Collaborative Accelerated Master's Programs (CAMPs)

WPI Academic Partnerships
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What Is a Collaborative Accelerated Master’s Program? 

In a collaborative accelerated master's program (CAMP), students at partnering institutions can prepare for and make progress toward a WPI master’s degree while they’re still undergraduate students at their respective schools. These students can apply to a WPI graduate program and, once they complete their bachelor’s degree at their school, pursue a master’s degree at WPI in an accelerated manner—saving time and money.

Horizontal timeline shows the time spent on a bachelor's degree at a partner institution and the time spent on a master's degree at WPI, with an overlapping section in-between that signifies the time saved via double-counted course credits

Why Do a Collaborative Accelerated Master's Program at WPI?

Save time and money. 

CAMPs enable students to complete their WPI master’s degree in an accelerated manner by allowing them to count eligible credits from their undergraduate degree toward their master’s degree. This saves students time and money while still satisfying all the requirements of both degrees, ensuring a full educational experience. 

Optimize your studies. 

CAMPs allow students to complete their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the same discipline or in synergistic disciplines. Furthermore, CAMPs provide students with joint academic advising at their school and at WPI from early on during their undergraduate studies to guide them on course selection and career choices that best fit their interests and optimize their undergraduate and graduate experiences. 

Expand your career opportunities. 

CAMP students can leverage WPI’s extensive network of industry and academic partners. A WPI master’s degree prepares CAMP students for future industry employment or for entry into more advanced graduate programs (e.g., PhD or MD).

Join when you’re ready. 

Although students are expected to apply for admission to a CAMP during their junior year, as this allows students to best plan their senior year courses, applications will continue to be accepted during senior year or up to three years after graduating with a bachelor’s degree. In addition, students accepted into a CAMP can defer the beginning of their master’s studies at WPI for up to one year after graduating with their bachelor's degree.

How It Works: A Step-by-Step Guide

1.) Identify a CAMP that fits you:
  • Find your undergraduate school in the list of current WPI partner institutions. Then, look at the participating WPI master’s programs offered to students at your school.
  • If you’re interested in any of these master’s programs, follow the links on this page to read more about admissions criteria, degree requirements, and courses that are eligible for double-counting between your bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
2.) Seek academic advising:
  • Get in touch with the points of contact at your school and at WPI to learn more about the CAMP you are interested in. 
  • Ideally, do this during your sophomore or junior year so you have sufficient time to plan your course selection.
3.) Apply to your chosen CAMP:
  • Once you have discussed your plans with the contacts at your school and at WPI, applying to a CAMP is easy: Apply to WPI Graduate Admissions via the online application portal, indicating the specific program you wish to pursue. 
  • The application consists of a statement of purpose, academic transcript(s), and two letters of recommendation. (GRE, applicable ESL test, and application fees are waived.)
  • The best time to apply is during your junior year. That way, you can optimize course selections for your senior year. That said, students from our partner schools are allowed to apply to CAMPs during their senior year or up to three years after graduating with their bachelor’s degree. 
  • Your CAMP application will be reviewed by the WPI master’s degree program you applied to. 
4.) If accepted into a CAMP, prepare your Plan of Study:
  • Consult with and get approval from your major academic advisor at your school and at WPI, as well as your school’s CAMP contact persons, when filling out your CAMP Plan of Study form.
  • This Plan of Study form outlines the selections you make to satisfy the master’s degree requirements, including the courses that will be double-counted between your undergraduate and graduate degrees. 
5.) When allowed, consider registering for courses at WPI while you are still an undergrad:
  • If allowed by the CAMP framework between your school and WPI, you may enroll in WPI undergraduate and/or graduate courses when you are still an undergrad at your school. 
  • Before registering for a WPI course, please consult with your academic advisor and with the specific WPI contact person for the CAMP degree you chose to ensure you have the necessary course prerequisites and/or recommended background.
  • For these WPI courses to count toward your master’s degree, they should be part of your approved Plan of Study.
6.) Become a graduate student at WPI:

After you have completed your undergraduate degree at your school and registered for graduate courses at WPI, you will officially become a WPI graduate student.

Rules for Double-Counting Courses

As a CAMP student, you will be allowed to count toward your WPI master’s degree up to two advanced, senior-level courses taken during your undergraduate studies at your school. 

Eligible courses, and the equivalent number of graduate credits carried by each, will be listed on the participating program's catalog page and Plan of Study form. 

Current Partnerships

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Worcester, MA

Assumption University

Preview Photo of the Holy Cross campus, featuring an old brick building, trees, green grass, and intersecting footpaths
Worcester, MA

College of the Holy Cross

→ View description and requirements

Participating program(s) at WPI:

  • MS in Mechanical Engineering (coming fall 2025)

Contact at Holy Cross: Elisabeth Hiles (ehiles@holycross.edu)

Contact at WPI: Carolina Ruiz (ruiz@wpi.edu)

Preview Exterior of a brick building with a rolling lawn and large tree at Framingham State University
Framingham, MA

Framingham State University

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Utica, NY

Utica University