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Early Start Master’s Programs

Are you a current Vanderbilt undergraduate with an eye to the future? Consider adding a career-enhancing master’s degree through one of Peabody College’s Early Start programs.

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Why Start Early?

As a current student, you already enjoy the benefits of Vanderbilt and life in Nashville. By applying for a Peabody Early Start master’s, you will:

  • Receive Priority Admission

    Receive priority admission review separately from our regular applicant pool.

  • Save Time & Money

    Save time, money and stress by starting your master’s while finishing your undergraduate degree.

  • Build Your Network

    Gain access to career-minded peers and a supportive professional network.

Early Start Application Pathway Examples

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Meet Daniel

First-year student - Fall

Daniel is a freshman at Peabody who heard about the Early Start program during orientation. He is interested in the Innovative Design and Technology in Education (IDeaTE) M.Ed. and would like to learn more.  

Spring of Freshman Year

Fall of Sophomore Year

​​Spring of Sophomore Year

  • Plan graduate coursework start

Fall of Junior Year

  • Submit Early Start application: November 1 deadline ​
    • Student must have completed at least 60 undergraduate credits at the time of application​
  • If admitted to Early Start program: obtain course approvals​ from undergraduate advisor, program director and course instructor

Spring of Junior Year

  • Begin graduate-level coursework

Overview

Current Vanderbilt undergraduate students may apply to participating master’s programs once they have completed 60 credits of coursework. For most students, that will be after the spring semester of their sophomore year. Prior to applying, interested students should complete the Early Start Interest Form and meet with their advisors to start planning for Early Start. 

  • The application deadline for students seeking early start admission for the spring of their junior year is November 1st.
  • For students seeking early start admission for the fall of their senior year, the application deadline is April 15th.

If admitted, students enroll as provisional graduate students and transition to full master’s status after completing all bachelor’s degree requirements with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Early Start students can complete up to 12 graduate-level credit hours while enrolled as Vanderbilt undergraduates.

Financial aid note: Undergraduate financial aid generally applies only through completion of the bachelor’s degree and the first four years of study. See our Funding Your Education pages for more information on tuition, financial aid and more.

How to Apply and Enroll

Before You Apply

  • Before beginning graduate-level coursework, admitted students must meet with their academic advisor and the Early Start program director for approval.
  • Interested Freshmen and Sophomores should meet with their advisors to start planning for Early Start. We recommend that students should have earned at least 60 credits before applying. For most students, that will be at the end of spring semester of their sophomore year.

When to Apply

  • Students should formally apply to their Early Start program the semester before they intend to start graduate level coursework. For example, if a student intends to start graduate coursework in the spring of their junior year, they would apply in the fall of their junior year.

How to Apply

After You're Admitted

  • Once students have officially been admitted into an Early Start program, they must complete the Special Enrollment form to enroll in graduate-level courses.
  • When requesting enrollment in a graduate-level course, students must specify whether the credit will count toward their bachelor’s degree or toward their future master’s program.

Program Requirements

  • Graduate-level courses intended to apply toward the future master’s degree must be taken in addition to the 120 credit hours required for the undergraduate degree.
  • Students must remain enrolled in at least 12 undergraduate credit hours each semester while participating in Early Start. During their senior year, students may have one semester in which they are enrolled in fewer than 12 undergraduate credit hours.
  • Students may take no more than six graduate-level credit hours in a single semester.

For questions about program requirements and the best time to apply, students should contact their undergraduate academic advisor.

Funding and Scholarship Support

  • Following completion of your undergraduate degree, you will become eligible for merit-based scholarships as well as the Vanderbilt Alumni Scholarship (with minimum 20 percent tuition support) and the Teacher Pathways Scholarship (in selected programs, with minimum 30 percent tuition support).
  • There is no separate application required for scholarships. All applicants are automatically considered for all relevant scholarships.
  • Students will be notified of their graduate funding package in their letter of admission.

See our Scholarships page to learn more about our available scholarships for professional and graduate students.

Peabody's Early Start Programs

Early Start master's degrees are offered in: