What is UC’s 4 + 1 program?
Find out how you can earn a bachelor’s and master’s in just five years
You might be thinking about taking your education to the next level. The University of Cincinnati has a pathway to help you do just that.
The College of Arts and Sciences has no fewer than 15 five-year programs — from biological sciences to Spanish to psychology — where you can earn both your bachelor’s and master’s degrees in just five years compared to the traditional six-year track.
The Bachelor's and Master’s 4 + 1 Program is designed to increase your marketability and deepen your understanding of the subject matter. And in an increasingly competitive job market, you may want to investigate an additional year of study.
The student perspective
Sydney Barger, current graduate student. Credit/provided
One advantage of UC's 4 + 1 Program is its cost. Tuition typically increases annually at institutions, but this pathway addresses that with programs offering undergraduate tuition for courses taken during senior year and a 25% scholarship for post-graduate courses taken.
While scholarships are enticing, the challenge of studying subjects in greater depth grab the attention of high-achieving students even more.
For Sydney Barger, who graduated with a psychology degree this year, the 4 + 1 Program captured her interest immediately.
“I love being challenged and try to take up opportunities that push me beyond my comfort zone and enhance my professional skills. The master of psychology program gave me this opportunity, and I eagerly embraced it,” Barger said.
“Upon my graduation in Spring 2024, I will be commissioned into the U.S. Air Force as a 2nd lieutenant. When I first heard about the 4+1 program, I was immediately intrigued by the opportunity to engage in an accelerated curriculum.”
Faculty work with students to ensure their experience is professionally and socially beneficial as well, with many programs emphasizing mentorships and in-depth collaborative work, which is what Barger said she appreciates.
UC graduate Adrianna Henderson. Photo/Provided
Usually, completion of a master’s degree takes two years post-baccalaureate study.
Adrianna Henderson completed communication degree in one in 2022.
“It's extremely important to take advantage of any pathway that can set you apart from other applicants. The 4+1 program enabled me to get a master’s degree in half the time it normally takes, and I was able to secure an assistantship that paid for my tuition and paid me during this time.”
Henderson puts her experience to good use as an associate communication and engagement specialist with Kroger Co.'s corporate headquarters in Cincinnati.
Her experience was transformative, she says, and eye-opening as well.
“Not only has it helped me secure a career but it also has broadened my perspective and thought processes on a variety of social and world issues we currently face,” she says.
A word from faculty
Associate Professor Evan Torner teaches German studies and film and media studies and serves as undergraduate director of German studies and director of the UC Game Lab. Photo/Provided
Even still, you may recall hearing your parents or grandparents discuss securing their bachelor’s and then returning to school for advanced degrees years later. But this path is growing less desirable to Gen-Zers
In 2021, 24% of Americans age 25 and older held a bachelor’s degree. Another 14% had an advanced degree, according to the U.S. Census Bureau figures.
“The MA is the new BA,” says Evan Torner, UC professor and undergraduate director of German studies.
“For public school teaching, as a very real example, a principal will not hire you with a BA and no teaching certification, but they will hire you if you have an MA in the subject area. An MA means you have a solid grasp of your subject area, and employers like to believe they're hiring experts.”
UC Assistant Professor Alexander Thurston teaches political science. Photo/Provided
Beyond an appealing educational experience section of a resume, the pathway encourages high-achieving students to move on through their subject matter as professional-level students and form new relationships with faculty.
“One major advantage of the 4+1 program is the ability to build long-term mentor-mentee relationships with faculty. That could take the form of contributing to research projects, for example,” says Alexander Thurston, professor and undergraduate director of political science
“Another advantage of the 4+1 program is the chance to pursue ideas and interests at the same institution, but with progressively more complexity and rigor. Finally, the 4+1 program can help reduce some of the anxieties of transitioning from undergraduate to graduate work, as well as all the uncertainties that can come along with graduating from college.”
In a nutshell
Although the program works well for particular students, there are still benefits to the traditional two-year master’s model, Torner said.
“Different students move at different speeds,” he said.
Students considering enrolling in a 4+1 master’s program should speak with the undergraduate director of that program first.
For more information, check out the College of Arts and Sciences 4 + 1 Program.
Featured image at top: UC's College of Arts and Sciences offers a chance to earn a master's degree in just five years. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC
Tags
- School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies
- Department of Mathematical Sciences
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Philosophy
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Department of German Studies
- Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
- Department of Classics
- Department of Biological Sciences
- Graduate School
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