4+1 Program
The 4+1 program is designed to accelerate the path for SCU undergraduates to earn a Master of Science degree. Open to all SCU undergraduates who meet the admission requirements, this program allows accepted students to take up to 4 graduate units per quarter during their senior year, with a cap of 12 units. These 12 units must be completed within the same academic year the student enters the program. This structure allows students to potentially complete their graduate degree within ten months of being admitted to the graduate school.
Admissions Process
Applicants to this program include, but are not confined to, individuals with a solid foundation in mathematics, exposure to technical coursework, a desire for access to graduate-level classes, and those aiming for careers aligned with analytics. The admission process is as follows:
- Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are encouraged to participate in information sessions and/or arrange advising appointments.
- Students with a GPA of at least 3.3 at the time of application are eligible to apply during their junior year once Winter quarter grades have been published. Applicants who expect to achieve a 3.3 GPA by the conclusion of the Spring quarter may also be considered for acceptance into the program on a case-by-case basis, pending approval.
- Students must have completed pertinent prerequisite coursework that equips them for their specific MS degree of interest. Please note current 4+1 eligible masters are all STEM designated. These prerequisites vary depending on the student's undergraduate major and should be addressed with an admissions officer at the outset of the student's undergraduate program. Examples could include, but not limited to: Calculus, Statistics, Python, Java, C, and C++.
- The GMAT/GRE is not required and will be waived for admission.
4+1 students will be sent an email in May 2025, regarding their intention to proceed as graduate students. If the student agrees to continue, there is no need to reapply to the MS program as a new applicant. The graduate credits earned during their senior year will be credited toward their graduate program.
Students who do not enroll as graduate students in the Fall 2025 term may need to reapply as new applicants. Graduate-level courses completed as an undergraduate may be applicable for up to three years. Students planning to take a gap are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the MS Admissions team to confirm their eligibility.
Program & Registration Overview
Students will start their graduate-level coursework during their senior year. The MS Programs Office will register 4+1 students on their behalf for either one 4-unit course or two 2-unit courses per quarter. To remain in the program, 4+1 students must achieve a grade of B or above in their graduate courses.
It is recommended that each 4+1 student takes 4 units per quarter (Fall 2025, Winter 2026, and Spring 2026). However, flexibility is provided based on the workload as an undergraduate student. If a 4+1 student wishes to take more or fewer than 4 units per quarter, approval from the Graduate Business Programs Office is required.
Graduate-level courses taken through the 4+1 program do not count toward a student’s undergraduate requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to maintain full-time undergraduate enrollment to remain eligible for the benefits of the 4+1 program. We recommend that 4+1 students work closely with their undergraduate advisor to ensure they are meeting the program’s course load requirements.
Any 4+1 Students who wish to continue their graduate-level coursework as a graduate student are required to meet with an Academic Advisor to discuss what their program plan will look like moving forward. The Academic Advisor can be reached at MSprograms@scu.edu.
Credit Transfer Requirement & Limitation
Students in the 4+1 program may apply the graduate-level courses they completed during their undergraduate studies toward their continued graduate program degree. However, they should be aware of the following:
- Courses taken in the 4+1 program may not be applicable to other graduate programs outside of their continued program, as core and elective requirements vary across programs. For example, some 4+1 MSBA courses may not apply to the MSFA, MSIS, MSM, MBA, etc. Students are advised to continue in the same program they began as undergraduates to ensure the seamless transfer of credits.
- A maximum of 12 units of graduate-level courses taken during their undergraduate studies can be transferred. Students cannot exceed this limit. If they complete fewer than 12 units (e.g., 8–10 units), only the completed units will be transferred.
- Courses can only be transferred if the student continues in the program within five years and if the courses are still applicable as core or elective requirements.
- If a student applies and is admitted to more than one graduate program (e.g., first MSBA, then MSFA), courses taken during the 4+1 program can only be transferred once. For example, if 4+1 MSBA courses were transferred to the MSBA, they cannot be transferred again to the MSFA, MSIS, MBA, etc. and vice versa.
- Due to the limitation of course transferability, courses may be applied as a waiver in subsequent programs, this is subject to approval by the Faculty Director and the Graduate Business Programs Office.
Undergraduate Courses Equivalency Waiver
Below are the graduate core courses for each program that can be waived if the corresponding undergraduate course has been completed. Students should note that waivers are only granted if the undergraduate course received a grade of B or higher. Courses with a grade below a B will not be accepted. If a waiver is approved, 4+1 students must take an equivalent number of elective units to meet the total unit requirement for their degree (48 units for MSIS, 42 for MSBA, and 36 for MSFA).
MS Finance & Analytics (MSFA)
- ISBA 2402 Database - SQL can be bypassed if the student has taken OMIS 105 Database Management Systems
- ISBA 2401 Data Analytics with Python can be bypassed if the student has taken OMIS 114 Data Science with Python
- FNCE 2405 Investments can be bypassed if the student has taken FNCE 124 Financial Management
MS Business Analytics (MSBA)
- ISBA 2405 Prescriptive Analytics can be bypassed if the student has taken OMIS 109 Prescriptive Analytics
- ISBA 2402 Database - SQL can be bypassed if the student has taken OMIS 105 Database Management Systems
- ISBA 2401 Data Analytics with Python can be bypassed if the student has taken OMIS 114 Data Science with Python
MS Information Systems (MSIS)
Career Support Opportunities
4+1 students have the ability to schedule an 1-on-1 meeting with a graduate-level career coach once during their senior year.