EAGr for Graduate School and the Job Market

PITTSBURGH (September 10, 2019) … In some STEM fields, especially engineering, an advanced degree can make a prospective employee more competitive in the job market and increase their earning potential.¹ However, the additional time and cost involved in earning a graduate degree is often a burden. To ease the path toward a master’s degree, the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering will provide qualified students with the opportunity to earn a bachelor of science (BS) and a master of science (MS) degree in five years.

The Engineering Accelerated Graduate (EAGr) program will be offered across all six of the Swanson School’s departments and will enable eligible students to earn both degrees within their discipline in five years, rather than six. To complete in this shorter timeframe, students will enroll in three master’s-level courses during senior year, two of which will count toward their BS requirements.

Additionally, students will pay undergraduate tuition during the fourth year, and then pay graduate tuition during the fifth year.

“Although our undergraduate students enjoy a very healthy 97 percent placement rate upon graduation, a growing number of our employers have noted that students with a graduate degree bring an extra level of competitiveness to their workforce, especially as more Baby Boomers are reaching retirement age,” noted Mary Besterfield-Sacre, PhD, the Swanson School’s associate dean for academic affairs. “This program is designed to meet that desire on a rigorous but workable timeline for the student who wants to excel in the job market, expand their research capabilities, or even further pursue a PhD.”

To participate in EAGr, current sophomores and juniors must maintain a 3.50 cumulative grade point average through their junior year. After applying and being accepted to the program, students will begin taking graduate courses in their senior year. Current and future first-year students with an SAT score of 1510 or 34 ACT Composite score who are in the top 5 percent of their graduating class or have an equivalent grade point average (GPA), will be offered provisional admission to EAGr pending a cumulative 3.50 GPA by their junior year at Pitt.

More information is available at engineering.pitt.edu/eagr.

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