Degrees Offered and Accelerated Degree Programs

Accelerated Degree Programs

NDSU offers accelerated programs of study in a variety of academic disciplines. These programs provide an opportunity for highly-qualified students to earn both a bachelor's degree and master's degree in a cost-effective, high-quality and timely manner. The following disciplines are available as a combined accelerated program where requirements for each degree have been agreed upon by the faculty:

Undergraduate ProgramGraduate Program
B.S. in AgribusinessM.S. in Agribusiness & Applied Economics
B.S. in Agricultural EconomicsM.S. in Agribusiness & Applied Economics
B.S.A.B.En. in Agricultural and Biosystems EngineeringM.S. in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
B.S. or B.A. in Biological SciencesM.S. in Biology
B.S.C.E. in Civil Engineering or B.S.Con.E. in Construction EngineeringM.S.CVE. in Civil Engineering
Minor in Coatings & Polymeric Materials*M.S. in Coatings & Polymeric Materials
B.S.Cpr.E. in Computer EngineeringM.S. or M.Engr. in Electrical & Computer Engineering
B.S. in Computer ScienceM.S. in Computer Science
B.S. or B.A. in Criminal JusticeM.S. in Criminal Justice
B.S. in Nutrition ScienceMaster of Public Health
B.S. in Nutrition ScienceM.S. Health, Nutrition and Exercise Science - Exercise Science & Nutrition option
B.S. or B.A. in EconomicsM.S. in Agribusiness & Applied Economics
B.S.E.E. in Electrical EngineeringM.S. or M. Engr. in Electrical & Computer Engineering
B.S. in Food ScienceM.S. in Cereal Science
B.S. in Human Development & Family ScienceM.S. in Human Development & Family Science
B.S.I.E.Mgt. in Industrial Engineering and ManagementMaster of Business Administration
B.S.M.E. in Mechanical EngineeringM.S. in Mechanical Engineering
B.S. or B.A. in PhysicsM.S. in Physics
B.S. in MicrobiologyMaster of Public Health
B.S. in Emergency ManagementMaster of Public Health
B.S.Con.E. in Construction EngineeringM.S. or M.Cons.M. in Construction Management
B.S.Cons.M. in Construction ManagementM.S. or M.Cons.M. in Construction Management
B.S. or B.A. in Political ScienceMaster of Public Policy
B.S. in Biochemistry & Molecular BiologyM.S. in Biochemistry
B.S. in Animal ScienceMaster of Public Health
B.S. in Natural Resources ManagementMaster of Natural Resources Mgt. (not eligible with the M.S. in NRM)
B.S. in PsychologyMaster of Public Health
B.S. in MicrobiologyM.S. in Microbiology

Guidelines for Accelerated Bachelors to Masters Programs

The following guidelines set the minimal expectations for combined/accelerated students and programs. Academic departments may set more stringent standards.

  • Student must complete at least 60 credits at the undergraduate level prior to conditional admission to the College of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies.
  • Interested and eligible students must submit a Accelerated Program Degree Program Declaration Form to the director of the graduate program of choice. The graduate program director will evaluate the student's proposed set of graduate classes to determine whether the student will be able to complete them as part of an accelerated program.
  • Next, the student's undergraduate major or minor department chairperson/head will evaluate and approve the substitution of the graduate level courses into the undergraduate program as noted in the chart below. A maximum of 15 graduate student credits may be applied to the undergraduate degree.
UGRD Credits to be Satisfied by GRAD courseworkAcademic Unit Approving the Couse Substitution
Open ElectivesUGRD Academic Major
Optional MinorUGRD Academic Minor
Required MinorUGRD Academic Minor
MajorUGRD Academic Major
  • After receiving the necessary approvals noted above, the student will submit the declaration form to the Graduate School and formally apply for admission to the graduate program.
  • All admissions to the Graduate College will be conditional. The minimum condition is completion of the bachelor's degree prior to full standing in the master's program, and the student must maintain a 3.00 CGPA in their graduate classes. Other conditions related to academic performance may be added by the academic unit or Graduate School.
  • No undergraduate course may be counted toward a master's degree.
  • Students entering the master's degree with a bachelor's degree in hand may not use courses earned as part of the bachelor's program for master's requirements, even if those courses were graduate level courses.
  • Students must meet all requirements that would ordinarily be expected of  those enrolled in the master's program.