Employment for jobs requiring a master's degree is estimated to increase by 17% between the years of 2016-2026, according to ASU's Accelerated Master's Program website. Due to this, the University offers a pathway for students to get one quickly and cheaply.
With this growing requirement comes greater financial costs. According to the University's admissions website, the average yearly cost for an Arizona resident to attend graduate school is about $44,967. For a nonresident, tuition costs can be as high as $69,113.
To lessen the financial burden, the University offers different forms of aid, ranging from scholarships and loans to programs aiming to lower overall tuition costs. One of these programs is the Accelerated Master's Program.
"The Accelerated Master's Programs are an opportunity to basically earn two degrees faster than if you were to do them separately," said Brett Kurland, an assistant dean and professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
This program allows students in their senior year to complete graduate course work for dual credits while still paying undergraduate tuition prices, effectively shortening the time and money it takes to complete both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
READ MORE: Understanding ASU tuition and why it keeps going up
According to the Accelerated Master's Program website, students are required to have a 3.0 GPA before applying to the program their junior year. After acceptance, students register for their graduate level classes instead of the required undergraduate courses with approvals from their advisers.
This path allows students to further their education and advance earlier in their careers than they initially would have without doing the program.
These students get to "further develop their resumes (and) better position themselves to hit the job market," Kurland said.
Bridget Abraham, an online graduate student studying supply chain management, wanted to apply for the Accelerated Master's Program but, due to life changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, she was not able to.
While Abraham did not complete the program, she sees the value it offers students for gaining both a master's and a bachelor's degree.
"University is a key to unlock some things," Abraham said. "It makes you that much more competitive as an employee when you're applying for things."
Students who complete the program have the opportunity to work with like-minded peers and learn how to operate in a competitive space.
"You are automatically in environments that are more mature because there's a lot more at stake," Abraham said. "There's a lot more money, there's a lot more investment, there's a lot more time."
Kyle Stevens, a University alumnus who graduated in 2022 with both a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in cybersecurity, shares a similar mindset to Abraham.
"It does require that you start taking more accountability and responsibility," Stevens said.
For Stevens, the program's heavy course load can bring benefits to a student's professional career. Going into private industries, he said students could see pay increases due to their extra degree.
Robert Kirsch, a professor for the School of Applied Professional Studies, helped establish the program in Spring 2020. Since then, initiatives have been implemented to keep students on track, considering they are expected to juggle both graduate and undergraduate courses.
"As faculty members, we take responsibility for being attentive to our students, and if things seem like it's getting overwhelming, then we'll intervene," Kirsch said. "There's a little more flexibility with that."
Students who may feel overwhelmed with the heavy workload have the option of separating classes through different semesters or taking a session off.
"What I learned very quickly was it was important to take time away from coursework, and make sure that you allocated some free time to de-stress and relax," Stevens said. "Because it was very easy to get caught up in it and stress yourself out to the point of just completely burning out."
Kirsch also said students in the program have access to graduate coordinators. These coordinators help connect students to the many resources available through not only the program but across the University.
This route has been beneficial to students who want to continue their educational paths past a bachelor's degree. Additionally, with an increasingly competitive job market, having the chance to do the Accelerated Master's Program can aid students in propelling their career prospects, Kurland said.
"It's really important to develop those skills here, so that you can thrive out there," Kurland said.
Edited by Natalia Rodriguez, George Headley and Pippa Fung.
Reach the reporter at dbtorre4@asu.edu.
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Daniela Torres Martinez is a part-time community reporter for the State Press. She has previously worked with the Chic Magazine at the Walter Cronkite School. She is in her first semester with The State Press.
