Early Entry

early entry

Exceptional undergraduate students at UNC Charlotte may be accepted into the Master’s or Graduate Certificate program in Data Science and Business Analytics and begin working toward a graduate degree before completing the baccalaureate degree.

We have created a Zoom recording “Early Entry Interest Session” which provides an overview and answers some FAQs.

Benefits

• Early Entry students may be accepted to the graduate program, pending the award of the baccalaureate degree, generally within two semesters.
• This early entry program is also accelerated in which up to 12 hours earned at the graduate level may be substituted for required undergraduate hours. In other words, up to 12 hours of graduate work may be “double-counted” toward both the baccalaureate and master’s degree and up to 12 hours for the Graduate Certificate
• Early Entry students will be charged undergraduate tuition and fees for all courses (graduate and undergraduate) for which they register. Upon completing the baccalaureate degree, students will be charged graduate tuition and fees.

Admission Requirements

• A student can be admitted to the Data Science and Business Analytics Early-Entry Program after completing 75 semester hours of undergraduate coursework applicable to the relevant degree. However, it is expected that the student will have earned nearly 90 hours by the time they take their first graduate course.
• Submit a completed application through the Graduate School’s Online Admissions Portal. The application process and all required documentation (e.g., test scores, transcripts, letters of recommendation) are the same for early-entry students as for other applicants to the program.
• At least a 3.2 overall GPA
• The GRE/GMAT test requirement is waived for early-entry applicants to the Data Science and Business Analytics program.

Continued Enrollment Requirements

• Once admitted, a student must complete an Early-Entry Course Approval Form and have it approved by both the Graduate Program Director and the Graduate School. Failure to obtain prior Graduate School approval negates a student’s ability to “double-count” courses in an accelerated Early Entry program.
• If an early entry student has not met the normal admission requirements of a 3.0 overall undergraduate GPA at the end of his/her baccalaureate degree, she/he will be dismissed from the graduate program.
• Students accepted into the Data Science and Business Analytics Early Entry Program will be subject to the same policies that pertain to other matriculated graduate students. Generally, it will be assumed that early entry students will finish their baccalaureate degrees before they complete 15 hours of graduate work.

Timetable for Gaining Admission to the Early Entry Program

• First semester of the junior year – Schedule an advising session with the DSBA Graduate Program Director or SDS Director of Student Services.
• Second semester of the junior year – Request GRE/GMAT waiver, then complete and submit an early-entry application for graduate study to the Graduate School.
• End of the senior year – Complete the requirements for an undergraduate degree, up to 12 hours of undergraduate coursework can be substituted with corresponding graduate courses (and these graduate courses can also be applied to the Master’s degree).

Approved Substitution Courses

Early Entry undergraduates are eligible to register for up to four (4) graduate-level courses that will fulfill undergraduate degree requirements as well as requirements for their MS or Graduate Certificate program. Approved course substitutions are listed below. Other courses can be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Note: There is no DSBA graduate-level equivalent course for INFO 3221, INFO 3231 or INFO 3234.

Additional Resources

Financial Aid Considerations for Early-Entry Graduate Students

Early entry graduates are students taking graduate-level courses while completing their undergraduate degree. For financial aid, they are treated as undergraduates, with aid disbursed based on the number of undergraduate credits enrolled. If a graduate course meets an undergraduate requirement, financial aid will be calculated based on the undergraduate credits, but an approved academic petition must be submitted before the census date for this exception. Please visit the Financial Aid website for more information.

Graduate Admissions

Exceptional undergraduate students at UNC Charlotte are encouraged to apply for early entry into graduate programs, allowing them to begin graduate-level coursework before completing their bachelor’s degree. Early-entry students can earn up to 12 graduate credit hours that count toward both their undergraduate and graduate degrees while being charged undergraduate tuition until they finish their bachelor’s degree. Please visit the Graduate Admissions website for more information.