ADAP Guidelines
Accelerated Dual Admission Programs (ADAP) General Guidelines:
The Accelerated Dual Admission Program (ADAP) model allows students to join a bachelor’s and master’s degree as part of a single program. Students take some graduate courses to satisfy their undergraduate requirements thereby accelerating earning a graduate degree. This model differs from the bachelor’s / master’s programs offered in the past. Instead of earning both degrees concurrently as in the old model, ADAP students earn their bachelor’s degree at least one semester before they earn their master’s degree.
Toward the end of a student’s undergraduate career, they will begin to take graduate-level courses. These courses will both count toward requirements for the master’s portion of the program and will substitute in for undergraduate courses in the undergraduate major or general electives.
Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above in the undergraduate portion of the program to progress to the graduate portion of the program. Once the bachelor’s degree is earned, students must finish the remainder of the graduate program with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
Students who fall below this standard during the undergraduate portion of the program will be awarded a bachelor’s degree if they are in “good academic standing” with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above upon completing the undergraduate requirements, however the student would be dropped from the master’s portion of the ADAP. If such a student wishes to earn the master’s degree, they must apply and be accepted. Any graduate credits earned while the student was part of ADAP will transfer to the master’s degree provided it is the same program. They will not be subject to the limit of 12 transfer credits per standard graduate policy.
All grades earned for graduate courses while students are undergraduates will be transferred to their graduate-level CUNYfirst transcripts and Degree Works profiles. This establishes an appropriate graduate GPA reflecting all graduate-level coursework.
Students will be awarded the bachelor's degree when they complete their undergraduate requirements and reach 120 credits. Students should apply for graduation for the bachelor’s degree during the semester in which these requirements will be met.
After attaining the bachelor’s degree, students will be classified as graduate students until the master’s degree is earned. Students must spend at least one semester at the graduate level, including paying graduate tuition, after attaining the bachelor’s degree. A minimum of six credits must be completed in-residency at the graduate level to be granted the master's degree though it is likely students will do more credits at the graduate level.
Students should work closely with their undergraduate major coordinator or advisor to remain on-track. Once students become graduate students, they work with the graduate program director or advisor to finish the program.
Tuition and Financial Aid Information for ADAP:
These are accelerated programs so they are tailored toward students who are taking a full-time course-load: 12 or more credits per semester for undergraduate students, and 9 credits or more per semester for graduate students. Full-time students pay undergraduate tuition rates until they earn 120 credits, complete their undergraduate requirements, and earn their bachelor’s degree. Students then pay graduate tuition rates until they complete the graduate program.
Students who have not yet earned the bachelor’s degree are eligible for federal and state financial aid programs including PELL and TAP. After attaining the bachelor’s degree, these programs are no longer available to ADAP students. Federal loans are available to help finance the graduate portion of the program.
All students in the accelerated, dual admission programs should consult with the Financial Aid Office about their eligibility for aid under federal and state guidelines and the Bursar’s Office about tuition charges when they are considering admission to these programs. International students and students who have residency outside of New York State should be especially diligent about consulting with the Bursar's Office regarding their expected tuition rate. Students who are part of the NYS Excelsior Financial Aid Program should also consult with the Financial Aid Office. In some individual cases, these programs may not be a good fit for a student’s financial situation.