Child prodigy admitted for shortened doctorate course

SEOUL, Feb. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's science and math prodigy Song Yoo-geun
has been admitted to a comprehensive study course that will allow him to complete
a master's and doctoral degree in a shortened period of time, school officials
said Monday.

According to the officials at the state-sponsored University of Science and
Technology (UST) located south of Seoul, the 13-year-old recently applied for the
school's shortened program and received approval from authorities there.
The course, which allows for a master's and doctoral degree to be completed in
three years, accepts students who have completed two graduate school semesters
with a 3.5 grade point average or higher, along with a professor's
recommendation.
Song began studying at UST last February, majoring in astronomy and space
science. His grades there were 4.21 and 4.39 during the first two semesters,
outperforming the course's entrance qualifications, according to the officials.
Born in 1997, Song became a national figure and the focus of media attention when
he completed the elementary, junior-high and high school curricula in just nine
months, something that normally takes 12 years for most students.
He passed the nation wide qualification exam for middle school students in May
2005 and the high school exam in August of the same year.
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