The Early Entry Bachelor of Science in Health Education and Promotion to Master of Science in Health Education and Promotion program is designed to provide a student working towards a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Health Education and Promotion a means to complete the requirements for their undergraduate degree along with a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Health Education and Promotion in a shorter amount of time than the traditional path.
Undergraduate students who are enrolled in the B.S. program in Health Education and Promotion program can apply to Graduate School using an early entry program form for admission into the M.S. program in Health Education and Promotion.
Admission Requirements
- Undergraduate students may apply and be accepted any time after completing 75 or more hours of undergraduate coursework. However, at least 90 hours of undergraduate coursework must have been completed by the time the first graduate course is taken.
- All applicants must have at least a 3.2 overall GPA. students who have transferred to our program can participate in the Early Entry program provided their relevant transfer coursework (i.e., courses taken at other institutions that are being used to meet our BS/MS degree requirements) also meet the 3.2 minimum GPA criteria. Applicants with an overall GPA of less than 3.2 are not eligible to participate in the Accelerated BS to MS program.
- All applicants must complete an application for and be accepted into the Early Entry B.S. to M.S. in Health Education and Promotion program and the UA Little Rock Graduate School.
- All applicants must complete an Early Entry Program form and be approved for admission by the School of Counseling, Human Performance, and Rehabilitation graduate coordinator and the UA Little Rock Graduate School. The Early Entry form must be approved by the graduate coordinator before the student begins graduate coursework. Failure to obtain prior approval negates the ability to “double count” courses.
Graduate Credit
- Once accepted into a graduate program, students can take up to 12 hours of graduate coursework, which will count towards both the baccalaureate degree and the graduate degree. Individual graduate programs may allow fewer graduate hours to be taken at the undergraduate level; students should check with their prospective program to determine these limits.
- Students must finish their baccalaureate degrees before they complete 15 hours of graduate coursework.
Program Restrictions
- To ensure that they follow the proper degree plan, students must meet with a graduate-level advisor upon acceptance to the Early Entry program to map out the graduate courses they will take.
- Accepted students will have provisional status in the graduate program, pending the award of their baccalaureate degree.
- Early Entry students who fail to meet the Graduate School admission requirement of an overall 3.0 undergraduate GPA and no grades below a B once they obtain their baccalaureate degree will be dismissed from the graduate program.
- Students accepted into the Early Entry program will be subject to the same policies as traditionally matriculated graduate students.
- The Early Entry program may not be used in conjunction with the credit reservation program; therefore, no graduate courses taken before admission to the Early Entry program may be applied to a graduate degree.
Additional Information
- Once a completed application has been received by the School of Counseling, Human Performance, and Rehabilitation, the student will be notified whether they have been accepted into the Early Entry program. The program accepts a limited number of students each year, and applicants will be considered for admission on a competitive basis.
- Acceptance into the program indicates a commitment by the student to pursue the MS degree (after the completion of the BS in Health Education and Promotion)
- Note: Students may request a break of up to two semesters between the completion of their BS and the start of their MS Health Education and Promotion courses per the UA Little Rock Graduate Student Leave of Absence Policy (Policy #509.12). However, if a student does not resume their graduate studies after their approved leave time expires, the student will then be released from the Early Entry Program. The student is then welcome to apply to the MS program using the regular admission process and to be advised accordingly.
