Jonsson School Fast-Track Program

The Fast-Track program enables gifted senior undergraduate students to include master's level courses in their undergraduate degree plans and gain automatic admission to graduate school at UT Dallas. In the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, students can pursue graduate degrees in Biomedical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering (MSEN), Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering and Management (SEM), and Telecommunications Engineering.

In response to the need for advanced education, a Fast Track program is available to well-qualified UT Dallas undergraduate students. The Fast Track program is designed to accelerate a student's education so that both BS and MS degrees can be earned in approximately five years of full-time study. The Fast Track program in enables exceptionally gifted undergraduate students in their senior year to include approved master’s level courses as part of an undergraduate degree plan. When Fast Track students graduate with a bachelor’s degree, they are automatically admitted to graduate school at UT Dallas without need to take the Graduate Records Exam (GRE). Qualified students may take up to 15 graduate semester credit hours that may be used to complete the baccalaureate degree and also to satisfy requirements for the master’s degree if these courses are completed with grades of B or better. So, for example, a Fast Track undergraduate who passed 15 semester credit hours of well-chosen graduate coursework with grades of B or better would have only 18 semester credit hours of graduate coursework still needed to complete the MS degree.

The following documents listed below explains the qualifications necessary to enter the program, the requirements to successfully complete the program, and the procedures to be followed by Fast Track students.

• Biomedical Engineering Program Fast Track Guidelines
• Computer Engineering Program Fast Track Guidelines
• Computer Science and Software Engineering Program Fast Track Guidelines
• Electrical Engineering Program Fast Track Guidelines
• Mechanical Engineering Program Fast Track Guidelines
• Materials Science and Engineering Program Fast Track Guidelines
• Systems Engineering and Management (SEM) Fast Track Guidelines

Fast-Track Application Process

1. Check admission requirements to see if you qualify for admission to Fast Track
2. Consult the graduate catalog for the requirements of the graduate program you are interested in; discuss tentative course selections with the appropriate graduate advisor.
3. Discuss how the graduate classes fit your undergraduate degree requirements with your undergraduate advisor
4. Complete the relevant Application form from the list below and submit before the deadline.
5. The Graduate program will notify you of their decision after the application is reviewed by the Department and Graduate Dean

DEADLINES: October 21 for Spring semester Admissions
  March 21 for Summer/Fall Admissions

INCOMPLETE OR LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

Applications to the Fast Track Program

• Biomedical Engineering Program Fast Track Application
• Computer Engineering Program Fast Track Application
• Computer Science Program Fast Track Application
• Software Engineering Program Fast Track Application
• Electrical Engineering Program Fast Track Application
• Mechanical Engineering Program Fast Track Application
• Materials Science and Engineering Program Fast Track Application
• Systems Engineering and Management (SEM) Fast Track Application

Petition for Undergraduate Student to Take Graduate Course(s)

Information for undergraduate students regarding registering for graduate courses:

• This form must be completed each semester in which an undergraduate student requests to take a graduate course.
• Students must have earned 90 semester credit hours and obtain all the necessary approvals to be eligible to enroll in graduate courses as an undergraduate student.
• Requirements to enroll in graduate courses are determined by each program/school in conjunction with the Office of Graduate Studies. Criteria and list of courses approved are available from the graduate advisor.
• Undergraduates have three options for registering for graduate courses:
  Option #A Undergraduate degree ONLY (maximum of 12 hours allowed)
  Option #B Fast-Track Option (maximum of 15 hours allowed)
  Option #C Graduate degree ONLY (maximum of 12 hours allowed)
• Option A can be used by qualified undergraduate with permission of the undergraduate advisor and the graduate course instructor.
• Options B students must designate coursework after the admission into Fast-Track program. The designation can NOT be changed after a student’s undergraduate degree has been certified. The default designation is undergraduate degree only.
• Option C must be designated prior to enrolling a graduate course and can NOT be changed. To register for a course as option C, student must go to the Student Services Building (SSB) and complete registration.
• All coursework must apply to either a student’s undergraduate or approved graduate degree program.
• Students may pre-register for graduate courses in the semester in which they will compete the 90 hours and only for the subsequent semester. For example, if a student will complete 90 hours in the summer they can only register for graduate courses in the fall during summer registration period, after completion of spring.
• Once a student has completed 12 hours of graduate coursework they must be admitted into a Fast-Track program to continue enrolling in graduate courses, as only a maximum of 12 graduate hours can be applied to an undergraduate degree only.