2 Degrees, 5 Years: 4+1 Programs

Eligible undergraduate students enrolled at Mercyhurst University can earn a four-year bachelor’s degree and a two-year master’s degree in just five years!

4+1 programs help you get ahead by providing the opportunity to take graduate-level courses during your junior and/or senior years. You’ll still graduate on time with your class before seamlessly transitioning to a Master of Science program for one extra year. The skills you’ll develop in these graduate programs complement almost every undergrad major and can be readily applied in any field.

Eligible Mercyhurst Undergraduates

While certain undergraduate majors may seem more relevant than others for these programs, the 4+1 option is intended to be available to any Mercyhurst undergraduate student regardless of their major. For instance, an Anthropology/Archaeology major might ultimately want to be a science teacher, so that student can apply for the Secondary Education master's degree. A bachelor's degree in a humanities field, such as Sociology, paired with a more quantitative master's, such as Data Science, would look great on your resume.

In terms of academic credentials, each program reviews applications holistically, but would still prefer applicants with a Mercyhurst undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or greater.

How It Works

Depending on your 4+1 program of choice, ideally you will take one to four graduate courses over the course of your junior and senior years. These credits will not count toward your undergraduate requirements; however they will be included in your undergraduate flat rate bill (with the exception of any summer graduate coursework you choose to complete).

Students will still need at least 121 undergraduate credits to earn a bachelor’s degree, but will simultaneously earn 2 to 12 graduate credits during their junior and senior years. This would mean, in most cases, taking 18 credits per semester rather than the generally prescribed 15 credits. Undergraduate students must register and maintain at least 12 undergraduate credits per semester to remain eligible for full-time financial aid.

Cost Savings

Students enrolled in a 4+1 program, or simply taking advanced credits during their senior year, will complete 3 to 12 graduate credits included in their undergraduate flat rate bills. This could result in savings ranging from $2,500 to $13,000+ in graduate tuition and fees! An average individual with a master's degree will earn an extra $403,000 throughout their lifetime.