PlusOne Degrees and Accelerated PhD Programs

The PlusOne program allows current Northeastern students the opportunity to pursue both a bachelor’s and master’s degree successively in a condensed period of time. We also offer Accelerated PhD programs in Biology and Physics.

Overview

For students pursuing a PlusOne degree, several credits of undergraduate work are replaced by graduate coursework, thus permitting the completion of an undergraduate degree, as well as a full master’s degree, in a shorter period of time than would be possible if students pursued each degree separately through the traditional route. 

In most programs, with appropriate academic progress, students receive the master’s degree one year after completing the undergraduate degree. 

To apply to the PlusOne Master’s degree or Accelerated PhD program you must be a current Northeastern undergraduate student. Interested students should see instructions below for more information before submitting an application. Eligible candidates will complete an online application. No GRE or application fee is required!

PlusOne Programs

MS Applied Mathematics PlusOne

BS Mathematics

Program Contacts

Contact your assigned undergraduate advisor to determine how your undergraduate courses may count towards the PlusOne program.

For questions related to Graduate course offerings, program content, post-grad career opportunities, and overall program requirements contact:

Solomon Jekel, PhD, Associate Professor

He Wang, PhD, Assistant Teaching Professor

Learn More

Click here to download a PDF about the Applied Mathematics PlusOne.

MS Bioinformatics PlusOne

BS Behavioral Neuroscience
BS Biochemistry
BS Biology
BS Cell and Molecular Biology
BS Computer Science
BS Computer Science and Biology
BS Computer Science and BNS
BS Data Science and Biology
BS Data Science and Biochemistry
BS Data Science and Behavioral Neuroscience 

Program Contacts

Contact your assigned undergraduate advisor to determine how your undergraduate courses may count towards the PlusOne program.

For questions related to Graduate course offerings, program content, post-grad career opportunities, and overall program requirements, contact:

[email protected]

Learn More

Click here to download a PDF about the Bioinformatics PlusOne.

MS Biotechnology PlusOne

BS Biochemistry
BS Biology
BS Cell and Molecular Biology
BS Chemistry

Program Contacts

Contact your assigned undergraduate advisor to determine how your undergraduate courses may count towards the PlusOne program.

For questions related to Graduate course offerings, program content, post-grad career opportunities and overall program requirements, contact:

[email protected] 

Learn More

Click here to download a PDF about the Biotechnology PlusOne.

MS Biotechnology PlusOne (CPS)

BS Biotechnology

Program Contacts:

Contact your assigned undergraduate advisor to determine how your undergraduate courses may count towards the PlusOne program.

For questions related to Graduate course offerings, program content, post-grad career opportunities and overall program requirements, contact:

[email protected] 

Learn More

Click here to download a PDF about the Biotechnology PlusOne.

MS Chemistry PlusOne

BS Biochemistry
BS Chemistry

Program Contacts

Contact your assigned undergraduate advisor to determine how your undergraduate courses may count towards the PlusOne program.

For questions related to Graduate course offerings, program content and overall program requirements, contact:

Tara Loschiavo, Academic Coordinator

Faculty Advisor – select a potential Graduate Thesis Advisor. One letter of recommendation is required from this faculty member confirming support of the thesis project.

Learn More

Click here to download a PDF about the Chemistry PlusOne.

MS Environmental Science and Policy PlusOne

All MES and CSSH majors

Program Contacts

Contact your assigned COS undergraduate advisor or CSSH Undergraduate Advisor to determine how your undergraduate courses may count towards the PlusOne program.

For questions related to Graduate course offerings, program content, post-grad career opportunities, and overall program requirements, contact:

Benjamin Dittbrenner, PhD, MS in Environmental Science and Policy Program Director

Learn More

Click here to download a PDF about the Environmental Science and Policy PlusOne.

MS Marine Biology (Three Seas) PlusOne

BS Marine Biology
BS Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
BS Environmental and Sustainability Sciences
– Earth, Oceans, and Environmental Change concentration
– Conservation, Restoration, and Management concentration

Program Contacts

Contact your assigned undergraduate advisor to determine how your undergraduate courses may count towards the PlusOne program.

For questions related to Graduate course offerings, program content, post-grad career opportunities, and overall program requirements, contact:

Andrea Jerabek, Program Manager

Tara Duffy, PhD, Marine Biology Major Advisor/Three Seas Faculty Head

Learn More

Click here to download a PDF about the Marine Biology PlusOne.

Create Your Own PlusOne Program

If you would like to create a PlusOne program outside of the current offerings a complete PlusOne application is required for review. Select Program ‘Create Your Own’ on the online application. Submit this the form in the Program Plan section of the online application. The form should be signed by your undergraduate advisor and director from your home college.

A complete PlusOne application is required for review.

Program Contacts

Contact your assigned undergraduate advisor to determine how your undergraduate courses may count towards the PlusOne program.

Accelerated PhD Programs

PhD Physics Accelerated Program

BS Physics

To participate  in the program, students must be on spring co-op (Div BA) or skip their last co-op, and must have a 3.5 GPA in their physics courses for accelerated entry into the program. Students can participate by successfully completing the degree requirements, including successful completion of two 7000-level physics graduate courses and one shared 5000 level course before receiving their BS degree (PHYS7321, PHYS7301 and PHYS 5318). All students must email the Graduate Director  by April 1 before the start of their final undergrad year for permission to take 7000 level courses to enter the first stage of the BS/PhD program. Acceptance into this stage will allow students to take the 7000 level courses required for entry to the program, but this does not guarantee admission to graduate portion of the program. Students would then apply formally to the graduate program by December 1 of year 4 (or year 5 for undergraduate students opting for a 5-year BS track), and receive their BS at the end of year 4 (or year 5 for undergraduate students opting for a 5-year BS track).

BS/PhD students will apply to the Physics PhD program by December 1 in the final year of their BS degree. If students meet the grade and course requirements, we will require only standard application materials such as a personal statement, two letters of recommendation, and transcript. These limited application requirements are defined as accelerated admission and contingent upon successful completion of the 2 – 7000 level courses and 1 – 5000 level course. Students must have a grade of B or higher in all three courses to apply for accelerated admission.

Students interested in pursuing the Accelerated PhD in Physics should first contact the Graduate Director, Paul Whitford to express interest and find out more about the program.

Students submit a formal application via Slate. Undergraduate transcripts will be automatically submitted by Graduate Student Services once the application is complete.  No GRE or application fee is required!  Please see application requirements by degree.

Program Contact

Paul Whitford

PhD Biology Accelerated Program

BS Biology

Students submit a formal application via Slate during their final year of the BS program. Undergraduate transcripts will be automatically submitted by Graduate Student Services once the application is complete.  No GRE or application fee is required!  Please see application requirements by degree.

Program Contact

Yunrong Chai, PhD

Student Experiences
Julian Stanley: Bioinformatics PlusOne

Julian Stanley discusses his experience in the Bioinformatics PlusOne program which allowed him to pursue both a BS in biology and a MS in bioinformatics at the same time.

“Through the program, I spent a year splitting my time between learning, teaching, and conducting research, which helped convince me that I would be comfortable continuing to learn, teach, and conduct research during my Ph.D. and beyond.”

Read about it here.

Want to take the next step? Learn more about applying here.