Accelerated Graduate Pathway to Leadership Studies

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USM’s Accelerated Graduate Pathway (AGP) to the Leadership Studies master’s program allows students to begin taking graduate level courses during their final year of undergraduate study. These courses will satisfy credit requirements for both the undergraduate and graduate programs, allowing undergraduate students to complete up to 12 graduate-level credits. Additionally, students who meet undergraduate progress standards will have their graduate application fee waived and gain automatic admission to the Leadership Studies master’s program.

Program Requirements

In order to gain full admission into the Master of Arts in Leadership Studies program through the AGP students must:

Maintain at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA;
Complete the following courses with a grade of B+ or better: LOS 300, LOS 329, and LOS 350.
Complete the following course with a grade of B or better: LOS 500 .

Students are required to maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher in both undergraduate- and graduate-level coursework. Additionally, a minimum of 108 undergraduate credits and 36 graduate credits are required to complete both degrees. Please note, students must declare the AGP and remain in compliance with the AGP throughout their undergraduate career in order to move from the undergraduate degree to the graduate program without a separate admission application process.

Students must meet all previous conditions in order to continue from their undergraduate degree into the Master of Arts in Leadership Studies program. Students must be officially in the accelerated pathway in order to move from the undergraduate degree to the graduate program without a separate admission application process.

How to Apply:

On the Common App, select your preferred choice of major; then you will see the following option: “Please indicate your interest in one of the following accelerated pathway options at the University of Southern Maine” from which you can select a Pathway.
In the University of Maine System application, select your First Choice Major; then you will see the following drop-down menu: Accelerated Graduate Degree Pathway (First Choice Major), from which you can select a Pathway.
If you are a Transfer or Continuing Student, please contact the University of Southern Maine Advising Office to meet with an academic advisor who can review your previous coursework and determine your eligibility for entering an Accelerated Graduate Pathway. Please call (207) 780-4040 or email: usm.advising@maine.edu.

Recommended Course Sequence

Students wishing to progress through the graduate program in five years should take LOS 500 - Foundations of Leadership Studies I: Theory and Practice and LOS 550 - Leading Across Cultures during the fall semester and LOS 501 - Foundations of Leadership Studies II: Groups & Teams and LOS 512 - Deliberate Creativity and Innovation during the spring semester of their fourth year of study. After successfully completing these four courses as well as all undergraduate requirements, students will complete their undergraduate degree and become matriculated as a graduate student in the MLS program.

Accelerated Pathway Student Schedule

Shared Senior Year Fall:

Shared Senior Year Spring:

After Matriculation into the MLS Program

Summer One:

LOS 610 - Methods of Inquiry
2 electives*
(one fulfilling the second context requirement)

Fall Two:

Spring Two:

LOS 689 - Master’s Capstone II
elective*

*Electives from outside of the program may be taken with prior approval from your faculty advisor.