Dual or Joint-Degree Graduate Programs

Office of Graduate Programs
251 Frances Willson Thompson Library
(810) 762-3171
Fax: (810) 766-6789
Email: FlintGradOffice@umich.edu
http://www.umflint.edu/graduateprograms

The current list of approved Dual Degree Programs is listed here.

The University of Michigan-Flint provides arrangements for students to pursue two degrees simultaneously. Dual degree programs lead to two different degree citations on the transcript and two separate diplomas. The purpose of a dual degree program is to allow students to undertake complementary programs of graduate study simultaneously through streamlined curricular arrangements that allow the double-counting of some courses (see below for details). UM-Flint offers some pre-approved dual degree programs and also provides opportunities for students to initiate dual degree programs independently. Students should contact the graduate program(s) directly for more detailed information and additional program-specific requirements. For more information, visit www.umflint.edu/graduateprograms/dual-degree-programs.

Dual Degree Programs

The purpose of a dual degree program is to allow students to undertake complementary programs of graduate study simultaneously through streamlined curricular arrangements that allow double-counting of some courses (see below for details). UM-Flint offers pre-approved dual degree programs and provides opportunities for students to initiate dual degree programs independently. Students should contact the graduate program(s) directly for more detailed information and additional program-specific requirements. For more information on Dual Degree programs, visit www.umflint.edu/graduateprograms/dual-degree-programs.

Joint-Degree Programs

The joint program curriculum allows students to earn undergraduate and graduate credits simultaneously, which then count for both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The graduate credit hours that satisfy undergraduate degree requirements also reduce the credit hours needed for the graduate degree and are typically referred to as double counting or credit sharing. Accelerated programs that rely on double counting to reduce time-to-degree are often called “4+1, 3+2 or 3+3 accelerated programs”. For example, a 3+2 program would be three years of undergraduate and two years of graduate study leading to both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Review the complete list of joint degree programs here.

Applying for a Dual or Joint-Degree Program

To pursue a dual or joint degree, a student must apply and receive admission to the programs for which they are interested. For dual degree programs, students must apply to both graduate programs (See the process below). In contrast, a joint-degree student can be considered for one joint-degree program and must apply in their junior year for the graduate program of interest. For dual degree programs, admission to one program does not guarantee admission into another.

For Dual Degree Students:

Current UM-Flint graduate students and alumni: Those who are currently admitted to or enrolled in a UM-Flint graduate program or who have graduated with a graduate degree from UM-Flint, must submit the following to the Office of Graduate Programs:

Application for Dual Degree or Change of Program.
New Statement of Purpose as required by the proposed program of study.
Academic transcripts of coursework taken at any other institution attended if you have attended elsewhere since your admission to the first graduate program of study at UM-Flint.
Other documents required for admission by the proposed program of study.

New UM-Flint graduate students (not admitted to or graduated from any UM-Flint graduate program): A separate Graduate Application for Admission and all required supporting documents are required for admission into each program. See each program’s admission page for more information.

Double-Counting Credit Hours for Dual Degree Programs

Students in an Approved Dual Degree Program
Students in dual degree programs may double-count a limited number of credit hours toward the requirements of both degrees. If a student of an approved dual degree program wants to complete a dual degree after completing the first degree, the student must complete a Dual Degree Course Election Form no later than one term before completing the second degree.

To preserve the integrity of each degree, at least half of the minimum required credit hours for each degree must be earned in the program under a UM-Flint registration and counted solely for that degree. For example, a student enrolled in a 36-hour master’s degree program may not apply more than a combination of 18 transfer and/or double-counted credit hours toward the UM-Flint program.

Students in a Self-Initiated Dual Degree Program
Students may pursue a dual degree arrangement with two master’s programs that are not among those dual degree programs already approved. Students are required to complete both programs’ requirements, allowing for double counting of coursework as approved. To request double counting in a self-initiated dual degree program, a student must complete a dual degree course election form no later than one term before to completing the second degree.

Students pursuing at least one Rackham program use the Rackham Dual Degree Course Form; students pursuing two non-Rackham programs use the Dual Degree Course Election Form.

When considering a self-initiated dual degree program the following general guidelines apply:

A degree program may overlap with only one other program for the purpose of double-counting credit hours. In other words, credit hours may never be counted for three or more purposes. If a student seeks a third certificate or program, it must stand alone.
Some approved dual degree programs may differ from the calculation below. In these cases, students should refer to the approved catalog information on the dual degree program.
When double-counting with a certificate program, one-sixth (⅙) of the minimum required hours for the Master’s/Professional degree alone can be double-counted.
Certificates that are built within a graduate degree program are not considered double counting, and students can receive the certificate while completing the graduate degree.
Departments and programs may limit the double-counting of credit hours below the maximum but may not allow double-counting above the limit. Some programs may not allow double-counting of credit hours.
For students pursuing a doctoral degree who wish to create a student-initiated Dual Degree program toward a master’s degree in another field, faculty in the master’s program will review the credits earned for the doctoral program to decide how many may apply toward the master’s degree. No course with “doctoral,” “dissertation,” or “preliminary” in the title may be counted toward a master’s degree.

The maximum number of credit hours that may be double-counted for a student-initiated Dual Degree program may be determined by adding the minimum number of hours required for each program and dividing by six. For example:

Minimum credit hours required for Degree A	30
Minimum credit hours required for Degree B	36
Total	66
Maximum number of credits that may be double-counted	11

Any fraction resulting from these calculations must be rounded down to the nearest whole number of credit hours. Credit hours for a single course may not be split; a course must be double-counted in its entirety or not at all. Students initiating a Dual Degree should work with an advisor within their academic area to determine the best course of action.

Departments looking to develop new dual degree programs must follow the above calculation to determine the maximum number of credits allowable for double counting.

Double counting is allowed in cases where a student graduates from one degree program before completing the second degree. In these cases, the courses to be double counted must have been taken no more than five years before the completion of the second program. Appropriate signatures from both programs must be obtained on the Dual Degree Course Election Form.

Joint-Degree Policy
The maximum number of graduate-level credits that can be counted toward an undergraduate degree are outlined below. Accelerated program proposals must specify which courses in the graduate curriculum can be double counted with the undergraduate requirements and how they fit into the undergraduate program of study. This can be done by specifying which specific graduate courses replace required undergraduate courses and which courses from the graduate program may replace undergraduate 300+ level elective courses.

Typically, graduate programs designate graduate courses with similar subject matters to undergraduate degree requirements (i.e. allowing accelerated students to take the 500-level course corresponding to a similar 400-level undergraduate requirement). Graduate level double-counted courses are delivered at a higher level of rigor and must not be taken until students are officially admitted into the graduate program.

Maximum number of graduate-level credits that can be counted toward an undergraduate degree:

The maximum number of credits in an accelerated program that can be double-counted varies by program. Still, it cannot exceed 50% of the credits needed for a graduate degree.
In accelerated joint-degree programs, at least 50% of the credits allocated for the master’s degree - usually 15 of 30 - must be for courses designed for graduate work.

The current list of approved Dual Degree Programs is listed here.