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Students submit an intent application form through OnBase. Minimum standards for acceptance require a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Additional acceptance criteria are determined by the individual departments in conjunction with the appropriate school or college deans and the Graduate School. 

Departmental forms can be attached to address program-specific admission requirements. This is the single point at which departments review applications and make admissions decisions. After completing the bachelor's degree, students will submit a master's continuation form and be entered into the master's program without subsequent department review, provided they've maintained a 3.0 cumulative GPA (see question below).

When the intent application is approved, an identifying subplan code, an R09 service indicator and an expected graduation term will be entered on the student's record.

Students must apply online to graduate with their bachelor's degree for the semester in which they expect to complete those degree requirements (consistent with all undergraduate students). They will be received and cleared for graduation by their respective undergraduate college/school according to standard protocols. Students are eligible to participate in the general and departmental commencement ceremonies for the bachelor’s degree.

Deadline to apply to graduate (bachelor's degree):

• February 1 (for students graduating in May)
• March 1 (for students graduating in August)
• October 1 (for students graduating in December)

At the beginning of the last semester in which students are enrolled in the remaining requirements for the undergraduate degree portion of the BAM, they must formally request to continue with the accelerated master's program by completing a streamlined master's continuation form through Slate.

This simple process will not require documents such as letters of recommendation or personal statements, and students will not be required to pay an application fee. The process will not require departmental review. Students will be matriculated into the master's program if they meet the basic continuation requirement of 3.0 GPA. International students must have approval from International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) prior to matriculation (see question below).

The deadline to submit the master's continuation form matches the undergraduate graduation application deadline (students may select a start term within three semesters):

• February 1 (for students graduating in May)
• March 1 (for students graduating in August)
• October 1 (for students graduating in December)

These dates ensure that students can register along with continuing graduate students for the upcoming semester/term.

Students must begin the master's program within one academic year (three semesters, including summer) and must select their term of admission on the application. Advising will be necessary for students if their master's program only permits students to start in a particular semester (e.g., programs with a prescribed fall semester start).

Upon submitting a master's continuation form through Slate, international students in F-1 or J-1 visa status are prompted to contact ISSS to provide the proof of funding required for a change in level. Upon approval by ISSS, the student may continue to move forward in the matriculation process.

Students are prompted to select the semester in which their bachelor’s degree will be awarded; this should match the semester in which they apply to graduate in Buff Portal to earn the undergraduate degree.  They will then be prompted to select the semester in which they plan to begin the master’s degree, and should then select the semester in which they first plan to take a graduate level course after earning the bachelor’s degree. If they plan to take their first course in summer, they must select summer.

Students must begin the master's program within one academic year (three semesters, including summer) and must select their term of admission on the master’s continuation form.  This would allow them to take time away before beginning the master’s program. The leave of absence program is available to students only after they have completed at least one semester of the master’s program.

If the student changes their planned semester of undergraduate graduation or their planned semester to begin the master’s degree, they must resubmit the master’s continuation form with updated information. Failure to do so can cause a problem with matriculation or can cause discontinuation if they do not register during their originally planned first semester at graduate status.  If the expected undergraduate graduation term has changed, they must also apply anew to graduate through Buff Portal and submit a BAM change/discontinuation form.

As is the case with all master’s students, a student who does not register during their first semester will be discontinued. The student will then need to resubmit the master’s continuation form for one of their three potential start terms. If they no longer plan to continue with the master’s program, no additional action is necessary.

First, the student should select their current undergraduate program. In some cases, there may be multiple options at the undergraduate level; they must select the plan assigned in Campus Solutions. Next, the form will display the master’s programs which have a BAM program pairing with that undergraduate degree; they must select the program for which they were originally admitted with their BAM intent application.

Selecting a plan which was not approved with the original BAM intent application will cause a problem with matriculation. If the student’s plan needs to be updated, contact us for assistance.

Students supply an expected graduation term in their intent application, which should be discussed with their academic advisor. This will be entered in Campus Solutions and an R11 service indicator will be placed on these students' accounts. This will prevent students for registering for upcoming terms without applying to graduate, applying to continue to the master's degree or updating their expected graduation term through the Office of the Registrar. 

Students also receive instructional and reminder communications prior to and during their expected graduation term.

The student will submit a BAM supplement form through OnBase that identifies:

• The 12 or fewer credits the student took during their undergraduate career that can be applied toward their graduate degree
• Which of those courses are being counted toward both the bachelor's and master's degrees

This form must be submitted by the posted deadline during the semester in which the bachelor's degree will be awarded. It must then be reviewed and approved by both the undergraduate college and the graduate program. It is essential that this form be submitted in a timely fashion and that all advisors understand the credits being applied to each degree and which will be double counted. Advisors should work together as needed to ensure that students have met all degree requirements within the framework of the BAM policy.

If the student has already applied to graduate, they should cancel their current application and submit a new application with their revised graduation term. Students who have not applied to graduate will need to update their expected graduation term by submitting the BAM program change/discontinuation form to the Office of the Registrar. 

Students who are at undergraduate status and would like to discontinue the BAM program (i.e., receive their undergraduate degree and not continue to a graduate degree) should submit the BAM program change/discontinuation form through the Office of the Registrar. This will remove the BAM subplan and R09 service indicator from the student's record, as well as update their expected graduation term.

Students who have received their undergraduate degree may withdraw from their graduate plan and/or courses through the Office of the Registrar using the normal withdraw process. Students at graduate status who fail to register for one or more semesters will be discontinued.