Accelerated MA Degree Program

The Accelerated BA/MA Program in English

Want to earn a bachelor's and master's degree in just five years? Keep reading!

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The Department of English is excited to offer exceptional students with the opportunity to earn their Master's Degree alongside their BA in an acclerated timeframe. Following a simultaneous ADP (Accelerated Degree Program) model, the program requires 30 hours of coursework to be completed alongside the undergraduate major requirements in English. Students will share 6 hours of coursework between their undergraduate and graduate coursework, taken during their senior year. During a fifth and final year, students will complete the remaining 24 hours of graduate coursework.This program is a great opportunity with students who may have funding or scholarships secured for five years.

Students can choose between two program concentrations: Literary & Cultural Studies or Writing (includes Rhetoric/Writing Studies and Creative Writing).

ADMISSION + ELIGIBILITY

Students must have a minimum 3.25 overall GPA for admission
Students are expected to apply to the BA/MA accelerated program no later than the first semester of their senior year, although application by the second semester of the junior year is preferred
Applications are due by the spring of the junior year or fall of the senior year
Once admitted, students must maintain a minimum semester GPA of 3.00
To graduate with the accelerated BA/MA, a minimum of 144 semester hours acceptable towards graduation must be completed
Once a student is admitted to an ADP, they should work with the undergraduate college advisor and graduate liaison to complete the Accelerated Degree Graduate Coursework Plan.
- This form is used to plan the hours that will count toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and to affirm the student’s understanding of the conditions and limitations of participating in the ADP.

LITERARY + CULTURAL STUDIES TRACK BA/MA CHECKSHEET

WRITING TRACK BA/MA CHECKSHEET

ABOUT THE SIMULTANEOUS ACCELERATED DEGREE PROGRAM MODEL

The undergraduate and graduate degrees are conferred at the same time.

A student in a simultaneous ADP is considered an undergraduate student for the duration of the program. They may hold an undergraduate assistantship but will not become eligible to hold a graduate assistantship or receive graduate-level tuition waivers or health subsidy benefits.
After admission to a simultaneous ADP, the student must meet all requirements and deadlines for the master’s degree outlined in this bulletin.
The Graduate College graduate degree management specialist and the undergraduate college advisor will work together to verify the student has fulfilled all requirements for both degrees before clearing them for either degree.
A student in a simultaneous ADP who does not complete the bachelor’s degree will not be awarded the accelerated graduate degree, regardless of the amount or quality of graduate work completed.
A student in a simultaneous ADP who decides not to complete the accelerated master’s degree is responsible for notifying their undergraduate and graduate advisors and requesting to be changed to the stand-alone bachelor’s degree major code.
- Upon completion of the bachelor’s degree, the student is eligible to apply to the stand-alone master’s program, but may not share any hours that were applied to the bachelor’s degree.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

DEADLINES

October 15 for spring admission
March 15 for fall admission

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS - LCS/RWS TRACK

10–12-pg critical writing sample
2 letters of recommendation
2-page statement of purpose
CV/Resume
Unofficial transcript
3.25 combined GPA minimum

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS - CREATIVE WRITING TRACK

10–12-pg critical writing sample
Creative Writing students must submit additional writing sample
- Prose (fiction or creative nonfiction): one short story or one creative nonfiction essay, or a 10–12-page self-contained novel excerpt
- Poetry: 10 poems
- For students who want to submit both poetry and prose: a 10-12 page creative writing sample of mixed poetry/fiction or poetry/creative nonfiction
2 letters of recommendation
2-page statement of purpose
CV/Resume
3.25 combined GPA minimum

Please submit application materials via email to the graduate program assistant at tristin.tracy@ou.edu

The Path to Graduation

If you are interested in completing the Accelerated MA program in English, it is important to begin coursework for the program by the start of your senior year.

The suggested outline of courses is as follows:

Semester	Courses
Fall: 1st semester after full-admit	Shared G4000-/5000-level ENGL elective (3 credit hours)
Spring: 2nd semester	Shared G4000-/5000-level ENGL elective (3 credit hours)
Fall: 3rd semester	ENGL 5113 Teaching College Comp ENGL 5313 Literary Criticism (LCS Track) OR ENGL 5403 Intro to Rhetoric/Writing Studies (RWS Track) ENGL Graduate Elective ENGL Graduate Elective (12 credit hours)
Spring: 4th semester	ENGL Graduate Elective ENGL Graduate Elective ENGL Graduate Elective (LCS Track) OR ENGL 6103 Research Methods in Rhetoric/Writing (RWS Track) ENGL 5980 Research for Master's Thesis (12 credit hours)