degrees & certificates /
Fifth Year BACHELOR'S/MASTER'S PROGRAM
The Measurement, Statistics and Evaluation program in the College of Education offers a 5th Year M.A. program for undergraduates interested in quantitative methods. This allows highly motivated undergraduates the chance to develop their skills in quantitative methods and complete both the bachelor's and master's degrees in just 5 years.
WHAT KIND OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES EXIST WITH AN M.A. IN EDMS?: Careers include statistical data analysis, developing survey and testing instruments, designing research studies, performing quantitative analysis, evaluating educational programs, psychometric analysis of assessment results, conducting marketing studies, and conducting surveys. Openings can be found in such places as federal and state government, state and local educational agencies, private industry, consulting firms, non-profit organizations, offices of institutional studies in higher education, and survey research organizations.
WHAT KIND OF UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS PROGRAM?: Almost any major would be appropriate, including psychology, sociology, mathematics, statistics, computer science, communications, business, and economics, and even English and history. The critical quality that a student needs to bring to the department is high quantitative ability. This is a profession that trains at the graduate level, and the specific undergraduate major is not a critical factor. Fields involving the application of modern quantitative research techniques provide an outlet for those trained in this program.
WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO GET INTO THE 5th-YEAR PROGRAM?: First, talk to the EDMS Department. Second, you will need to secure appropriate campus approval (we will help you do that). Third, take EDMS 645, 646, and either 651 or 647 (9 credit hours) during your junior and senior years. These 3 courses will count toward both the bachelor's and master's degrees. Some students may even be able to take additional courses if the graduate school approves their transfer to the M.A. level. Note that the Master's program requires completion of EDMS 610 and this can also be taken as an upper level undergraduate student.
WHAT ARE THE MASTER'S PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS?: The student must successfully complete at least 30 graduate credits hour including the 9 credits earned as an undergraduate. The student must also pass a comprehensive examination and do a master's project or thesis.
GRADUATE SCHOOL POLICY: The Graduate School policy on combined bachelor's/master's degrees is:
"A combined bachelor's/master's program may be developed for the individual student. A combined degree program should be an integrated learning experience for the student, not simply the completion of a required number of undergraduate and graduate credits. It is available only to students whose academic performance is exceptional, i.e., students with outstanding grade point averages and appropriate faculty evaluations and recommendations. The program must be approved by the dean of the students undergraduate college or school, the program offering the undergraduate major, the graduate program, and the Graduate School. No more than nine credits of courses taken at the advanced level (600-level courses and above) may be applied to both degree programs. No more than one master's degree may be earned through a combined bachelor's/master's degree program. Students must complete the bachelors degree before admission to the Graduate School. See your undergraduate advisor for more details."
If the above program interests you, contact one of the MSE faculty members or:
Dr. Gregory R. Hancock
Benjamin Building, Room 1230D
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742-1115
Phone: (301) 405-3621
Fax: (301) 314-9245
ghancock@umd.edu