By taking a course overload of three credits in the second semester of the Junior year and a course overload in each of the semesters of the Senior year, a motivated student typically may acquire 9 credits (but no more than 12) for graduate school (at undergraduate tuition rates) prior to acquiring their undergraduate degree assuming that they receive a B or better in the courses. These courses, if chosen appropriately, may double count towards both the undergraduate and graduate degree. By taking a 3-credit Internship graduate course (e.g. SIE 590) with a corporation, agency or non-profit organization during the summer, a student may readily complete the coursework master’s degree in a single year after their undergraduate degree. Graduate-level courses to double count must be at the 500-599 level. For Four Plus One students pursuing the MS DSE during and after the undergraduate degree, see the long list of qualifying graduate courses.

In the senior year, provisionally admitted students must submit a formal application to the Graduate School. Four Plus One students must enroll in the master’s program within one semester/term after receiving their bachelor’s degree in order to use the joint credits.

To save course credit tuition dollars for the student, the Application for Admission to the Four Plus One Program is submitted to the appropriate DSE Graduate Coordinator rather than to the graduate school. If a student is accepted and the performance criteria below are met, acceptance into the Four Plus One Program indicates a commitment by the DSE graduate faculty (1) to accept the student’s graduate courses completed while an undergraduate student within their graduate program of study and (2) to support the student’s application for formal admission to the graduate school after completion of the undergraduate degree.

To apply for early admission before or during the junior year, an applicant should expect to have an overall minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.25, must have completed the University of Maine General Education Requirement in Math and must have three letters of recommendation from current or previous university instructors.