Advanced Studies, MAS
CERTIFICATE, Credential, FLEXIBLE, Interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary, Stackable, individualized
Advance your career through this innovative, flexible program. You'll earn two graduate certificates, leading to a master's degree that supports your specific interests and career goals.
The Master of Advanced Studies program provides students with the opportunity to focus their studies on two advanced knowledge areas by enrolling in official ASU graduate certificates and completing a culminating experience to earn a master's degree. This individualized learning provides students with an opportunity to complete their master's degree incrementally and provides flexibility to students who need to complete their program in stages to advance their skills for the workplace. Students have the opportunity to obtain specific knowledge and advanced skills from multiple knowledge areas, based on their chosen certificates.
Key benefits
Flexible learning pathway: Completing a master's degree in manageable steps allows students to earn valuable academic credentials along the way.
Customizable curriculum: Students select two graduate certificates from a pre-established list to tailor a master's program that aligns with their professional aspirations.
Enhanced career readiness: Students gain specialized knowledge and skills in multiple disciplines, making them more versatile candidates in the job market.
Personalized education: Creating a degree program that reflects their individual interests and career goals ensures students' education is both relevant and engaging.
Academic excellence: Students benefit from ASU's renowned faculty and resources, receiving a high-quality education that prepares them for advanced professional opportunities.
Students select a main and a stackable ASU graduate certificate for their program from a pre-approved list based on their individual needs. The academic college offering the main certificate provides academic advising, oversees the culminating event, and awards the master's degree.
Currently available main graduate certificates for this program include:
- applied behavior analysis
- behavioral data science
- biological data science
- biomimicry
- clinical research management
- community-engaged practices in design and the arts
- computational life sciences
- corrections leadership and management
- crime analysis
- critical theory
- dance teaching artist praxis
- digital audiences
- educating multilingual learners
- food policy and sustainability leadership
- food safety and protection
- global security and competitive statecraft
- health care innovation
- homeland security
- human factors in forensic science
- interprofessional healthy aging
- law enforcement administration
- lean six sigma black belt
- music entrepreneurship
- nonprofit leadership and management
- organizational leadership
- project management
- public history
- real estate
- responsible innovation in science, engineering and society
- scientific teaching in higher education
- semiconductor processing
- social entrepreneurship and community development
- social justice and human rights
- social science research methods
- Spanish language pedagogy
- statistics and data science
- technical communication
- transdisciplinary transportation studies
- translation studies
Students select a stackable graduate certificate from the existing graduate certificates (consisting of 15 or more credit hours). They should see each certificate for specific requirements and locations.
- College/school:
Graduate College
- Location: Downtown Phoenix, Polytechnic, Tempe, West Valley or Online
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
Main Certificate Coursework Additional curriculum information Students are required to select a main and stackable graduate certificate to be a candidate for the MAS program. Students are required to complete a master's portfolio if the graduate certificates do not have a culminating experience. If both certificates have a culminating experience, then the main certificate culminating experience is used for the master's program.
Stackable Certificate Coursework
Culminating Experience
The minimum total credit hours for the program is 30. Students must complete all coursework required for both certificates.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
U.S.
applicants | International
applicants | English
proficiency
The MAS program does not have an application through the standard graduate application process. Interested students must submit a standard graduate application for each of the graduate certificates.
Graduate certificates are eligible if they consist of 15 or more unique credit hours and were completed within three years from the time of admission to the MAS.
Students who are interested in the MAS program or have specific questions should contact advisement in the academic unit that administers the main certificate.
Graduate certificates typically do not allow for financial aid. There are a select few graduate certificates that have been approved by the federal government to allow aid. Questions regarding financial aid for specific certificates can be directed to the Financial Aid Office.
International student questions can be directed to the International Students and Scholars Center.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
The MAS program is a flexible, tailored degree customized to the differing interests and needs of students and working professionals. Participating in the stackable graduate certificate MAS program can provide students with the opportunity to advance their employment and opportunities through targeted credentials.
Program term definitions
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
