Are you interested in earning an undergraduate and graduate degree in accounting in a shorter period? The Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FEB UGM) offers a Fast Track Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Accounting program. This initiative is designed to accelerate undergraduate (S1) and master’s (S2) studies, allowing students to complete both degrees within five years.
The Director of the Master of Science in Accounting program, Fu’ad Rakhman, S.E., M.Sc., Ph.D., CA, explained that the Fast Track program provides students with the opportunity to pursue their undergraduate and master’s education simultaneously in a more efficient manner. Officially launched in the even semester of the 2023/2024 academic year, the program began in February 2024.
“Fast Track aims to support undergraduate students with strong academic skills, motivation for advanced studies, high commitment to timely graduation, and active involvement in research and publication,” Fu’ad explained recently.
Fu’ad also emphasized that the program is designed to equip students with strong writing skills through courses such as Scientific Writing and Publication Workshop. The curriculum helps students complete their degrees and produce impactful work through various forms of writing, from general compositions to scientific publications.
In addition to becoming academics and researchers, graduates of this program also have career opportunities in industry and government. Fu’ad shared that survey results show that about one-third of graduates pursue academic careers, while most venture into non-academic fields.
“The skills taught in the program have proven relevant and applicable across sectors, enabling graduates to make a broad contribution,” he added.
Fast Track Advantages
The Fast Track Program offers several benefits to prospective students. This program shortens the undergraduate and graduate study period to only five years. Undergraduate programs typically take 4 years to complete, and master’s programs take 2 to 3 years.
In addition, the Fast Track Program offers scholarships in the form of a reduction in UKT tuition fees of up to 50%. Recipients of this scholarship are required to work as program assistants during their studies. This scholarship not only helps to ease the financial burden but also provides valuable experience in supporting the academic activities of the faculty.
Another benefit of this fast-track program is the ease with which a literature review-based undergraduate thesis can be prepared and then developed into a master’s thesis. The linearity between thesis and dissertation topics is supported by the appointment of the same supervisor so that students receive consistent guidance throughout the study process.
“From the input side, we maintain quality; from the design side, we also match students with supervisors and thesis topics in the same topic area. Hopefully, they will be able to complete both programs well and on time,” Fuad said.
Requirements
This fast-track program can be followed by students of the Bachelor of Accounting study program who are in semester 6 or 7. In addition, students have also completed all courses except the thesis with a GPA greater than or equal to 3.50 when registering. Other requirements are that prospective students must have a minimum Academic Potential Test (TPA) score of 550 and a certificate of English proficiency test with a minimum score of 500, which is still valid for two years.
Prospective fast-track program students are also required to complete complementary documents such as letters of recommendation from two lecturers in their field of study who have given courses that have been passed. In addition, other administrative documents, such as a letter of approval from parents.
There are several stages that prospective students must go through until they are accepted as students in the fast-track Master of Accounting Science program. The registration process begins with filling out forms and collecting documents for the admissions department. Furthermore, the study program will select the files, and prospective students will participate in the interview stage to ensure the alignment between the thesis topic and the thesis to be worked on.
The Master of Science and Doctoral (MD) Program at FEB UGM invites outstanding students to join the fast-track program. Registration for this program is open in four batches each academic year. More information can be accessed through this link.
Reportage: Shofi Hawa Anjani
Editor: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
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