CNU students have the opportunity to qualify to participate in the Bachelor’s to Master’s 5 Year Degree Program for graduate degrees in Applied Physics and Computer Science, Environmental Science or Teaching.
What are the advantages?
Students accepted in the 5 Year Program can save one year in tuition expense and time (compared to the traditional master’s degree program) by following the exact curriculum recommended and taking courses in the summer after completing their bachelor’s degree.
- CNU Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors meet with the Graduate Program Coordinator and / or Associate Director of Graduate Admissions and Records to discuss admission requirements and plan undergraduate course work
- CNU students apply to the 5 Year Program by February 1st of their Junior Year ( 65 credits completed)
- An overall GPA of 3.0 or higher is required for acceptance
- Students begin taking graduate level classes in their Senior year at CNU
- No application fee is required
- If the student has one of the following (less than 5 years old), additional entrance tests are not required
- SAT: Score of 1100 or higher (530 minimum in the verbal and quantitative sections)
- ACT: Composite Score of 24 (22 or higher in math, and an English plus Reading score of 46 or higher)
- Without the SAT or ACT scores above, a student needs successful GRE or PRAXIS I scores
- A resume and other documents are required by certain programs as listed on the Checklist
- Each student is assigned a graduate program advisor (when accepted in the 5 Year Program) to plan coursework with his / her undergraduate academic advisor
- Students are awarded their bachelor’s degree upon undergraduate degree completion
- Students with a final, overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher are admitted formally to the graduate program and continue at CNU to earn their master’s degree
Master of Science in Applied Physics and Computer Science
- Emphasis on research collaborations with NASA-Langley Research Center and the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
- Computer Science has specialization and research opportunities available in artificial intelligence, software engineering, networking and communications, as well as computer systems engineering and instrumentation
- Specialization and research opportunities in Applied Physics include nuclear physics, laser and photonics, solid-state physics, modeling and simulation, sensors, and instrumentation systems design
Please contact Dr. Antonio Siochi via email at siochi@pcs.cnu.edu or by phone at 757-594-7569.
Master of Science in Environmental Science
- CNU is located in the environmentally rich coastal plain of Virginia. All courses are taught in the new 160,000-square-foot Forbes Hall which contains 70 teaching labs and student research spaces as well as state of the art classrooms
- Research currently is being conducted at local (e.g. Hoffler Creek Nature Preserve), regional (e.g. Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge) and national (e.g. Death Valley National Park) sites as well as international locations
- Fellowships presently are available through the National Science Foundation sponsored WISE GK-12 Project
Please contact Dr. Michael Meyer via email at michael.meyer@cnu.edu or by phone at 757-594-7321.
Master of Arts in Teaching
- Designed for students who desire to become effective classroom teachers with an emphasis placed on the understanding of educational theory as it translates into real classroom practice
- Our program offers students the ability to succeed in content area teaching through hands-on activities, technology, and field experiences
- MAT students may select an endorsement from the following:
Art, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Elementary Education, English, ESL, French, History and Social Studies, Mathematics, Music, Physics, and Spanish - Partnership with award winning school district
Please contact Dr. Marsha Sprague via email at msprague@cnu.edu or by phone at 757-594-7388.
To check the status of your application, please contact gradques@cnu.edu.
Admission Requirements for CNU students to the Bachelor's to Master's 5 Year Degree Programs
- Current Grade Point Average (GPA ) of 3.00 or higher.
- SAT score of 1100 or higher (with a minimum of 530 in the verbal and quantitative sections)* or ACT composite score of 24 (with English plus Reading Score no less than 46 and Math Score no less than 22)* or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) cumulative score of 950 or higher on the Verbal and Quantitative sections** for MS applicants or PRAXIS I for MAT applicants with a minimum composite score of 532 from the Reading, Writing, and Mathematics subtests. *
- Two Letters of Recommendation (which must include 1 CNU faculty member in your major) Please Log In to CNU Live to send Letter of Recommendation Forms electronically.
- If your professor or reference requests a printed form, please download the appropriate form for you degree program.
- Additional, specific requirements (such as an essay or documents) are listed on the Application Checklist for the 5 Year Program.
To check the status of your application, please contact gradques@cnu.edu.
- Please print and complete the Application for Admission to the Bachelor's to Master's 5 Year Graduate Program. (pdf)
- Please make an appointment to see your Graduate Program Coordinator and take your CNU Live Transcript so that he / she can verify your term of entry and sign your application.
- The application deadline is February 1st of your Junior Year.
- 65 undergraduate credits must have been earned prior to submitting your application.
- The application must be signed by the Graduate Program Coordinator before it can be delivered to the Office of Graduate Studies for processing.
- No application fee is required.
After the complete admission package has been submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies:
- If you applied to the APCS or ENVS program, please allow 3 weeks for the committee's decision and processing. A decision letter will be sent to you by mail.
- If you applied to the MAT program, the MAT Admission Committee will begin reviewing application packages March 15th. A decision letter will be sent to you by mail on April 1st.
To check the status of your application, please contact gradques@cnu.edu.
