Anna Gick, a second year psychology student at Ball State, is the first student to enroll in the Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP) Master of Arts in Psychological Science. Accelerated Master’s Programs allow students to begin their graduate studies while completing their bachelor’s degree.

“So far, it’s been really easy to apply to,” Anna said. AMP’s seamlessly fit into students existing class schedules and allow an easy transition into master’s degrees.

By taking 18 credit hours of courses each semester of her undergraduate program, Anna can graduate with her bachelor’s degree in 3 years. The AMP will allow her to earn her master’s in one more year of additional study.

In four years, Anna can earn both her bachelor’s and master’s degree—and save herself years of additional schooling.

After Anna receives both degrees, she will continue her career in higher education.

“I want to become a professor at a university and run a research lab,” Anna said. “That’s something that interests me a lot.”

Anna Gick, an Accelerated Master's Programs student

Saving time and money with AMP’s

To become a professor, Anna will need a doctorate. Doctorate programs take between 4 to 6 years to earn, and getting into one can be difficult. Earning a master’s degree can increase Anna’s chances of acceptance. The AMP will allow her to get her master’s degree significantly faster.

“That way I have less time in school, but I’m still ready for [my degree],” Anna said. “I’m not burnt out as easily.”

Tacking a traditional 2-year master’s degree onto a traditional 4-bachelor’s degree is a significant investment in time, especially with another 4-year doctorate program on the horizon.

“I think it will help me reach my goals faster… it’s a lot less stressful than doing four years of undergrad and then a two year master’s program,” Anna said.

The AMP in Psychology has helped her save valuable time and money on her way to her goals. Pursuing an advanced education can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. For students like Anna, an AMP can make all the difference and take her one step closer to her desired career.

At Ball State, AMP students take an average of 4.4 years to achieve both degrees. Most students take full advantage of the opportunity to get a head start on their graduate studies—the average student takes just over 9 graduate credit hours before they complete their bachelor’s degree. As a result, the average time to finish a master’s degree is just 1 year.

Data Analytics Master of Arts in Statistics

The College of Sciences and Humanities offers a variety of AMPs to its students. New to the academic catalog this year is the AMP Master of Arts in Statistics.

This program is for students enrolled in another recent addition to the CSH curriculum, the data analytics undergraduate degree. This AMP will allow students in the data analytics major to take three graduate courses in statistics while an undergraduate, and then seamlessly enroll in the MA in Statistics program for a year of graduate studies. Students interested in math but not statistics can enroll in an AMP Master of Arts in Mathematics.

Data science and statistics is an emerging, in-demand profession. Entry-level and average salaries are higher than other occupations. The median annual wage for data scientists was $108,020 in May 2023. The highest earners often have graduate degrees.

Data scientist employment opportunities are predicted to grow by 35% by 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average increase for all other occupations is 3%. 

The AMP in Statistics and data analytics undergraduate degree provide students with the experience necessary to analyze and manipulate the vast amounts of data powering the modern information economy. It will prepare students for a Ph.D. degree in statistics, too.

For more information on Accelerated Master’s Programs, please visit the AMP home page, or read more about CSH AMP’s.

CSH Accelerated Master’s Programs

The College of Sciences and Humanities offers 9 Accelerated Master’s Programs:

Students in AMPs are assigned faculty mentors to guide them through their intense course loads.