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According to , the average master’s degree can take about two years to complete as a full-time student and costs an average of more than $66,000. At ¶¶ÒõÊÓƵ, we are proud to offer affordable programs so students can earn their online master’s degree for much less than the average cost. To make our already affordable programs even more economical and to help students graduate in less than two years, UMGC offers accelerated pathways for some of our graduate programs. 

What is an Accelerated Pathway at UMGC?

UMGC’s accelerated pathways offer students a way to apply credit from some of our undergraduate degrees toward some of our graduate degrees and certificates. Students who complete an eligible undergraduate degree program or specific coursework from UMGC can reduce their total coursework for related graduate degrees and certificates and save both time and money. The accelerated pathway for most programs reduces the graduate coursework by up to six credits. The accelerated pathway to the Master of Arts in Teaching is particularly beneficial, as it reduces graduate-level coursework by up to twelve credits.  

Accelerated pathways are available to students who pursue a graduate program in one of the following areas at UMGC:

• Accounting

• Criminal Justice

• Cybersecurity

• Data Science/Data Analytics

• Emergency Management

• Health Services Management

• Homeland Security

• Human Resource Management

• Management Information Systems

• Teaching

As an example, if a student has earned a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity technology from UMGC and were able to earn six credits through the accelerated pathway program, they would need just 24 credits to earn a master’s degree in cybersecurity technology and 30 credits to earn a master’s degree in cloud computing systems, cyber operations, cybersecurity management and policy, or digital forensics and Cyber Investigation.

How Do Accelerated Pathways Work?

To be eligible for an accelerated pathway at UMGC, students must complete an undergraduate degree that includes the coursework necessary for graduate credit. The specific courses that translate to graduate credit are outlined on the accelerated pathways webpage. If a student is just starting out on their education at UMGC, they can review these courses and determine if they are either part of an undergraduate program they want to pursue or can be worked into their coursework selections. Students who have recently completed their undergraduate degree at UMGC can review their coursework to see if any of their credits can be applied to a graduate program.  

To benefit from the accelerated pathway, a student must begin the related master’s degree or certificate within two years of completing their bachelor’s degree. Students still need to meet all graduate admission requirements, and time limits for degree completion apply to all students who use accelerated pathways. Some additional requirements are listed under individual pathways depending on the degree program.

Students do not need to apply for the accelerated pathway but should speak to their success coach once they have enrolled in their graduate program to earn credit towards their master’s degree.