undergraduate study / programs / honors & combined degreescombined bachelor's / master's program
mccormick’s combined bs/ms program allows undergraduates to pursue a bachelor’s degree (bs) and master’s degree (ms) simultaneously, shortening the time required to earn a master’s degree.
with careful planning, students may commence work on their master’s degree before completing their bachelor’s degree. for some students, it may be possible to earn both degrees at the same time, in just four years. in the last several years, over 30 bs/ms students have completed both degrees in four years.
students can pursue master’s degrees in the same department as their bachelor’s or in a different department.
see our list of recommended undergraduate courses
how to apply
for information about applying to the bs/ms program, please contact bruce lindvall at b-lindvall@northwestern.edu.
letters of recommendation
undergraduates with a cumulative gpa of 3.50 and above are guaranteed admission in most cases.
students with a cumulative gpa below 3.50 are required to submit two letters of recommendation; these are important in the admission process. many students are admitted to the program with solid gpas below 3.5.
important suggestions
- if you are interested in a master’s degree, work closely with your undergraduate adviser or with bruce lindvall.
- if your ultimate goal is to complete a
phd , you should consider pursuing an ms with the thesis option. bruce lindvall is available to assist. - if you plan to seek a master’s degree in another department, review the list of recommended undergraduate courses that you should take as an undergraduate.
- contact the director of graduate studies in the master's degree department. they are responsible for graduate admission to that department. please refer to the list below and make an appointment to see them early in your undergraduate years.
director of ms studies for each mccormick department:
- biomedical engineering: casey ankeny
- chemical and biological engineering: jennifer cole
- civil and environmental engineering: giuseppe buscarnera
- computer science: chris riesbeck
- electrical and computer engineering: david zaretsky
- engineering science and applied mathematics: vladimir volpert
- materials science and engineering: yip-wah chung
- mechanical engineering: manohar kulkarni
- master of science in engineering design and innovation: amy o'keefe
master’s program in same academic department
if you wish to begin a master’s program following completion of your bachelor’s degree in the same department, you should apply for ms admission during your senior year.
additional questions?
contact bruce a. lindvall, assistant dean for graduate studies, in l261. he can be reached at (847) 491-4547 or b-lindvall@northwestern.edu.
