Combined B.S./M.S. Program

Guidelines

Interested undergraduates will generally apply for the combined BS/MS program at the beginning of the second semester of their junior year. At the time of application, students should have completed at least nine credits of 300-level ENEE or CMSC coursework.

The BS/MS program targets students whose academic performance is exceptional. Nine credits of graduate courses applied to the bachelor's degree may be counted also for graduate credit in an individual student's program. Courses to be double-counted must be at the 600-level or above and must receive at least a grade of B-. Individual study courses, internships, or courses given as credit by examination are not eligible.

The credits to be double-counted will be designated as applicable to the graduate program of study after the student receives the bachelor’s degree and matriculates in the Graduate School. Students must also formally apply to the Graduate School for admission to the ECE graduate program (generally two semesters before BS graduation). Students must follow all departmental and Graduate School deadlines and requirements for graduate admission. The Department offers two options for the BS/MS degree: Thesis and Non-Thesis.

Graduate level courses taken as part of the BS/MS program may be applied towards undergraduate major requirements.  Electrical Engineering majors can use their ENEE6xx courses as Category A or General Technical Elective requirements. Computer Engineering majors may use their ENEE6xx courses towards their Category C or Category F (Gen Tech Elective) requirements.

Please note the following Graduate School policy "Students admitted to a combined Bachelor’s-Master’s Program may not defer the start of their Master’s program, but may request a Leave of Absence in their first year in the Master's program. Students who do not begin their Master’s program the term after completing their Bachelor’s degree will have the double-counted credits converted to being counted only for the Bachelor’s degree."

Enrollment is based on a review of the following criteria:

• UMD transcript
  • Minimum 3.6 GPA. If you have at least a 3.5 GPA, you are still encouraged to apply, but would need to submit a letter of support from your faculty mentor.
• Faculty mentor recommendation (ECE regular faculty member)
  • Students should identify a faculty mentor in their area of technical interest.
  • Mentor should be able to attest to the student’s exceptional qualifications and speak to the student’s ability to perform in the graduate-level courses to be taken as an undergraduate.
• Plan of study
  • The student should seek advice on suitability and feasibility of the study plan.
  • The plan of study needs to include the remaining undergraduate coursework, including BS/MS courses, but does not need to include the entire MS plan of study.

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying to the BS/MS program, we recommend that you attend one of the BS/MS information sessions that are held each semester. The spring 2025 information session to be announced. Stay tuned!

Once you attend a session, you can discuss the feasibility of the program in your academic plan with your assigned advisor. If this seems like a viable option, please make an appointment to speak with Ms. Souad Nejjar, Program Manager of Graduate Studies, to discuss the application process.

The following are forms that you will need to apply. Please submit these materials to Souad in the Graduate Studies Office to be considered for the BS/MS program:

1. BS/MS Mentor Form (Required)
2. BS/MS Plan of Study (Required) - include remaining undergraduate coursework. Obtain Undergraduate Advisor signature before submitting to the Graduate Studies Office.

Optional materials for planning:

1. BS/MS Worksheet (MS Thesis Option) - undergraduate and graduate combined plan
2. BS/MS Worksheet (MS Non-thesis Option) - undergraduate and graduate combined plan