Des Moines Sun

Drake University issued the following announcement on June 07.

Drake University and Buena Vista University announced today partnerships that will enable students to earn a BVU undergraduate degree and a Drake master’s degree in five years, allowing students to save the cost of tuition for one year as they begin earning income as a professional one year earlier than they would without this program. 

In what is referred to as a 4+1 admissions program, students will complete four years of undergraduate study at BVU and 12 months of graduate courses at Drake University. Upon completion, “4+1” students receive a bachelor’s degree from BVU as well as a master’s degree from Drake’s College of Business and Public Administration.

These accelerated degree paths are meaningful for BVU students because Drake and Buena Vista have a shared vision to open doors for opportunity for students to achieve their full potential,” said Alejandro Hernandez, dean of the College of Business and Public Administration. “The Drake experience for BVU students will be enhanced by career paths available in Des Moines. We also see this as an opportunity for our graduate programs to benefit from the infusion of perspectives and experiences that BVU students will bring to the Drake community.”

The partnerships are open to students attending BVU’s residential campus in Storm Lake and enrolled in specified programs within its School of Business and School of Liberal Arts. Those students may earn admission into Drake University’s College of Business and Public Administration seeking one of the following: Master of Business Administration, Master of Accounting, Master of Public Administration, or Master of Science in Business Analytics.

Terms of the agreement allow, but are not limited to the following:

• Students seeking a Bachelor of Arts in a business field through BVU’s Harold Walter Siebens School of Business may take graduate courses through Drake University toward a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Accounting, or a Master of Science of Business Analytics during their time as a BVU undergraduate.
• Students seeking a Bachelor of Arts in political science/public administration through BVU’s School of Liberal Arts may take graduate courses through Drake University toward a Master of Public Administration during their time as a BVU undergraduate. 
• Connections among the alumni networks at both universities will result in enhanced opportunities for internships and career placements.

“We are pleased to be able to partner with such a strong program to put our undergraduates on a fast-track toward the realization of their bachelor’s degree at BVU and master’s degree at Drake University,” says Lisa Best, Professor of Business Law & Political Science, and Dean, Harold Walter Siebens School of Business at BVU. “Students in this program will become highly trained professionals prepared to serve as business and public leaders in their communities.”The partnerships between Drake University and BVU will foster collaboration among faculty at both institutions through symposia, workshops, student advising and related academic programming, resulting in a strong foundation for each student’s professional success. 

Original source can be found here.