Accelerated Masters (MSc) Stream
Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) to Master of Science (Thesis-Based)
Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
BHSc Honours students can fast-track their graduate studies! Complete your Master of Science degree in 12 to 18 months by taking graduate coursework during your BHSc and continuing with your honours thesis supervisor.
The Accelerated Masters Stream
The Accelerated Masters Stream allows qualified Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) students to seamlessly transition to most1 thesis-based Graduate Science Education (GSE) Master of Science programs in the Cumming School of Medicine. This pathway is for BHSc honours students who are committed to completing a Master’s degree in July right after completing the BHSc program.
Benefits:
Application and Admission Process
Apply during your third or penultimate year of the BHSc program, when securing your MDSC 508 honours thesis supervisor.
Deadline TBA in May 2026
Eligibility and admission through this pathway are competitive. Please consult with academic advisors to determine if this program is right for you.
- Have successfully completed at least 90 units of undergraduate course before beginning the fourth or final year of the BHSc program
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30 and meet the pre-requisites to complete the BHSc Honours Thesis (MDSC 508)
- Have identified a supervisor who has agreed to supervise your Honours Thesis AND continue on to supervise an MSc project at the Cumming School of Medicine (contingent on the completion of the BHSc Honours Thesis).
- Complete the application (forthcoming). The application will include:
- A personal statement that explains your motivation for applying and how the program aligns with your career goals.
- A declaration of commitment from your honours thesis supervisor to continue as an MSc supervisor and support the accelerated timeline
- A declaration that you will not be applying to other programs (eg. medical school, graduate studies at another institution) for entry in the academic year following your expected undergraduate graduation. The only exception will be applications to the Leaders in Medicine program at the Cumming School of Medicine.
Entry into the Accelerated MSc Stream includes conditional admission to Graduate Studies
Final admission to Graduate Studies to complete the accelerated MSc is contingent on:
- Successful completion of your Honours Thesis
- Remain committed to, and have the continued commitment from, your Honours Thesis supervisor to continue as the Masters supervisor
- Have met all requitements for BHSc degree completion by the end of April 30 of the year that the honours thesis is completed (your final year in the BHSc program)
- Important: You must meet all standard admission requirements for your chosen MSc program at the Cumming School of Medicine
- Deferrals to later years will not be granted
Application Process:
Deadline TBA
Submit the application by the deadline. Please note that the application requires information from both the student AND research supervisor – incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Review
Applications will undergo committee review.
Acceptance
Selected applicants will be notified of admission to Accelerated MSc Stream and conditional admissions to graduate studies.
Exit Options:
- Students may exit the Accelerated MSc Stream at any time and return to the regular BHSc (Honours) track
- If you leave the honours program, you are no longer eligible for the accelerated MSc pathway
- Research supervisors may withdraw their support for the accelerated MSc if there is unsatisfactory performance in the honours thesis
Academic Advising:
Accelerated MSc students will receive joint academic advising from both BHSc and GSE Program Directors to ensure proper course selection and program planning.
Program Structure:
- Duration: target 12 months, full-time only; part-time status not permitted (18 month maximum)
- Available in any thesis-based Graduate Science Education (GSE) program except MDCH1
Coursework:
- Complete any remaining required graduate coursework in your first two semesters Receive exemption credit for up to 6 units of graduate coursework completed during your BHSc (Honours) at UCalgary
- You will NOT be required to take additional courses to replace exempted coursework if those courses meet program completion requirements
- Courses from other institutions or programs other than BHSc (Honours) are not eligible for exemption
Research and Thesis Requirements:
- Thesis proposal must be completed within 9 months of MSc enrollment
- Your MSc thesis must be substantively broader than your honours thesis
- Simple addition of data is not sufficient; the Master’s project must include additional aims, new hypotheses, and scope consistent with current MSc expectations
- For manuscript-based theses: If including your honours thesis as one manuscript, your thesis must contain at least one additional manuscript describing work conducted solely during the MSc component
Graduate Funding:
- Up to 18 months of guaranteed funding
- Funding value and top-up policy equivalent to regular MSc students at the Cumming School of Medicine
Transitioning Out of the Accelerated Stream:
If any of the following occur, you will revert to the regular MSc track:
- Change of supervisor
- MSc research focus moves significantly away from honours thesis work
- PhD programs are not eligible
Important: Reverting to regular track MSc does not automatically guarantee an additional year of funding. Your academic plan will be revised in consultation with the relevant Graduate Program Director and/or Associate Dean – GSE.
For More Information
Contact:
- BHSc Program Director for application and undergraduate components.
- Graduate Program Director for your intended MSc program.
- Associate Dean, Graduate Science Education for graduate program details.
1Please note: The Community Health Sciences MSc is not eligible for the Accelerated MSc stream due to the number of required courses. Students wishing to work with a Community Health Sciences faculty researcher can apply to an Accelerated MSc through the Medical Science program. For questions, please contact Dr. Aparicio-Ting at feaparic@ucalgary.ca.