UA SEMA Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP)

The Accelerated Master’s Program was developed collaboratively (mathematics department, mathematics education program faculty, and the Alabama State Department of Education) to provide advanced undergraduates and high school graduates, the opportunity to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a Master’s degree in Secondary Education Mathematics with initial teaching certification at the Master’s degree level (Alabama Class-A).  By utilizing the power of our traditional undergraduate program coursework, as well as the coursework for our alternative Master’s degree certification program (both nationally recognized by NCTM SPA), we developed a program that uses the University of Alabama’s Accelerated Master’s Program format that allows advanced students to earn both degrees in as little as four years.  

We encourage those interested to first read the traditional undergraduate certification program page and the alternative master’s degree program page, as this SEMA AMP pathway follows both sets of requirements.  The dual counting of undergraduate and graduate courses (up to 12 hours) through the University of Alabama’s AMP program allows students the opportunity after 90 credit hours have been earned, to be dual-enrolled in graduate and undergraduate level courses.

There are many parameters for this AMP pathway, it assumes high performing students can reach higher benchmarks on programmatic components and licensure examinations.  Students must maintain a higher GPA than the traditional undergraduate and alternative master’s certification programs.  Students who enter UA with many dual enrollment and/or AP college credits can consider this pathway in four years, well-prepared students but missing many AP/dual enrollment credits can still opt to apply but likely to take five years.  Students with high academic credentials and GPAs can pursue this pathway, but if very few college credits were earned in high school, it will require either summer coursework or more than four years to finish both degrees.  Please reach out to Dr. Zelkowski for interest in the SEMA AMP pathway to two degrees.

The ideal candidates for this program hold a 3.7 college GPA or higher (3.5-3.7 may be considered), earned 12 or more college credits while in high school, and posted strong ACT scores (e.g. 28 composite, 30 mathematics).  These are not required marks, but serve as a good benchmark for those considering this pathway to an initial teaching license in grades 6-12 mathematics.

For more information, please contact Dr. Zelkowski.  When this program was approved, UA News did a story highlighting this program.  Read here.
​ **UA Scholarships may be used for both undergraduate and graduate coursework semesters.  It is possible in some cases to finish both degrees in eight semesters!