Alfred University and Syracuse University on Tuesday, Sept. 29, celebrated a partnership that creates structured pathways for undergraduates at Alfred to enroll in nearly 30 graduate school programs at Syracuse.
Mark Zupan, Alfred University president, met with J. Michael Haynie, Syracuse chancellor, and Lois Agnew, Syracuse vice chancellor, provost, and chief academic officer, to discuss the mutual benefits of the five-year agreement and to explore potential future collaborations. The partnership, which was signed earlier this month and commenced on Sept. 14, contains financial incentives for Alfred undergraduates pursuing graduate degrees at Syracuse.
Under the terms of the agreement, Alfred University and Syracuse University will undertake and promote the following objectives:
- Create structured graduate admission pathways that enable qualified students at Alfred to pursue master’s degree programs at Syracuse.
- Facilitate a smooth and supported transition for students at Alfred into graduate programs at Syracuse.
- Encourage academic coordination, faculty and administrative collaboration, and ongoing student engagement between Alfred University and Syracuse University.
- Make graduate study at Syracuse more accessible and financially attainable for qualified students at Alfred through guaranteed admission incentives.
“Alfred University is pleased to partner with Syracuse University to create new pathways that ease and make more affordable the transition of our students into a wide variety of graduate degree programs offered at Syracuse,” Zupan commented. “This agreement demonstrates our shared commitment to enhancing student success by making high-quality graduate education more accessible.”
The agreement contains two “Early Assurance” pathway models. One for first-year applicants, allows students admitted to Alfred University to simultaneously apply for conditional admission to a designated graduate program at Syracuse. Students who meet benchmark requirements outlined in Syracuse’s admissions standards will receive a conditional offer of acceptance from SU at the time of students’ undergraduate enrollment. Students who receive a conditional offer of acceptance through this pathway will not be required to submit a formal graduate application to Syracuse.
The second—for current students at Alfred University who did not participate in the Early Assurance pathway for first-year students—allows students to apply for early assurance of graduate admission in a designated Syracuse graduate program at any time during their undergraduate career at Alfred. This pathway ensures that no eligible student at Alfred is excluded from participating in the Early Assurance pathway due to the timing of their interest. Students who receive a conditional offer of acceptance through this pathway will have their application fees waived.
Financial incentives for Alfred students awarded enrollment in graduate degree programs at Syracuse include scholarships of 30 percent of the graduate program tuition rate, applied each semester the student is enrolled at Syracuse, as well as application fee waivers.
Under the partnership, undergraduates at Alfred can apply for conditional early admission to the following graduate degree programs at Syracuse:
- School of Architecture: Master of Architecture degree in architecture.
- College of Art and Sciences: Master of Science degrees in biomedical forensic science, forensic science, and speech-language pathology.
- School of Education: Master of Science degree in music education preparation.
- School of Information Studies: Master of Science degrees in applied data science, applied human-centered artificial intelligence, and library and information science.
- Martin J. Whitman School of Management: Master of Science degrees in professional accounting, business analytics, entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises, finance, marketing, real estate, and supply chain management; and MBA in business administration.
- Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs: Master of Arts degree in international relations; M.P.A. degree in public administration; and M.P.H. degree in public health.
- I. Newhouse School of Public Communications: Master of Science degrees in advanced media management; advertising; broadcast and digital journalism; magazine, news, and digital journalism; media studies; multimedia, photography, and design; television, radio, and film.
- College of Visual and Performing Arts: Master of Science degree in art therapy; and Master of Arts degree in museum studies.
Alfred University will designate faculty/academic advisors knowledgeable about designated SU graduate programs and their admissions requirements to provide advisement to interested Alfred students. Syracuse will visit Alfred University’s campus to inform undergraduate students about graduate study opportunities at SU. Both schools will promote the opportunities outlined in the agreement to prospective students.
Alfred University had previously partnered with Syracuse University to provide pathways for Alfred undergraduates to enroll in Syracuse’s law program. The agreement, signed in the fall of 2018, allows students from Alfred University to complete a six-year combined Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctorate degree program through a partnership with the Syracuse University College of Law. Students who successfully complete the 3+3 program earn a bachelor’s degree from Alfred and a law degree from Syracuse, saving one year’s time and tuition compared to the more typical seven-year path to bachelor’s and J.D. degrees.
