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Abraham S. Fischler
College of Education & School of Criminal Justice

Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU’s) Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice offers a 3+1 accelerated pathway program that allows you to earn your bachelor’s and master’s degrees faster. Available to students in Elementary Education, Exceptional Student Education, Child Development, and Education, this program lets qualified students complete up to 12 credits of master’s-level coursework during their junior and senior years, reducing the time and cost required to earn a master’s degree.

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How the 3+1 Pathway Program Works

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Begin Your Bachelor’s Program

Start in Elementary Education, Exceptional Student Education, Child Development, or Education and complete foundational coursework during your first year.

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Establish Academic Eligibility
Maintain strong academic performance and complete the minimum of 15 credits within your major required for the 3+1 Pathway Program consideration.
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Apply to the 3+1 Pathway Program
At the beginning of your junior year, meet with your advisor and request approval to begin taking graduate-level courses as a junior and senior.
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Take Graduate Courses as a Senior
Once approved, complete up to 12 credits of master’s-level coursework that satisfy both B.S. and M.S. requirements.
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Apply to the M.S. Program
During your first semester of senior year, submit your graduate application. This program is not Dual Admission and requires separate admission.
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Transition to Graduate Study

Upon completing your B.S., move directly into your M.S. program with graduate credits already applied – reducing your time to completion.

 

 

3+1 Pathway Program Details

 

Program Introduction

The combined 3+1 Pathway Program offers students an accelerated pathway to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Through this program, students may complete up to 12 graduate credit hours that apply toward their B.S. requirements. Participants can take up to four graduate-level courses that count simultaneously toward their undergraduate major and their future master’s degree, helping them save time and reduce overall program costs.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the 3+1 Pathway Program, an undergraduate student must satisfy the following minimum criteria:

  • Complete 60 total credits and 15 credits within major
  • Maintain a minimum overall 3.4 undergraduate GPA
  • Undergraduate students will be invited to the 3+1 program at the beginning of their junior year. Students are subject to graduate catalog for all graduate level courses.

M.S. Eligibility

A student must maintain an overall M.S. GPA of 3.0.

Graduation

Once students complete all B.S. degree requirements, they become eligible to apply for the conferral of the bachelor’s degree. After fulfilling the requirements for the M.S. program, students may then apply for the conferral of the master’s degree.



Once students have met eligibility requirements (3.4 GPA, 60 total credits completed, 15 credits in major completed), they will then be permitted to complete the following M.S. in Elementary Education courses (12 credits) towards the B.S. in Elementary Education w/ESOL and Reading Endorsement degree:

 

M.S. Courses

  • EDU 600 Transformative Educational Trends (3 credits) *satisfies EDUC 3360 Educational Psychology (3 credits)
  • ELE 610 Educational Technologies and Materials in the Elementary School (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • ELE 502 Methods of Teaching Math in the Elementary School (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • ELE 620 Teaching PE/Health, Art & Music in the Elementary School (3 credits) *satisfies ELEM 4810 Integrating PE and Health Education into the Elementary School (3 credits)

Once students have met eligibility requirements (3.4 GPA, 60 total credits completed, 15 credits in major completed), they will then be permitted to complete the following M.S. in Exceptional Student Education courses (12 credits) towards the B.S. in Exceptional Student Education w/ESOL and Reading Endorsement degree:

 

M.S. Courses

  • EDU 600 Transformative Educational Trends (3 credits) *satisfies EDUC 3360 Educational Psychology (3 credits)
  • ESE 600 Survey of Exceptionalities of Children and Youth (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • ESE 690 Consultation and Collaboration in Exceptional Student Education (3 credits) *satisfies ESED 3561 Families, Professionals, and Exceptionality (3 credits)
  • ESE 680 Teaching Social and Personal Skills to Exceptional Students (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)

Once students have met eligibility requirements (3.4 GPA, 60 total credits completed, 15 credits in major completed), they will then be permitted to complete the following M.S. courses (12 credits) towards the B.S. in Education degree:

 

M.S. Courses

  • EDU 600 Transformative Educational Trends (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • ELE 610 Educational Technologies and Materials in the Elementary School (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • ELE 502 Methods of Teaching Math in the Elementary School (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • ELE 620 Teaching PE/Health, Art & Music in the Elementary School (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)

 

Once students have met eligibility requirements (3.4 GPA, 60 total credits completed, 15 credits in major completed), they will then be permitted to complete the following M.S. courses (12 credits) towards the B.S. in Education degree:

 

M.S. Courses

  • EDU 600 Transformative Educational Trends (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • ESE 600 Survey of Exceptionalities of Children and Youth (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • ESE 690 Consultation and Collaboration in Exceptional Student Education (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • ESE 680 Teaching Social and Personal Skills to Exceptional Students (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)

Once students have met eligibility requirements (3.4 GPA, 60 total credits completed, 15 credits in major completed), they will then be permitted to complete the following M.S. courses (12 credits) towards the B.S. in Education degree:

 

M.S. Courses

  • CIT 515 Online Resources for Training and Teaching (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • CIT 502 Research in Education: Process and Application (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • CIT 516 Media and Instruction (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • CIT 517 Web Authoring Basics (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)

Once students have met eligibility requirements (3.4 GPA, 60 total credits completed, 15 credits in major completed), they will then be permitted to complete the following M.S. in Reading Education courses (12 credits) towards the B.S. in Education degree:

 

M.S. Courses

  • CUR 526 Educational Research for Practitioners (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • RED 570 Foundations of Reading: Theory and Practice (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • RED 575 Contemporary Foundations of Reading (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • RED 560 Literature for Children and Adolescents (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)

Once students have met eligibility requirements (3.4 GPA, 60 total credits completed, 15 credits in major completed), they will then be permitted to complete the following M.S. in TESOL courses (12 credits) towards the B.S. in Education degree:

 

M.S. Courses

  • TSOL 575 Critical Issues in TESOL (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • TEFL 580 Second Language Acquisition and Learning (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • TSOL 567 Applied Linguistics (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • TEFL 530 Technology in TEFL (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)

Once students have met eligibility requirements (3.4 GPA, 60 total credits completed, 15 credits in major completed), they will then be permitted to complete the following M.S. in Developmental Disabilities courses (12 credits) towards the B.S. in Child Development degree:

 

M.S. Courses

  • HSDD 5000 Survey of Developmental Disabilities (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • HSDD 5100 Program Design and Evaluation (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • HSDD 5200 Disability and the Family Life Cycle (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • HSDD 5300 Legal & Ethical Issues in Disabilities (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)

Once students have met eligibility requirements (3.4 GPA, 60 total credits completed, 15 credits in major completed), they will then be permitted to complete the following M.H.S. in Child Protection courses (12 credits) towards the B.S. in Child Development degree:

 

M.H.S. Courses

  • HCP 0510 Child Protective Law (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • HCP 0515 Family Systems (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • HCP 0525 Conflict Analysis and Resolution for Child Welfare Professionals (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)
  • HCP 0545 Child Placement Risk and Protective Factors (3 credits) *satisfies open elective course (3 credits)

 

Why Choose a 3+1 Pathway Program?

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Accelerated timeline

Earn graduate credits while still an undergraduate and reduce your overall time to completion.

 

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Cost-effective

Graduate courses taken in year four apply to both degrees—allowing you to finish your M.S. with fewer credits and lower overall tuition.


 

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Career advantage

Early access to advanced coursework prepares you for internships, full-time roles, and industry certifications.


 

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Smoother transition into graduate study

Taking M.S. courses as a senior helps you adjust to the expectations of graduate-level work.