How to Get Your Bachelor's and Master's in Five Years
The Accelerated M.A. offers Wheaton College undergraduate students the opportunity to earn a master's degree in as little as one year by taking graduate credit courses during their senior year.
The Accelerated M.A. Program is offered for the following degrees:
- M.A. in Biblical Exegesis*
- M.A. in Evangelism & Leadership
- M.A. in Global Leadership
- M.A. in Higher Education and Student Development
- M.A. in History of Christianity
- M.A. in Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership
- M.A. in Ministry Leadership
- M.A. in Old Testament Archaeology
- M.A. in Outdoor and Adventure Leadership
- M.A. in Teaching (MAT) with Elementary or Secondary Education Certification
- M.A. in TESOL and Intercultural Studies
- M.A. in Theology
*Non-Ancient Languages students may take longer than a year to complete the accelerated M.A. in Biblical Exegesis. The Ancient Language Prerequisite Tuition Rebate is designed to help students take necessary language prerequisites free-of-charge at Wheaton.
Explore the Accelerated M.A.
Download our free e-book, Explore the Accelerated M.A., to see even more information about the program.
Begin a Graduate Short Application and select Accelerated M.A.
- Create an account using your my.wheaton.edu email address
- Submit a "Graduate Short Application" to an Accelerated M.A. Program
Admission Requirements
Timeline and Requirements
- Inquire and apply during your Junior year, following the required deadlines for your program.
- Applications to each program are evaluated on a rolling basis.
- Certain academic departments have additional admission requirements that apply to Accelerated M.A. students. Check with your admissions counselor to learn more.
- Eight weeks prior to the completion of the bachelor degree, the student must notify Graduate Admissions of their intention to continue as a graduate student by submitting the decision form.
- Note: accelerated students do not have to pay the $100 deposit to confirm.
Checklist
- Online Graduate Short Application - select Accelerated M.A. for enrollment plans.
- Online Recommendation Form - from a professor in your undergraduate major.
- Official Transcript - submit your latest, official transcript, we cannot request it from the Registrar.
- Research Paper - term paper that you've written that includes references and footnotes; it does not have to relate to the program you are applying to.
Classification
- A student's official classification remains as an undergraduate until the bachelor's degree is completed.
- Undergraduate graduation cannot be delayed in order to earn graduate credit.
Academic Advisors
- The student's undergraduate advisor will continue to be the student's official advisor until the bachelor's degree is completed.
- The student will be assigned a graduate advisor from their program's graduate department - so the student will have two advisors at the same time.
Classes/Credit
- Undergraduates can start taking graduate courses after completing 90 undergraduate hours.
- Approval by the graduate adviser required for all graduate coursework taken.
- Maximum graduate hours allowed before completing bachelor's degree is 16.
- Accelerated M.A. students are fully matriculated, therefore distance learning courses cannot be applied to an Accelerated M.A. degree.
Tuition
- Graduate courses taken while a student is classified as an undergraduate do not incur additional tuition. Once a student becomes classified as a graduate student, they may apply for graduate financial aid.
Accelerate Your Career
Complete a bachelor's and a master's degree in a 5-year span of time. The program also features:
- Save over $11,000 in tuition
- No GRE or MAT required
- No application fee