Student-Initiated Combined Degree
Pursuing a combined degree program can reduce the cost and
total time required to complete both a bachelor's and a master's degree.
The student-initiated combined degree program offers current qualified GVSU students the opportunity to combine undergraduate and graduate degree programs that meet their unique personal, academic, and career goals. Working with faculty advisors and graduate program directors, students can combine degrees from different disciplines and tailor their own student-centered and goal-driven educational experience.
Visit the program website for more information.
Listen to Podcast
Why pursue a Student-Initiated Combined Degree at Grand Valley?
- Accelerate your career trajectory and complete your degree one step ahead of the competition.
- Respond to emerging job markets.
- Take advantage of creative academic programming that is tailored to your specific goals.
- Meet the growing national need for more master's trained employees.
- Gain valuable internship and career opportunities through partnerships in the West Michigan area.
Getting Started
If interested, you should:
- Discuss your interest with your undergraduate advisor and the graduate program director to determine suitability;
- Complete a Student-Initiated Combined Degree request form;
- Begin the approval process with your undergraduate advisor.
Coursework
Each program includes a unique curriculum that allows a student to count up to 12 graduate credit hours toward both their undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. The undergraduate and graduate degree programs a student selects will determine the actual curriculum.
A plan of study is developed by the student, faculty advisors, and graduate program directors that satisfies all degree requirements. This plan will designate courses to be counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
General program requirements follow the Bachelor/Graduate Combined Degree Policy and include at a minimum:
- Fulfillment of the requirements for both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
- Completion of responsible conduct of research training.
Helpful Links
For More Information
The Graduate SchoolThe Graduate School
616-331-7105
[email protected]
iin3d.com/sicd
"The Student Initiated Combined Degree program is a great way to fill your course schedule if you have credits you need to fill. I really appreciated getting experience with graduate-level courses during my undergraduate career because I now have a much better idea of what's expected of me as a graduate student."
PSYCHOLOGY UNDERGRADUATE, SOCIAL WORK GRADUATE STUDENT