Senior Privilege for Graduate Business Courses | Rowan University

  • Senior Privilege 

Senior Privilege for Graduate Business Courses | Rowan University

Senior Privilege for Graduate Business Courses

Senior Privilege gives eligible Rowan undergraduates the opportunity to take graduate business courses during the fourth year of completing their bachelor’s degree. Students pay the undergraduate tuition rate and may use approved graduate coursework toward undergraduate requirements. 

With careful course planning, completed coursework may also apply to a future Rowan MBA, Master of Science in Finance, or Master of Science in Organizational Leadership after the student is admitted to and matriculated in that graduate program. 

Quick Facts:

  • Up to two RCB graduate business courses, not to exceed eight credits total 
  • One RCB graduate business course per semester 
  • Undergraduate tuition rate 
  • Course options during summer, fall, and spring 
  • Registration subject to eligibility, required approvals, prerequisites, and available space after graduate program needs are met 

Explore Graduate Study While Completing Your Bachelor’s Degree

Senior Privilege can help you experience graduate-level expectations, build knowledge in a targeted business area, and make a more informed decision about future graduate study. Students from any Rowan undergraduate program may participate if they meet the eligibility requirements and receive the required approvals. 

Senior Privilege may be a useful option if you: 

  • are considering a future RCB graduate degree; 
  • want to explore graduate business study before applying to a master’s program; 
  • can use an approved graduate course toward an undergraduate elective or other degree requirement; 
  • are not participating in an ADD/4+1 pathway; or 
  • discovered an ADD/4+1 pathway too late to complete its full 12-credit structure. 

You can begin discussing Senior Privilege with your undergraduate academic advisor during your third year so you can leave room in your degree plan. You may enroll only after you meet the Senior Privilege eligibility requirements. 

Confirm Your Eligibility

To request Senior Privilege registration for an RCB graduate business course, you must: 

  • be officially matriculated in a Rowan University undergraduate academic program; 
  • have officially earned at least 90 undergraduate credits before beginning the graduate course; 
  • have a cumulative Rowan undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0; 
  • meet all prerequisites and other requirements for the requested graduate course; and 
  • be in good academic and financial standing at Rowan. 

Meeting these requirements makes you eligible to request registration. It does not guarantee approval or a seat in a particular graduate business course. 

Choose a Course and Plan for Availability

Choose a Course That Supports Your Goals

Start with your undergraduate academic advisor. Together, consider how a graduate business course could apply to your remaining undergraduate requirements and support your academic, professional, or graduate-study goals. 

Review the individual graduate program curricula to understand current course options: 

Some course choices may preserve more than one future graduate option. Selected leadership courses may fit either the MS in Organizational Leadership or the MBA, while selected Finance and accounting courses may fit either the MS in Finance or the MBA. Graduate Business Studies can help you compare options before you register. Course applicability depends on the current curriculum and the graduate program you later enter. 

Plan for Space-Available Registration

Graduate degree-seeking students and graduate program needs receive priority in RCB graduate business courses. Senior Privilege requests are considered in the order received when an appropriate course has sufficient space. 

RCB generally reviews requests closer to the beginning of the course, after graduate students have had an opportunity to register. Because approval cannot be guaranteed: 

  • identify a preferred course and one or two alternative graduate business courses; 
  • rank your preferences if you submit more than one request; 
  • remain flexible about course format and schedule when possible; and 
  • stay registered in an undergraduate backup course until your Senior Privilege registration is confirmed. 

Graduate Business Studies may suggest another course if your preferred option is likely to fill or does not have sufficient availability. 

Request Senior Privilege Registration

  1. Meet with your undergraduate academic advisor to confirm that Senior Privilege fits your degree plan.
  2. Identify your preferred graduate business course and one or two alternatives. Use Section Tally to confirm the course number, section, and CRN.
  3. Review Rowan’s official Senior Privilege information and download the current Senior Privilege Registration Request Form from the Office of the University Registrar.
  4. Complete and sign the form for each course you are requesting.
  5. Obtain approval from your undergraduate academic advisor and the instructor of the graduate course. Approvals may be provided through signatures on the form or through an email sent directly to GraduateBusinessStudies@rowan.edu.
  6. Leave the “Department Chair of Graduate Program” approval line blank. Graduate Business Studies will complete the RCB review.
  7. If you submit separate forms for more than one course, clearly rank your course preferences.
  8. Email the completed form or forms as PDFs to GraduateBusinessStudies@rowan.edu.
  9. Keep your undergraduate backup course until you receive confirmation that your graduate business registration has been completed. 

Graduate Business Studies will review the request and, if approved, forward it for registration processing. Registration is not final until you receive confirmation. 

Use Rowan’s Official Senior Privilege Resources

The Office of the University Registrar maintains Rowan’s official Senior Privilege policy and current registration request form. Those resources explain the university-wide requirements, required approvals, tuition and student-record treatment, and how applicable coursework may later be added to a Rowan graduate record. 

Use the RCB guidance on this page to choose an appropriate graduate business course and understand the college review process. Then use the Registrar’s current resources to complete your request: 

After You Complete a Senior Privilege Course

Senior Privilege coursework appears on your undergraduate record and counts toward your undergraduate GPA. With approval from your undergraduate academic advisor, the course may fulfill an undergraduate degree requirement or elective. 

If you are later admitted to and matriculated in a Rowan graduate program, applicable Senior Privilege courses and credits will be added to your graduate record. The course and credits appear on both records, but the grade does not count toward the graduate GPA. 

Successful completion of graduate coursework through Senior Privilege does not guarantee admission to a Rowan graduate program. Before registering, consult Graduate Business Studies if you hope to use a course toward a future MBA, MS in Finance, or MS in Organizational Leadership. 

Senior Privilege and ADD/4+1 Are Different Options 

Senior Privilege allows eligible fourth-year undergraduates to complete up to eight graduate credits. For RCB graduate business courses, students may take one course per semester, and registration remains subject to approvals and available space. 

An approved RCB ADD/4+1 pathway is a planned bachelor’s-to-master’s curriculum that allows students to complete up to 12 shared graduate credits. Senior Privilege is not an ADD/4+1 pathway, and students cannot use both options at the same time. 

Explore RCB Bachelor’s-to-Master’s ADD/4+1 Programs

Explore RCB Graduate Programs 

 

Questions About Senior Privilege? 

For help identifying an appropriate graduate business course, understanding likely course availability, or considering how a course may fit a future RCB graduate program, email Graduate Business Studies.