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The BAM program offers current ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder Mechanical, Environmental, and Integrated Design Engineering undergraduate students the opportunity to receive both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a shorter period of time. Students receive the bachelor’s degree first, but begin taking graduate coursework as undergraduates, typically in their senior year. Because some courses are allowed to double-count for both the bachelor’s and the master’s degrees, students receive a master’s degree in less time and at a lower cost than if they were to enroll in a stand-alone master’s degree program after completion of their BS. In addition, staying at ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder to pursue a BAM program enables a student to continue working with their established faculty mentors. 

Admissions

Students apply to the BAM ME program after completing all admission eligibility requirements. Eligibility requirements vary based on UG major. Students must apply to graduate with their bachelor’s degree and apply to continue with the master’s degree early in the semester when the undergraduate requirements will be completed or as soon as they complete all eligibility requirements by submitting the .

More information regarding admissions eligibility and application deadlines can be found on the BAM ME Admissions webpage. 

Academics

Most students in the BAM program will complete the requirements of the Professional MS program. Students admitted to the BAM program can be switched to the MS Thesis program if they notify the graduate program at megrad@colorado.edu that they have secured a thesis advisor and wish to complete the requirements of the MS Thesis program. However, most BAM students who are pursuing the thesis program extend their MS tenure past the "accelerated" timeline of one-year.

For the BAM ME professional and thesis program, students may take up to 12 credit hours which can later be used toward the master’s degree while in the undergraduate program. However, only six credits may be double-counted toward the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree (talk to UG Advisor about double-counting towards BS). To have courses count towards the master's degree, they must be 5000-level or higher and completed with a C or higher. The remaining six credits can be applied to the master's degree only.

Both the thesis and professional degree programs require a minimum of 30 cumulative credits, 18 of which must be from the Mechanical Engineering (MCEN) department, 5000-level or above, and earn a C or above in courses while keeping a 3.0 cumulative GPA. The amount of credits brought in (courses identified on the supplement form, see below) determine how many credits a student will need to complete in their MS tenure to meet the 30 cumulative credit minimum. For example, if a student brings in 3 double-counted credits (BS+MS counting) and 3 master's only credits, the student will need a total of 24 credits in their MS tenure to meet the 30 cumulative credit minimum. Additional requirements for the thesis or professional program are outlined in the webpages linked above. 

More may be found on the Registrar’s Office website.

Note: Students who were admitted to the BS/MS program prior to July 2019 follow a concurrent Bachelor’s/Master’s structure, and the two degrees are awarded simultaneously when requirements for both degrees are met.

BS to MS Transition

In the final semester of your bachelor’s degree work, complete these steps to continue with the master's degree:

•  with your bachelor's degree.
  • Deadlines and information will come from your UG advisor
• .
  • Designates when you will begin your MS tenure 
    • Students must begin the master's program within one year of completing their baccalaureate degree (three semesters, including summer) 
    • Can be resubmitted if MS tenure start term changes (ex/ Fall 2030 start instead of originally submitted Summer 2030) 
•  
  • Identifies which courses you're double counting and which you're using toward the master's degree.

The last day to complete all three steps is:

• Oct. 1 for fall graduates
• Feb. 1 for spring graduates
• March 1 for summer graduates

Students will matriculate into the master’s program without additional departmental review, as long as they meet the basic continuation requirement of a 3.00 cumulative GPA. International students must have approval from International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) prior to matriculation. 

More may be found on the Registrar’s Office website.

Financial Information

Prior to completing the baccalaureate degree, students are assessed undergraduate tuition rates. Once admitted to the master's program, students are assessed graduate tuition rates. (In-state graduate students are assessed resident graduate tuition, but do not receive COF.) In addition, graduate students receiving financial aid are considered for different types and amounts of aid. Graduate students are primarily offered student loans.

Withdrawal/Discontinuation from BAM

If you're a BAM student at undergraduate status and your expected graduation term has changed, or if you've decided not to continue with the master's degree, submit a .

If you’re a BAM student at graduate status and you no longer want to continue with the master's degree, please submit a withdrawal form.