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. The passcode is TH=fK0#U.

Benefits

• Early Entry students may have acceptance 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

1. A student may be accepted into the Data Science and Business Analytics Early-Entry Program at any time after the completion of 75 semester hours of undergraduate work applicable to the appropriate degree. However, it is expected that close to 90 hours will have been earned by the time the first graduate course is taken.
2. 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.
3. At least a 3.2 overall GPA
4. Admission must be recommended by the Department and approved by the Graduate School. The admission status will be “provisional” pending the award of the undergraduate degree.
5. The GRE/GMAT test requirement is waived for early-entry applicants to the Data Science and Business Analytics program.

Continued Enrollment Requirements

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

1. First semester of the junior year — meet with a Graduate Faculty Director or SDS Director of Student Services to receive advising about the Early Entry program.
2. 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.
3. End of the senior year — successfully 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
• Graduate Admissions – Early Entry
• For questions or more information, contact Carly Mahedy