The University of Dallas is home to both undergraduate and graduate programs and offers the opportunity for a streamlined route to graduate study through its master’s 4+1 programs. Many UD students have pursued this route and found success.
Hugh Gowans, business major in the class of 2024, is currently pursuing a Master’s of Science in Accounting through the Satish and Yasmin Gupta College of Business.
“I did do the 4+1, but because I graduated, instead of eight semesters, I did six semesters,” said Gowans. “I only had one semester of four plus one, but I will say the 4+1 made the transition to a full-time graduate student easy because it’s still the same program.”
Joseph Boyle, English major in the class of 2021, completed his master’s in English by the end of the summer of 2022 and is currently pursuing a doctorate in literature through the Braniff Graduate School. Boyle has also spent two years teaching high school in northern New York City.
“With the 4+1, you apply junior year for it, so that you can start taking classes senior year, which means that you can do the master’s in one fairly busy year, rather than in two, which is great. So I took two classes my senior year that got me graduate credit, which I was going to take anyway as an undergrad….And then it was basically two semesters of coursework, and I finished my master’s thesis in the summer afterwards,” said Boyle.
Jordan Stickler, business major in the class of 2019, completed his MBA in 2024. He has worked in the medical device industry for companies such as Stryker and SI-Bone, and is currently working for Spinal Simplicity. He has been an assistant coach for the UD men’s baseball team for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
“If you’re going into something very specific, like a niche job – cyber security, analytics, stuff like that – the master’s program is good either right out of school or one to two years even sooner,” said Stickler.
Michelle Ciacchella, English major in the class of 2022, is currently pursuing a master’s in English in the Braniff Graduate School.
“I did not know what I wanted to do after I graduated. But I’ve heard it said that it’s always good to stay in school if you don’t know what you’re going to do. And I’d say if you can afford it, if you just really enjoy being in the world of academia and learning, it’s a good way to go,” said Ciacchella.
The 4+1 allows undergraduates to get a feel for graduate studies and earn a degree at the same time. UD students that have pursued the 4+1 programs like what they have found.
“As a program, I think it’s excellent…I think they’re serious master’s programs that give you a lot of flexibility with what you want to do,” said Boyle. “So there’s a Master’s of Arts in English and there’s a Master’s of English, where one has a thesis, one doesn’t, so depending on your interest and what you plan on doing with it, you even have flexibility within the program of what exactly it’s going to look like.”
“I love the program because the majority of the business professors and accounting professors worked in real world business and they apply that real world knowledge to the classroom. So instead of having book examples, they can actually bring in their personal experience, and then the light bulb can click in your head: ‘Oh yeah, I can actually see how this is used on a day-to-day basis in the real world,’” said Gowans.
Each student’s path is different, and those considering the 4+1 are encouraged to make an informed decision.
“When you look at ‘should I or should I not start my master’s right away’, you have to decide how much debt you have, the possible job that you’re about to get, if this is going to increase your starting pay right away, and if you can do a full time master’s program and not work, or if you want to work. That’s how I started to look at it,” said Stickler.
“I wouldn’t necessarily suggest it to everyone, because it is an extra year of schooling…if you don’t think you’re going to use it, I think it would make more sense to start on your career. If you just view it as ‘I’m going to put off real life for another year,’ I wouldn’t approach it that way. But I think it’s a practical thing, especially if you are interested in graduate study, because it’s a fairly economical way of testing it out,” said Boyle.
“If you know what you want to go into and you’re passionate about your job – I feel like passion is going to be key in this – and you have the resources and time to do it, I say, go for the 4+1,” said Gowans.
For those interested, there will be a lunch-and-learn session about the UD’s 4+1 programs on November 18th, from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the SB Hall Serafy Room.