-seeking at the graduate level.

FAQs

Graduate course grades will not affect your undergraduate GPA. Your undergraduate GPA is calculated based only on undergraduate-level courses (i.e., courses numbered between 1000 and 4999). However, any grades earned in graduate courses (numbered 5000 to 9999) will be recorded on your transcript and applied toward relevant graduate programs at APSU or other institutions.

Yes, students can enroll in more than one graduate course per semester. This is particularly common for short A and B terms during the standard fall or spring semesters. However, students in the AMP program are only eligible for scholarship support for up to two graduate courses per semester.

Performing poorly or failing a graduate-level course can negatively impact your chances of being accepted into APSU's graduate programs or other universities. Since these grades will appear on your transcript, they will be reviewed as part of your future graduate applications

Enrolling in the AMP program allows you to take graduate-level courses as an undergraduate, but it does not grant admission to a graduate program. To be officially admitted to a graduate program, you must complete a separate application process and meet the program’s admission requirements. However, if you are later admitted to a graduate program, the AMP courses you’ve completed may count toward your graduate degree, provided they are applicable.