Accelerated Master's (4+1)

If you are a UMass Amherst BS or BA computer science major, you can start earning your master's while pursuing your bachelor's degree. Take up to four graduate-level courses as an undergrad to trim up to a year off your master's timeline. The Accelerated MS is only available for students who begin the MS immediately after graduating with a BS or BA. Students may not defer this program to a future semester. 

Program Structure

• Maintain a minimum of a 3.6 overall GPA upon graduating
• You must take at least 3 (ideally 4) graduate-level courses while still an undergraduate.
• These courses must be in COMPSCI or other pre-approved subjects.
• If you take 4 courses:
  • All 4 count toward your MS degree.
  • 2 of those 4 can also count toward your BS degree (this is called “double counting”)

After you finish your BS:

• You will complete the remaining 6 graduate-level courses
  • In some cases, it may be 7 courses (depending on prior coursework).
• You’re expected to finish all of this in 2 consecutive semesters 

Putting it all together:

• Before graduating (BS phase): 3–4 grad courses with a minimum of a 3.6 overall GPA
• After graduating with BS/BA (MS phase): 6–7 more courses
• Total for MS: 30 cre