BS/MS Program Tips

  • Thesis and Non-Thesis options are available (although the Thesis option is encouraged for BS/MS students)
  • Once admitted, BS/MS students are officially part of the ME Graduate Program and are assessed graduate tuition. The ME Department will provide a scholarship to pay the difference between graduate and undergraduate tuition for up to 4 undergraduate quarters for students pursuing the Thesis option. The BS/MS scholarship will continue until BS graduation and it is only available to ME undergrads. Students must maintain at least a 3.5GPA in order to receive the scholarship.
  • BS/MS students will continue to be eligible for undergraduate scholarships until the completion of their BS degree.
  • Upon admission to the BS/MS program students will be eligible for Graduate Associate positions.
  • BS/MS students who are considering the pursuit of a PhD, apply by the January 1st deadline, and submit GRE scores, are eligible for multiple-year Graduate School Fellowships. If a Fellowship is awarded, then it will not be in effect until the student starts to pursue a PhD. Note: BS/MS students for whom MS is the final degree are not eligible for Graduate School Fellowships
  • Typical GRE scores for Fellowship consideration are:
    • A combined average of the 75th percentile on the Verbal and Quantitative sections. That does not mean you must score within the 75th percentile on both tests individually, rather that the average of the two tests must be within the 75th percentile. For example, a score that falls within the 95th percentile in the Quantitative section and the 60th percentile in the Verbal section is well within the required average for a Fellowship.
    • A typical score on the Writing section is at least 4.0.
  • The BS/MS program, while distinct from the BS Honors program, targets the same students. These programs are NOT mutually exclusive. As a matter of fact, participating in both the BS Honors and BS/MS program is STRONGLY encouraged as the programs are highly synergistic and maximize the benefits to the participants.
  • The selection of a Graduate Faculty Advisor, while not technically required to apply, is highly recommended and should be a top priority prior to or shortly after admission into the program. The role of the graduate advisor is much stronger than the role at the undergraduate level. The Graduate Advisor will aid you in class selection, choosing a research topic, coordinating your thesis, one-on-one advising, and may provide financial support (often times in the form of GRA). Typically students are encouraged to talk with different Faculty members during their first full quarter in the MS program. This allows the student to get an idea for what research the Faculty member is doing and it gives the Faculty member a chance to get to know the student as well. It is important to recognize your own interests and try to find a Faculty member that shares some, if not all, of your interests, as it will provide you with a better Graduate experience overall.