Accelerated B.A./B.S. in Economics/Master of Public Policy

Colleges  > Department of Economics /Hobby School of Public Affairs  > Accelerated B.A. or B.S. in Liberal Studies/Master of Public Policy  

Accelerated pathway dual degree programs provide academically outstanding students an accelerated pathway to complete an undergraduate and a master’s degree in a reduced period of time. Accelerated pathway programs provide undergraduate students permission to take a specified number of master’s level courses as electives toward completion of their bachelor’s degree. The students then apply to the graduate degree program, and if accepted, the previously completed graduate coursework during the senior year is counted as transfer credit toward the completion of the master’s degree.

Students wishing to apply for the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Economics / Master of Public Policy accelerated pathway program must complete an application to enter the program no later than the beginning of their final year of undergraduate study.  Applications are available from the academic advising office in the Economics department. To enter the program, a student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at the end of 90 semester credit hours. However, students who have a grade point average lower than 3.0 may be considered at the discretion of the Hobby School MPP Admissions Committee.

If admitted to the accelerated pathway program, the student may take up to 12 credit hours of graduate courses during their senior year to count toward advanced electives and/or general elective requirements (See list of courses below). These courses will count as upper-level elective credits toward the bachelor’s degree in Economics. These courses will count as upper-level elective credits toward their bachelor’s degree. The student should then complete the full graduate school application to the master’s degree program during their senior year. If they are admitted to the master’s program, the student will receive transfer credit for the graduate-level work taken during the senior year and will have the remainder of the 39 credit hours left to complete the master’s degree.