Accelerated Masters
Longwood University offers an Accelerated Master’s Track for our Counselor Education and Communication Sciences & Disorders graduate programs, allowing eligible Longwood undergraduate students to take 12 graduate-level credits during their senior year. These credits may count toward both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees, providing a streamlined pathway to graduate education.
Admission requirements include maintaining a strong GPA, securing faculty recommendations, and completing specific coursework. Participants must follow a structured academic sequence and obtain approval for graduate course enrollment each semester. While admission to the accelerated track enhances academic progression, it does not guarantee acceptance into the full master’s program.
What You'll Study
Accelerated Tracks
Counselor Education, M.S.
Admissions
Students admitted to the Accelerated Masters Track are eligible to take 12 credits from our Counselor Education M.S. during their senior year at Longwood University.
The 12 graduate credits may count toward both their bachelor’s degree as general electives and toward the completion of their graduate degree.
Eligibility Criteria
- Be an active Longwood undergraduate student in the spring of their sophomore year or later
- Maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0
Application Requirements
Students applying for the Accelerated Master's Degree Track must:
- Submit an Accelerated Master's Track Application
- A recommendation from a professor
- Acknowledgment from their academic advisor
- Submit an essay (250-500 words) addressing:
- Their reasons for seeking graduate education in counseling
- Why this program would be a good fit for them
- Why they would make a great counselor
- Complete a required interview scheduled by program faculty after the complete application is received
Accelerated track students will complete a modified graduate application to the Counselor Education master's program by the standard graduate application deadline.
Courses
Students in the Accelerated Track will take the following 12 credits:
COUN 503 – Introduction to Counseling
COUN 505 – Theories of Counseling
COUN 507 – Lifespan Development
One additional 500-level COUN course
Course Enrollment Process
Accelerated Track students are expected to follow the Accelerated Master’s Degree Track Sequence for their path to graduation.
Students must request enrollment in graduate courses each semester by submitting the Permission for Seniors to Take Graduate Classes form.
Graduate courses must be selected in collaboration with the Accelerated Track Advisor and must be approved by the Graduate Program Director before registration.
- Failure to work with the Accelerated Track Advisor may increase time to graduate degree completion
Communication Sciences & Disorders, M.S.
Admission
Students admitted to the Accelerated Master's Track are eligible to take 12 credits from our Communication Sciences & Disorders, M.S. program during their senior year at Longwood University. These graduate credits may count toward both their bachelor's degree and their graduate degree in Communication Sciences & Disorders.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply, students must:
- Be an active Longwood undergraduate student in their junior year (must have completed 75 undergraduate credits)
- Maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.5 or higher
Application Requirements
Students applying for the Accelerated Master's Degree Track must:
- Submit an Accelerated Master's Track Application
- Provide three positive recommendation letters, with at least two from Longwood CSD faculty members
- Have participated in two Academic Extracurricular activities, such as:
- Interprofessional Education (IPE) event
- Completion of a research independent study
- Publication in Incite or a peer-reviewed academic journal
- Demonstrate competency in written and oral English with a grade of "B" or higher in ENGL 165 or an equivalent course
- Earn a grade of "B" or higher in the following courses (or equivalent courses from another institution):
- BIOL 101
- CSDS 285
- CSDS 313
Accelerated track students will complete a modified graduate application to the Communication Sciences & Disorders master's program by the standard graduate application deadline.
Course Enrollment Process
Accelerated Track students are expected to follow the Accelerated Master’s Degree Track Sequence for their path to graduation.
Students must request enrollment in graduate courses each semester by submitting the Permission for Seniors to Take Graduate Classes form.
Graduate courses must be selected in collaboration with the Accelerated Track Advisor and must be approved by the Graduate Program Director before registration.
Failure to work with the Accelerated Track Advisor may increase time to graduate degree completion.
