Accelerated degrees are programs in which academically qualified students earn both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in less time than pursuing them independently. Accelerated degree best practices documents are available upon request for our graduate and undergraduate faculty. Contact Dezra Despain for access.
Dual degrees allow graduate or professional students to earn two degrees in related areas of interest in fewer credit hours than if they obtained each degree separately.
The IU Graduate School Indianapolis must receive accelerated or dual degree proposals for review at least two (2) weeks prior to the next regularly scheduled Graduate Affairs Committee meeting. Please check the meeting schedule.
When a department proposes a new accelerated or dual degree, an email outlining the plan for the dual/accelerated degree including reasoning behind this new credential and evidence of student demand, should be sent to Dr. Margie Ferguson in Academic Affairs as a first step prior to submission to the GAC. Once the pre-proposal is approved, the department may continue in the process of the development of a proposal.
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The Dual Degree Program Form and the Accelerated Degree Program Form are provided to help you gather the information the Indianapolis Graduate School requires for a successful submission to the Graduate Affairs Committee.
Required Items:
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Best Practices for Managing Accelerated Programs
Dual Degree Program Form
Accelerated Degree Program Form
There is additional information the IU Graduate School Indianapolis and the Graduate Affairs Committee require that is not included in the proposal. This information, along with the proposal, is requested via the online GAC Proposal Submission Form.
Please have the following information ready when submitting the online GAC Proposal Submission Form:
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Email Dezra Despain for information on submitting a new degree proposal
The Graduate Affairs Committee (GAC) meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month between the months of August through May with the exceptions of September and December. In order for the proposal to be reviewed by the GAC, it must be received by the IU Graduate School Indianapolis no later than two (2) weeks prior to the GAC meeting.
Any questions about the GAC can be directed to Dezra Despain or Dr. Janice Blum
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The IU Graduate School Indianapolis will submit the proposal to Academic Leadership Council for inclusion on their consent agenda, after which the IU Indianapolis Registrar will assign it an SIS code.
The designated Graduate Office Accelerated Program cover sheet and copy of the OVPIA international agreement application, including proposal form, draft MOU, and dean’s support letter, is submitted to the Graduate Affairs Committee.
Following GAC clearance, the OIA will clear the international agreement application for review by the IU Office of the Vice President for International Affairs (OVPIA), which is IU’s pathway for international MOU approval.
Upon final clearance of the MOU by IU legal, the IU Graduate School Indianapolis will enter the preparatory program request into APPEAR, enabling the Registrar to create the relevant program plan coding.
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