Combined Program Process & Guidelines

Sacred Heart University offers combined undergraduate to graduate programs that allow students to take graduate courses during their undergraduate study sequence. 

The combined program courses and schedule offered vary by degree program. Questions regarding your eligibility to apply to a combined program should be directed to and confirmed by your advisor. 

Combined Programs Offered

The combined program delivery model is offered for all master degree programs in the College of Arts & Sciences, the Welch College of Business & Technology, as well as the Master of Public Health in the College of Health Professions.

For undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a professional career in teaching, learn more about Sacred Heart’s Five-Year Education program.

For undergraduate students interested in learning more about programs in the College of Health Professions, visit the program pages: Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Athletic Training and Physician Assistant Studies.

For those students interested in the Master of Social Work program, visit our Social Work program.

How to Enroll in a Combined Program

The process and guidelines below outline the necessary steps and requirements to enroll in a combined program.

1. Undergraduate students declare a major by submitting a Combined Program Declaration form. When declaring a major, students can indicate an intention to subsequently enroll in a graduate degree program. Students are expected to declare a major as soon as possible and no later than the end of their sophomore year.
2. Undergraduate students interested in adding an intention to enroll in a graduate degree need to do so prior or in their senior year by submitting another Combined Program Declaration form and adding the graduate program in which they intend to enroll. This form must be processed by the Registrar’s Office prior to adding the graduate level courses submitted on the Combined Program Registration form.
3. The Registrar’s Office will then send the Combined Program Declaration form to the appropriate graduate program director for approval. If approved, the program director will then submit a Combined Program Registration form to the Registrar’s Office for processing. This will allow the courses to appear on the proper record, allow correct tuition to be charged, and will enable students to maintain their financial aid. Senior status and an approved Combined Program Declaration form required.
4. Students must maintain the major’s required GPA in order to remain in good academic standing in the combined program.
5. Undergraduate students that have formally indicated an intention to enroll in a graduate degree program may double-count up to six graduate-level “swing” credits towards their undergraduate degree. These are credits that are applied to both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
6. Once students apply for graduation, they must also file an application for the master’s degree portion of the combined program with Graduate Admissions. Applicants that meet the minimum GPA requirement for the graduate degree program are guaranteed admission into the graduate program. All other application materials and requirements may be waived at the discretion of the graduate program director. Once students are admitted, the master's matriculation will be opened for the start term immediately after the last bachelor’s degree term. Students will be charged graduate tuition and fees only after they are officially matriculated into the graduate degree program.