BS/MS Combined Degree Program

A great opportunity!

The Combined BS/MS Program provides qualifying students the opportunity to apply credits earned as an undergraduate toward completion of Master's degree requirements. Enrolling in a combined BS/MS program can shorten the total time to earn both a BS degree and an MS degree by 1-2 terms. When enrolled in a combined BS/MS program, a student may count in-program advanced elective credits taken as a undergraduate toward the completion of a Master's degree.

In addition, students enrolled in the Combined BS/MS Program may be eligible for a Graduate Research Associateship (GRA), which includes a waiver of tuition and fees, as well as a monthly student stipend.

Minimum criteria for consideration

Applicants for the BS/MS program are required to submit documentation to demonstrate fulfillment of the following criteria:

  1. Completion of a minimum of 90 undergraduate semester credit hours.
  2. A minimum of 3.5 cumulative point-hour ratio in all previous undergraduate work (this is an inflexible minimum).
  3. Current registration in the MSE or WE undergraduate program.
  4. A rank of Senior in the MSE or WE undergraduate program at the time of proposed admission.

General timeline and application

The general process is as follows:

  • The student should discuss GRA funding with faculty who share their interests. If a faculty member is willing to support the student, the student should secure email confirmation of this GRA funding. 
  • The student completes the BS/MS Notification form. This should occur, ideally, at least two months before the start of the proposed term of admission. Submissions less than two months before will be accepted.
  • The student submits an OSU Graduate School Application and supporting documents.
  • The student submits Combined Degree Program form on GradForms.osu.edu indicating which courses will be dual-counted. This is the formal "application" to the BS/MS program MSE or WE. The general process is described on the College of Engineering Combined Program page.
  • The student is to email Mark Cooper(.73) once the Combined Degree Program form has been submitted.
  • The MSE or WE Graduate Admissions Committee makes an admission decision by approving the Combined Degree Program form on GradForms.
  • The Graduate School processes the admission with the Office of Admissions.
  • The student will receive an email from the Admissions Office notifying him/her of admission. The student should then accept admission.
  • The student should contact the MSE-WE Undergraduate Advisor for aid in enrolling the student in the appropriate graduate section of dual-use courses.
  • GRA employment forms will be emailed to the student to complete. Around this time the student will meet with the MSE-WE Grad Studies Coordinator to go over grad student orientation information.

Application deadlines

The following are the suggested deadlines for application to the BS/MS program. Students typically apply in the middle to late in their Junior year in the MSE or WE Bachelor's program.

For admission in:

Apply by:

Autumn or Summer

May 1*

Spring

November 1

* Note: Autumn term admission decisions occur as early as February of a given year. Therefore, it is beneficial for the student to apply as early as possible in the year.

Funding and the BS/MS

Funding the BS/MS
Admission to the BS/MS Combined Program may negatively effect scholarship funding. Includes information about securing a Graduate Research Associateship (GRA) position. GRA positions provide tuition payment and provide a monthly stipend for the student.

Dual-use courses--what double counts

To earn a Master's with Thesis degree in MSE or WE a student must take at least 30 semester credits of graduate-level course work, a prescribed number of which are to come from graded courses. The BS/MS program allows for fixed number of graded credits to be earned as part of the Bachelor's degree.

MSE BS/MS:
Nine dual-use credits are to come from MSE elective courses at the 5000-level or greater.

WE BS/MS:
Twelve dual-use credits are to come from WE elective courses at the 5000-level or greater (i.e., graduate-level courses in WE which typically equates to 7000-level offerings).

The student must satisfy the remaining Master's with Thesis degree requirements for his/her program (MSE or WE). Students seeking to pursue a Master's non-Thesis degree must gain prior approval from the MSE or WE Graduate Studies Committee.

The "BS/PhD"--continuing on to a doctoral degree

Depending on a number of factors--advisor approval, project funding, etc.--a student admitted to the BS/MS program may continue on to pursue a PhD. The 9 (MSE) or 12 (WE) dual-use credits earned as an undergrad will be applied toward the PhD requirements. Please contact the Grad Studies Coordinator concerning pursuit of a PhD.

Changes to these guidelines

An individual's circumstances may not exactly match the above guidelines. A BS/MS applicant should keep in mind that s/he may petition the GSC to deviate from these directions. A petition should be submitted and approved prior to deviating from the guidelines. Submit such a petition using the form at the link below.

Petition form

 

Questions?

Please contact the MSE-WE Graduate Studies Coordinator, Mark Cooper.

Additional information:

 

BS/MS Notification form

Please use this one-page form to indicate your interest in the BS/MS program in either MSE or WE. A copy of the submission will be sent to the student, the MSE-WE Undergrad Advisor, and MSE-WE Grad Studies Coordinator.