Combined Option for UF Undergraduates
January, June, and August start dates available.
Current University of Florida students can apply to the Combined MSM option and, if accepted, they can begin MSM coursework in their undergraduate Senior year. Students can apply 12 credits of graduate coursework to both their undergraduate and graduate degrees, saving time and tuition money. In addition to the 12 credits counting towards both degrees, students may take an additional 9 credit hours to count only to their M.S. while still an undergraduate. The MSM program is then pursued full-time after the Bachelor's degree is earned.
If you choose to apply, you are encouraged to meet with an MSM advisor to understand how the Combined option would work best for your particular needs.
Benefits
There are both time and financial benefits to doing the Combined option. A student taking MSM courses while still an undergraduate can 'double count' up to 12 credits toward both the Bachelor's degree and the Master's degree.
Cost Benefits
If you receive Florida Bright Futures, Florida Prepaid or most other undergraduate scholarships, these scholarships will cover a portion of your graduate tuition while you are still an undergraduate. The scholarship will pay the graduate tuition at the undergraduate rate, and you must compensate for the difference between the undergraduate and graduate rates.
For example, if a student "double counts" 12 credits between Bachelor's & Master's degrees and takes an additional 9 credits that only count toward Master's degree, a student can save up to $4,664!
- $2,017 savings for 12 undergraduate credits (based on Fall 2010 tuition fees) that he or she did not need to take because they were substituted with grad business courses
- $2,646 savings if the student is receiving FL Bright Futures and takes 21 graduate business credits ($126 X 21) still an undergraduate.
Time Benefits
Depending on how many credits you earn during your senior year, you could potentially earn your Master's degree in the semester following your Bachelor's graduation. If students complete the maximum of 21 credits while they are undergraduate students, they would only need to complete 11 additional credits to earn their M.S. degree! That could be done in one semester.
Admission & Application
The Combined option is considered to be a type of "honors" path for high-performing University of Florida students, thus we are more selective for this option than we are for non-Combined MSM admission. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Thus, it is important for you to fully apply to the Combined option several months in advance of your desired start date. Most students apply in the final semester of their Junior year.
Combined students are permitted to begin MSM courses in the Summer B, Fall or Spring terms, and we allow overlap of the Bachelor and Master phases for just one semester, for two semesters, or for a full year if a summer term is completed.
Combined Specific Requirements
- 3.2 cumulative GPA and an above average score on the GMAT or GRE.
- Students must have completed 90 credit hours, including AP, IB and dual enrollment, before beginning the program.
- Students must receive a grade of B or better on all graduate courses taken before the Bachelor's degree is earned.
- Official UF graduate classification will activate after the Bachelor's degree certification.
Please note that students cannot take MSM courses until they apply and are accepted to the program.
Deadlines
We allow admitted Combined MSM students to start MSM courses in any of the terms below.
| Start term | Deadline | Applicant can expect response by: | Admitted applicants must reply and submit professional development fee by: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (January) | |||
| Deadline | Nov 1 | Nov 15 | Dec 1 |
| Summer B (late June) | |||
| Deadline | May 1 | May 15 | Jun 1 |
| Fall (late August) | |||
| Deadline | Jun 15 | Jul 1 | Jul 15 |
Application Requirements
The minimum materials required to apply for the program are as follows:
Please use the checklist as a reference to complete your application package.
Upon receiving application materials, the MSM office will send one email regarding the status of your application. Further correspondence must be initiated by the applicant.
Timeline & Planning Ahead
We only permit undergraduate students to begin our MSM coursework after they have completed at least 90 credit hours, including AP, IB and dual enrollment credits in pursuit of the Bachelor's degree. Furthermore, you must have fully applied to the MSM program and received an offer of admission. To plan ahead, the ideal time to apply to the MSM Combined option is in the middle of or late in your Junior year if you wish to maximize the experience with all 12 graduate credits permitted.
It is also strongly recommended that ALL general education and Gordon rule requirements have been completed as well so you can fully focus on completing your major requirements and being successful in the MSM courses.
- For information on general education requirements, please visit University Requirements - General Education (Gen Ed)
- For information on Gordon rule requirements, please visit Writing and math Requirement (Gordon Rule)
