Accelerated Master's Programs in Engineering

The design of the Accelerated Master’s (AM) degree is for students to take up graduate courses along with their undergraduate courses and requirements as their schedule permits. Students are not encouraged to complete the master’s at the same time as the undergraduate degree. At no time should an undergraduate student be enrolled in more than 50% of graduate level courses for the graduate degree in a single term.

 

We strongly recommend students to review their course plan with their undergraduate advisor(s) – both faculty and academic – as they become interested in the AM Program and before submitting the application. This will help immensely with the curriculum planning process. Applicants should plan to apply during their sophomore year at the latest. Students may submit an application as early as their fourth semester in the undergraduate degree.

  • The full application must be submitted within the first 14 days of the current semester to be considered for admission into the current semester. Example: if looking for Fall 2023 admission into AM, the student must complete all necessary application requirements, and submit the application, no later than September 12, 2023.
  • After 14 days into the semester, the application will be for admissions into the following semester. Example: if submitting an application on October 1, 2023 or December 13, 2023, those applications will only be eligible for Spring 2024 admission into AM.

 

Please note:

  • DATS encourages Juniors to apply by either May 15th or December 15th in their junior year. (May 15 is the end of the Spring/start of Summer before a student’s fifth semester or December 15, right at the end of the fifth semester.)
  • IPD requires students to apply in their junior year by the February 1st deadline as IPD admits as a cohort for the following Fall term.
  • CIS, CIT, and CGGT encourages students to apply by August 1st, before the start of the student’s seventh semester.

Application Procedures

  • Complete the Course Planning form electronically in pdf format with all appropriate signatures.
    • Students must complete the form as a pdf and all signatures must be digital or electronically added through pdf software. Forms that have been printed out to write on, have been scanned in, or submitted to the admissions office with emails stating “approved” in lieu of a signature, will all be returned to the student for correction. The completed form is required and must be uploaded to the application in CollegeNet before submitting.  Failure to upload this form with the application or submitting an incomplete form, will result in an incomplete application and it may be rejected.

 

  • Complete the Accelerated Master’s Application via CollegeNet. Additional requirements to be provided in CollegeNet:
    • Transcript
    • Resume
    • A two-three page statement of purpose
    • You will also need to provide the email contacts of two professional references. Examples of professional references are a program director, advisor, instructor, internship/lab supervisor or PI, etc.

 

If you require assistance with the CollegeNet application system, you may contact the Penn Engineering Enrollment Specialist for the program to which you are applying.

Eligibility

  • Must be a Penn undergraduate that entered Penn in Fall 2018 or later.
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required. (BIOT requires a cumulative GPA of 3.5, CIS requires a cumulative GPA of 3.2, and ROBO requires a minimum STEM GPA of 3.2.)
  • Both BSE and BAS degree students in Penn Engineering may apply for the Accelerated Master’s program. Qualified undergraduates in Penn’s other schools may apply for an Accelerated Master’s into any of the Engineering Master’s degree programs, subject to their home school’s rules and regulations.
  • Uncoordinated dual degree students are not eligible for the Accelerated Master’s degree. However, students can reach out to the master’s program director to discuss interests in joining the program during their sophomore year. Programs will review these applications on a case-by-case basis for admission.

 

Rules

  • Students may double count up to 3 CU’s of graduate courses to fulfill both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. This is subject to approval by both the undergraduate and graduate program chairs/directors.
  • An Engineering student may take a maximum of 3 CU’s at the graduate level prior to matriculation into the Accelerated Master’s (AM) degree. These 3 CU’s must be courses that double count between the undergraduate degree and the master’s degree. Engineering students cannot take more than 3 CU’s to count towards the master’s degree prior to acceptance and matriculation into the accelerated master’s degree.
    Students from outside Engineering should check with their home school on this policy and if they allow any courses to be taken prior to acceptance and matriculation into the AM. (Please note The College does not allow this.)
  • No course may be triple counted, i.e. counted for more than two degrees.
  • Cross-listed courses taken at the 4000 level prior to matriculation into the Accelerated Master’s may be used for the graduate degree if the course’s content is identical to its 5000+ level and is cross-listed/multi-level in the term taken by the student. These 4000/5000+ level courses should be used only as one of the three double counted  courses. After matriculation, only 5000+ level courses are allowed.
  • All coursework for the master’s degree must be completed at Penn. Transfer, study abroad, or ‘credit away’ courses are not permitted.
  • A reminder that at no time should any student be taking more than 4 CU’s of 5000+ level courses in a single term.
  • Coordinated dual degree students in M&T and VIPER must complete their undergraduate degree in ten semesters to be eligible for the degree.  While there is no penalty for completing your undergraduate degree sooner, you will not be allowed to overload (7/7.5 CUs) to accomplish this.
  • For single degree students, the undergraduate degree must be completed in eight (8) semesters or the student will not be eligible to continue with the Accelerated Master’s degree. Students pursuing a coordinated dual degree program must complete their Engineering Undergraduate degree in ten (10) semesters. If a student wants to continue with the Master’s degree, they will lose the privilege to double count courses and must apply to the master’s program externally, submitting all relevant application materials.
  • Students must keep in mind that at no time should an AM student be taking more than 50% of graduate level courses towards the master’s degree during a semester, or students risk having to pay the master’s tuition rate. For example, if a student registers for 5 CU’s in one term and 3 CU’s are 5000+ level counting towards the master’s degree, the student can be charged master’s tuition from SRFS on those 3 CU’s. It is important to plan carefully and early in the process so that students can take one or two graduate courses while completing undergraduate course requirements. This will ensure students do not overload graduate level courses in one term.


Please note:

  • Engineering recognizes matriculation into one Accelerated Master’s/submatriculation program across the schools. We do not have a dual-degree Accelerated Master’s/submatriculation programs. Students with any questions should contact the Graduate Engineering Academic team.
  • All financial aid related questions should be referred to SRFS . Find more details on institutional financial aid guidelines here.
  • Applicants are encouraged to accept the offer of admission through CollegeNet within 30 days of the decision release date. If the student chooses not to pursue the Masters Degree after matriculation, they may request to withdraw from the program in Path@Penn.
  • If unable to apply during the student’s undergraduate program, the student can still apply for a Penn master’s program through the regular admissions process as an external applicant following external application rules and requirements.
  • The CollegeNet application system will be closed and not accessible to applicants each June and July for updates. Please plan accordingly.
  • Engineering Online does not allow matriculation into their programs through Accelerated Master’s. Interested students must apply externally to start after completion of the undergraduate degree.
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Submatriculation

Penn undergraduates that started prior to Fall 2018 in their undergraduate program, follow the submatriculation program and rules. Please review the procedures below.

Rules and Eligibility

  • Student must have started their undergraduate degree at Penn prior to Fall 2018.
  • The deadline for applying for submatriculation is before the beginning of the fall semester of the student’s Senior Year (IPD programs: Deadline is Feb 1 of Junior Year).
  • As a submatriculant, you may take up to three graduate courses (or four courses in the Master of Biotechnology Program) while registered as an undergraduate student, to fulfill both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements, subject to approval by both the undergraduate and graduate program Chairs. These three graduate-level courses can be double-counted for undergraduate and master’s degrees, regardless of when they were taken (i.e. before submatriculation).
  • Cross-listed courses taken at the 4XXX level prior to submatriculation may be used for a master’s degree if the course’s content is identical to its 5XXX level and was cross-listed i nthe term the student took the course. (Students must obtain verification from the course’s instructor via the Application for Submatriculation form.)
  • Note that after entering submatriculation, all courses for the master’s must be taken at the 5XXX level and above.
  • No course may be triple counted, i.e., counted for more than two degrees/majors.
  • All coursework for a master’s degree from SEAS must be completed at Penn. No transfer, advanced standing , study abroad, or study away courses will be accepted.
  • The time to complete both undergraduate and master’s degrees cannot extend beyond eight years.
  • Both BSE and BAS degree students in Penn Engineering may apply for submatriculation into engineering master’s programs. Qualified undergraduates in Penn’s other schools may apply to submatriculate into any of the Penn Engineering master’s degree programs, subject to their home school’s rules and regulations.
  • A minimum cummulative GPA of 3.0 is required in order to apply. Note that admission decisions are made by the respective Master’s Program on a selective basis.
  • Please note that each Program may have additional requirements to apply. Please check with the program you would like to submatriculate into regarding any additional requirements.
  • The GRE is not required for those applying to submatriculate. However, students are strongly encouraged to take the GRE, especially those who have interests in pursuing a Ph.D. degree program.
  • EDAB Submatriculation Survival Guide

 

NOTE 1: Changing your undergraduate graduation exit for financial reasons changes your year of graduation for alumni purposes.

NOTE 2: If you choose NOT to pursue the Masters Degree after you submatriculated, please fill out and submit the Graduate Petition for Action to your graduate coordinator to withdraw from the program.

Application Procedures

  • Complete the Application for Submatriculation form, which you can request from graddean@seas.upenn.edu, and follow the instructions on the form.
  • If you are interested in the DATA SCIENCE program, there is a special process and form here. For further questions, please send an email to: datsmasters@seas.upenn.edu

Financial Aid

As a sub-matriculant, if you consider extending your bachelor’s degree graduation you must have a conversation with SFS to make sure appropriate funding is available. Penn’s policy for undergraduate financial aid is only 8 semesters of Undergrad need-based Aid. (Note that it does not matter whether you are enrolled in undergraduate OR graduate-level courses in the final semester of your bachelor’s degree.) After you have graduated from the undergraduate degree program, you will be charged graduate school tuition, which is done on a per course unit basis. In order to be considered for financial aid, you must separately apply for graduate financial aid through Penn’s Student Financial Services center.