BS/MS Program
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The College of Engineering offers a number of combined BS/MS programs for undergraduate students with outstanding academic records to encourage the best students to pursue advanced degrees. This allows well-qualified undergraduates to start graduate study before completing their BS degree. Enrolling in a combined BS/MS program can shorten the total time to get both a BS degree and a MS degree. By enrolling in a combined BS/MS program, you are eligible to count up to 9 semester credit-hours of courses taken as a BS student toward your MS degree.
Eligibility
You must meet all requirements imposed by the Graduate School for
combined BS/MS programs. Section II of the official
OSU Graduate School Handbook contains up-to-date information
about these requirements. You are eligible to apply for a
combined BS/MS program in engineering if:
- you are an OSU undergraduate student (not necessarily in engineering); and
- you have at least a 3.5 CPHR in all previous undergraduate work; and
- you will have completed at least 90 undergraduate semester
credit hours toward the BS degree prior to starting graduate
study.
Application, Admission, and Enrollment
You first apply to the graduate program from which you want an MS
degree, following the normal graduate
admission process for electrical and computer engineering,
and indicate on the application your desire to enter the combined
BS/MS program. If you are admitted to that graduate program, then
you become eligible to enroll in its combined BS/MS
program.
A simple form is used to keep track of your progress through the combined BS/MS program. Complete the combined degree application during the semester before you enroll in a combined degree program, and combined degree graduation form the semester you graduate with your BS degree, you must submit this form your undergraduate advisor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
A simple form is used to keep track of your progress through the combined BS/MS program. Complete the combined degree application during the semester before you enroll in a combined degree program, and combined degree graduation form the semester you graduate with your BS degree, you must submit this form your undergraduate advisor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Additional Information
Here are some additional points you should consider:
- You apply, and are admitted, to graduate study under the normal graduate admission criteria and processes. This means that the time at which you apply and the semester during which you actually enroll in the combined BS/MS program (after being admitted) are very important. Make sure to check with the department whose graduate program you are considering as soon as you think you might be interested in a combined BS/MS program.
- Courses you take while you are enrolled in a combined BS/MS program (i.e., while you are officially a graduate student) may count toward your MS degree. So you must apply for, be admitted to, and enroll in a combined BS/MS program before you reap this benefit.
- Once you are enrolled in a combined BS/MS program, you become a graduate student and are charged graduate tuition and fees. Since these are higher than undergraduate tuition and fees, the result can be a financial burden. Students enrolled in a bachelor’s/master’s combined program may hold GA appointments that do not involve teaching of other students provided all other eligibility criteria are met. Check with the Graduate School for details.
- If you hold a graduate fellowship or graduate associate position, then you must meet all graduate-credit-hour and other requirements associated with that position. Again, check with the Graduate School for details.
- You will have two GPAs – one for undergraduate and one for graduate. You will be subject to academic standards at both levels.
