ACCELERATED BS / MS
Watson/SOM Fast Track MBA Program
A combined BS and MBA degree program provides Watson undergraduate students with the opportunity to complete their BS degree and MBA degree within five years. In order to complete this program, students will be required to take three core MBA courses during the junior and/or senior year. Upon completion of their senior year, students receive their BS degree. In the fifth year they are officially admitted to the MBA program. Information about this program is available on the School of Management website.
Fast Track Electrical and Computer Engineering BS/MS Program
A combined BS and MSEE degree program is available for motivated students working toward the BS in electrical or computer engineering. To be eligible, undergraduate students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher after five semesters (fall semester, junior year). Students apply for admission to the combined-degree program during their junior year by completing a short application available in the Watson School Advising Office. Once admitted to the program, students begin taking graduate courses during their senior year. Up to three graduate courses taken in the student.s senior year can count both toward their MS degree requirements and their senior elective requirements. By January 15 of the senior year, a formal application for Graduate School admission must be completed, which assuming continued good performance is only a formality.
After admission to the graduate program, students are encouraged to seek employment as a graduate research assistant in one of the department.s research projects. The research experience gained in the summer after finishing the BS degree provides an excellent experience and a start on an MS thesis project. Typically this start on the MS thesis allows the completion of the MS thesis option in one academic year beyond the BS degree. The expectation is that students in the program will complete the BS and MS degrees in five years. Students in the combined-degree program receive their BS degree after completing their undergraduate requirements. They must then continue as a full-time student in order for the graduate courses taken as an undergraduate to count toward the MS degree requirements. The MS degree is an excellent professional credential, which usually commands a substantially higher starting salary. The combined program offers the advantage of less time to degree completion, finishing the MS while a full-time student rather than an extended part-time program, and the ability to start employment at the master.s level.
