Combined Graduate & Undergraduate Programs
The College of Engineering offers a number of combined degree (BS/MS) programs for undergraduate students with outstanding academic records to encourage them to pursue advanced degrees. This allows well-qualified undergraduate students at Ohio State to start graduate study before completing their undergraduate degree. Enrolling in a combined BS/MS program can shorten the total time to get both bachelor's and master's degrees. By enrolling in a combined BS/MS program, students are eligible to count up to 9 semester credit-hours of courses taken as a graduate student toward their bachelor's degree - and these credit-hours also count toward the master's degree.
Programs
For information about the specific combined BS/MS programs in Engineering, including possible additional restrictions on undergraduate GPA, courses that can be double-counted, timetables and procedures for application, admission, enrollment, etc., see the department-specific information and program contacts for these graduate areas:
Tiles
Accordions
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 graduate & undergraduate program in Engineering if:
- you are an OSU undergraduate student (not necessarily in Engineering); and
- you have at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA in all previous undergraduate work; and
- you have completed at least 90 undergraduate semester credit hours toward the BS degree.
The application deadline for a combined degree program depends on the application deadline for the MS program. See the program links below for more details. In addition to meeting any MS program application deadlines, applications to a BS/MS program are due no later than three weeks before the start of each term. International student applications are due no later than nine weeks before the start of each term in order to allow sufficient time for the Graduate School's financial review process. It is best to apply early in order to allow time for programs to review the application before the final deadlines.
There are several steps you’ll need to complete before enrolling as a Combined Degree student.
- Meet with both your undergraduate advisor and the graduate program coordinator to discuss your plans. Talk about which degree plan you would like to pursue, ask how to apply to the graduate program, make a list of the classes you would like to double-count for both the undergraduate and the graduate degree, and make sure both advisors have approved the coursework as meeting requirements. Be sure to keep in mind that no more than 9 credit hours can be double-counted, and that you can only double-count courses taken after admission to the BS/MS program; no coursework from past terms may be double-counted.
- Students will record their plan on the BSMS Schedule Projection. Students will need to list all courses they plan to complete from their first semester in the BSMS program through the semester they graduate with their BS degree. Courses should be marked as undergraduate only, BSMS overlap, or graduate only (please review policy in Enrolling in Graduate Only Courses tab below).
- You will need to apply to the graduate program from which you plan to earn the master’s degree, following the normal graduate admission process, and indicate on the application your desire to enter the combined BS/MS program. You must complete the normal application to the MS program before you can apply to the BS/MS Combined Degree program.
- After completing the first two steps, you can access the online application form for the BS/MS Combined Degree program at https://gradforms.osu.edu/grad-forms/form/enrollmentForms. It’s important to note that you will not be able to edit the form after submitting it, so you need to plan your coursework carefully and be sure you have discussed these plans and received approval from your advisor and the graduate program coordinator.
- After your application form has been reviewed by the Graduate School, the undergraduate advisor for the BS program, the graduate coordinator for the MS program, the Graduate Studies Chair for the MS program, the College of Engineering BS/MS Coordinator, and you will receive an email notifying you of your admission status.
When you schedule the courses on your BS/MS Combined Degree, be sure to choose the undergraduate option as you enroll in BuckeyeLink.
The courses listed on your BS/MS Combined Degree form are considered an official and permanent part of your graduate record, and changes to this course list can only be made within specific enrollment deadlines:
- Before each semester begins, if you change your plans, you can request that the form be updated with a revised course list.
- After a semester begins, the deadline to request that a current course be added to the form is Friday of the second week, which is listed in the Registrar’s Important Dates as “the last day to add a course without instructor’s written permission”.
- After a semester begins, the deadline to request that a current course be removed from the form is Friday of the fourth week, which is listed in the Registrar’s Important Dates as “the last date to drop a course without receiving a ‘W’ on record”.
- If you do not enroll in a course on your BS/MS Combined Degree form, you can request that it be removed.
- The final deadline for any changes, which must also align with the deadlines above, will be the Friday of the fourth week of the semester in which you are completing your BS degree, which is listed in the Registrar’s Important Dates as “the last date to drop a course without receiving a ‘W’ on record”.
If you are a current BS/MS student and have a request to change your BS/MS Combined Degree course list within these deadlines, you should submit the request by email to your undergradaute advisor, your graduate program coordinator, and the College of Engineering BS/MS Program Coordinator at ENG-BSMS@osu.edu.
The BS/MS Combined Degree courses and grades will only be visible on your undergraduate record until your BS degree is completed, at which time the courses and grades will become visible on your graduate record and transcript.
Students interested in pursuing a BS/MS program should not utilize the Senior Petition. Students should consult with their academic advisors to discuss which program would be best for them to participate. A student who has already completed a course under senior petition may enroll in the BS/MS program, however their BS/MS course overlap hour limit will be reduced. Students are only permitted to count at most 9 hours of senior petition coursework and BS/MS overlap coursework combined. (Ex. a student who completed 3 hours through senior petition will be limited to 6 hours in the BS/MS program.)
Students enrolled in the BSMS program are only permitted to enroll in graduate courses as part of their BSMS curriculum (9 hours of overlap). Students are not permitted to enroll in courses that only apply to their graduate degree. Once students graduate with their BS degree, they will be able to enroll in graduate courses.
Students who have fulfilled all BS degree requirements and still have room in their final semester may petition to enroll in courses that apply only to their graduate degree. BSMS students are required to complete their BS degree as soon as possible, thus petitions will not be approved for students who have delayed their BS graduation in order to enroll in graduate courses.
Students should indicate their intention to complete courses for graduate only credit on their BSMS Schedule Projection. Undergraduate and Graduate BSMS coordinators will identify any issues in the proposed plan at the time of application. During registration for the final semester in the BS program, students should email ENG-BSMS@osu.edu requesting to enroll in Graduate only classes.
- If students are following their BSMS Schedule Projection, please confirm the graduate courses and credit hours for each course.
- If students have deviated from their BSMS schedule Projection, students should include their BS program and MS program BSMS coordinators on the email, and indicate the graduate courses and credit hours they wish to enroll for graduate only credit.
After requests are approved, the college office will increase the enrollment limit on the graduate schedule to allow the student to enroll in the approved courses.
Here are some additional points you should consider:
- When you apply to a combined BS/MS program, you get no preferential treatment for graduate admission merely by virtue of being an OSU undergraduate. 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.
- Students will continue to be assessed undergraduate tuition and fees until they graduate with the BS degree. For this reason, students are not permitted to enroll in courses that only count towards their graduate degree before graduating with their BS degree.
- 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 and enrollment deadlines at both levels.
FAFSA
Students should file the FAFSA as an undergraduate student (dependent with parent’s information) until completion of the undergraduate degree. Once students complete their B.S. degree they should file the FAFSA as an independent graduate student.
Students who have been previously classified as "Independent", who wish to maintain their undergraduate aid eligibility status while enrolled in the BS-MS program, should continue to select one of the qualifying criteria for “Independent” student status and indicate non-graduate program enrollment with no degree received by July 1 of that academic year.
Financial Aid
All BS/MS students will have a dual track in SIS as both an undergraduate student and a graduate student at Ohio State. Students will be charged undergraduate level fees. Students will be eligible to receive undergraduate scholarships (including those with undergraduate full-ride awards, such as Joyce and Land Grant) and participate in federal and state financial aid programs until all bachelor degree requirements have been met. Once bachelor degree requirements have been met, students will lose eligibility for undergraduate aid.
Engineering/Knowlton Undergraduate Program Fee
BS/MS students will be charged the Engineering/Knowlton Undergraduate Program Fee until the student graduates with their BS degree.
Questions?
For more information about the competitive admission process for graduate programs, curricular requirements, or other academic questions, please contact the program contact for the specific graduate program.
For information about completing the online Graduate School forms to apply to the graduate program or to the Combined Degree program, please contact the Graduate School directly.
Admitted BS/MS students with questions about the Combined Degree Approval Forms or other program questions, please contact the College of Engineering BS/MS Program Coordinator, at ENG-BSMS@osu.edu.