The Accelerated Master’s Degree Program allows undergraduate students in the industrial and entrepreneurial engineering program an opportunity to complete the requirements for the master’s degree at an accelerated pace. Undergraduate students may count up to 12 (but no less than 6) credit hours of 5000-level courses taken during their undergraduate studies at WMU toward a master’s degree in industrial engineering within 30 months of completing their bachelor’s degree in industrial and entrepreneurial engineering. Students may choose to pursue a master’s degree in industrial engineering under either the thesis option or the non-thesis option. This program will allow an undergraduate student majoring in industrial and entrepreneurial engineering at WMU to complete an accelerated master’s in industrial engineering by completing 146 to 152 combined graduate/undergraduate credit hours. The total credit hours will depend on the number of 5000-level courses taken during their undergraduate studies. 

Criteria for Admission to the Accelerated Master’s Degree Program

Permission to pursue the Accelerated Master’s Degree Program does not guarantee admission to the Graduate College. Admission is contingent on meeting the following eligibility requirements at the time of entering the graduate program:

1.  Students must have junior standing and a minimum of fifteen (15) IEE credit hours.
2.  Students must have a minimum accumulated grade point average (GPA) of 3.5/4.0 at WMU.
3.  Exceptions can be approved by the IE Accelerated Master Committee upon written request by the applicant.

Application to the Accelerated Master’s Degree Program

1.  A prospective student, who meets the eligibility requirements (see Criteria for Admission), must set up a meeting with the IEE undergraduate advisor and IE graduate advisor to develop Plans of Work for the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

2.  Before admission to the accelerated master’s degree program can be finalized, students must submit the standard application for admission to the Office of Admissions including:
a.  an application
b.  application fee
c.  a copy of all transcripts
d.  an Accelerated Degree Program (AGDP) Planning form, signed by the prospective student, the undergraduate advisor and the graduate advisor

3.  The Accelerated Degree Program Planning form for the master’s degree must clearly indicate:
a.  the 5000-level courses (a maximum of 12 credit hours) that will be counted towards the accelerated master’s degree.
b.  the graduation date for the master’s degree that meets the time limit (i.e. obtaining the master’s degree in industrial engineering within 30 months of completing the bachelor’s degree). Any changes to the AGDP form must be submitted, in writing, and approved by the graduate advisor and graduate dean.

Requirements for Participation and Graduation

1.  Students must complete the bachelor’s degree prior to entering the master’s program. Students may not elect to by-pass the bachelor’s degree.

2.  Students will only be allowed to count a maximum of twelve (12) 5000-level credits taken during their undergraduate studies toward their master’s degree.

3.  Students must receive a grade of “B” or better (3.0/4.0) in the 5000-level courses taken during their undergraduate studies. Courses with a grade of “CB” or below cannot be counted toward their master’s degree.

4.  No more than 12 hours of work may be counted towards the requirements for both the bachelor’s and master’s degree.

5.  Students must complete the master’s degree within 30 months from the completion of the bachelor’s degree. If the master’s program is not completed within these time limits, none of the 5000-level courses used for the bachelor’s degree may be counted towards the master’s degree.

Continued Eligibility

1.  It is the responsibility of the student to recognize his/her eligibility status. 

2.  A student completing the bachelor’s degree requirements with an accumulated GPA of less than 3.0/4.0 is no longer eligible to count the 5000-level credit hours specified toward the master’s degree and is automatically terminated from the accelerated master’s degree program.

3.  A student who does not follow the program, as laid out in the approved Accelerated Degree Program Planning form, may become ineligible to participate in the accelerated degree program.

4.  A student who is ineligible to participate in (or withdraws from) the accelerated program may not count any of the 5000-level courses specified in the AGDP Planning form towards a master’s degree. These courses, however, may be counted toward the student’s bachelor’s degree upon the discretion of the undergraduate advisor.

5.  A student who becomes ineligible to participate in the accelerated master’s degree program must be informed by the graduate advisor, in writing, of his/her ineligibility. A copy of this letter to the student must be sent to the Graduate College.

Withdrawal

A student may, at any time, withdraw from an approved accelerated program by informing the director of undergraduate programs and the graduate advisor in writing. A copy of this request to withdraw must be sent to the Graduate College and the registrar’s office.