Fast-Track Your Future: Northern Michigan University Launches Accelerated Degree Options
Looking to fast-track your path to a master’s degree while staying near Lake Superior? Northern Michigan University offers accelerated 4+1 and 3+2 dual-degree programs that allow students to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in less time. Below is an overview of how these fast-track options can save you up to a year of tuition and help you launch your career sooner.
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Fast-Track Your Future: Northern Michigan University Launches Accelerated Degree Options
Northern Michigan University (NMU) offers accelerated (5-year) 4+1 and 3+2 dual-degree programs, allowing undergraduate students to streamline their time to a master’s degree. Accelerated programs save up to 1 year of tuition and time. When you’re considering a college, you want more than a classroom. You want a community – and one within a few blocks of Lake Superior wouldn’t hurt. In fact, most students find that they feel at home here and don’t want to leave.
The good news? NMU offers many post-bachelor degrees that allow you to stay on the fresh coast just that much longer to earn another credential. Finish a master’s in multiple disciplines in half the time it would take you somewhere else.
Complete Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees at NMU
When you choose Northern, you get a comprehensive university experience from day one. Expect direct access to hands-on research labs, mentorship from expert faculty, and a vibrant community on the shores of Lake Superior. If you follow one of our accelerated programs, those benefits could continue. In fact, you may even be able to count senior-year credits toward your graduate degree for certain programs.
If you are looking for the fastest master's degrees in Michigan, with these programs you can shave up to a full year off your schooling, enter the workforce ahead of your peers, and reduce your overall tuition costs. Here is a look at how to get a fast degree at NMU across various departments.
The NMU Accelerated Program Catalog
Here is a summary of NMU’s accelerated 5-year degree pathways, including their tracks and target career outcomes.
Graduate Program Field | Pathway / Track | Total Time | Target Career / Outcome
|
|---|---|---|---|
Athletic Training | 3+2 (BS Rehab Science to MS Athletic Training) | 5 Years | Board-certified Athletic Trainer (CAATE) |
Business Administration | 4+1 (BS Accounting to MBA) | 5 Years or less | CPA certification & leadership |
Mathematics | 4+1 (BS to MS Mathematics) | 5 Years | Government, industry & academia |
Psychology | 4+1 (BS to MS Behavior Analysis or Experimental) | 5 Years | Clinical practice or research |
Social Work | BSW to MSW (Advanced Standing) | 5 Years | Licensed Social Worker (LCSW path) |
Sustainability | 4+1 (BS to MS Sustainability with one of five tracks) | 5 Years | Community, regional, environmental & corporate sustainability |
NMU’s Accelerated Programs in Detail
Master of Business Administration with Accounting Concentration (4+1 BS to MBA Track)
Earn two degrees. Save a year or more. Get ahead faster.
Why take six years to earn your bachelor’s degree and MBA when you can complete both in just five years (or less)? NMU’s Accounting 4+1 MBA track gives ambitious accounting students a faster path to advanced credentials and a competitive advantage as they enter the profession. Through this accelerated program, students can earn a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an Accounting concentration and an MBA in five years (or less), combining specialized accounting expertise with the broader leadership, strategy, and business skills of a graduate degree.
For future CPAs, the 4+1 track offers a powerful path: advancement toward the education needed for professional opportunities while adding an MBA to your résumé, without spending an additional two years in graduate school.
Five years (or less). Two degrees. One accelerated path to your future in accounting and business leadership.
And because accountants know the numbers matter: saving a year of tuition while entering the workforce sooner makes the 4+1 MBA a smart investment, too.
Accelerated Master of Science in Mathematics (4+1 BS to MS)
The Accelerated Master of Science in Mathematics (4+1) program at Northern Michigan University (NMU) offers an efficient, five-year pathway to earning both your bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Designed for ambitious students, this rigorous NMU mathematics program deepens your expertise in core graduate-level fields including linear algebra, topology, and mathematical analysis.
Psychology (4+1 BS to MS Behavior Analysis or Experimental Psychology)
Whether your goal is to practice clinically or work in research, you can fast-track your path. NMU offers two Psychology master’s fast-track options: behavior analysis and experimental psychology. These programs allow passionate students to dive into advanced research and master's-level coursework while completing their undergraduate requirements.
Master of Science in Athletic Training (3+2 BS Rehabilitation Science to MS Athletic Training)
Turn your passion for healthcare and the athletic and physically active populations into a clinical career in record time. Our bachelor’s in Rehabilitation Science to master’s in Athletic Training pathway operates on an accelerated timeline, moving you seamlessly from foundational kinesiology to clinical sports medicine rotations. It’s also CAATE-accredited, which means that you’ll be eligible to sit for the National Board of Certification exam so that you can get state licensure. This NMU athletic training fast track prepares you for board certification faster than traditional routes.
Social Work (BSW to MSW Advanced Standing)
If you already know that your calling is social advocacy, our BSW to MSW Advanced Standing track is built for you. Eligible students with a Bachelor of Social Work can apply for and transition directly into the Master of Social Work program, completing their graduate degree through this streamlined social work degree pathway at NMU.
Accelerated Master of Science in Sustainability (4+1 BS to MS)
Ready to make a real-world impact? Begin your graduate studies sooner through the accelerated master's degree in sustainability at Northern Michigan University. While you major in a program in Earth, Environmental & Geographical Sciences, dedicated faculty will help you deepen your understanding of sustainability issues and develop practical, interdisciplinary solutions. Then select one of five tracks of study and complete either a practicum or thesis option. This fast-track program from BS to MS connects your interests in natural resource management, community development and planning, sustainability leadership, spatial data science, or an individualized focus to projects on campus and in the surrounding community. Strengthen your analytical and collaborative skills while preparing to contribute meaningfully to sustainability in the Upper Peninsula and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I finish college and a master's degree at NMU in 5 years? You can complete a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in five years at NMU by applying to one of our accelerated tracks during your junior year. Each program is unique, so be sure to discuss your plans with your success advisor and faculty mentor in the department that offers the accelerated program.
What are the main benefits of Northern Michigan University’s accelerated programs? The two most obvious benefits of NMU’s accelerated programs are time and tuition savings. By cutting a semester or a full year out of your academic timeline, you save thousands in tuition, housing, and fees, while unlocking your post-graduate earning potential sooner. Other benefits are the exceptional faculty you’ll continue to learn from, a longer time in Marquette, deeper connections with your peers, and a stronger pipeline for your next steps – whether that be further graduate work or launching your career.
Are these affordable accelerated master's programs? Yes. Because you are taking master’s level courses during your senior undergraduate year, those credits are often covered under your undergraduate financial aid package, making them incredibly cost-effective compared to traditional graduate routes where you pay for all of your graduate credits at a higher rate.
Ready to Fast-Track Your Degree?
Don't spend more time or money in school than you have to. Click on the departmental links above to read the specific admission guidelines for your program, or reach out directly to Admissions to learn more about Northern Michigan University's accelerated programs.