Bachelor's/Master's Combined Degree
Academically strong, motivated students in certain undergraduate school programs can pursue a concurrent, combined bachelor’s/master's degree program. This program is restricted to Northwestern University undergraduates and is limited to certain degree programs within the University.
The Graduate School offers combined degree programs in the following disciplines: chemistry, comparative literary studies, economics, French, linguistics, plant biology and conservation, public health, statistics, and all departments in the McCormick School of Engineering with TGS programs except Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences.
Admission
To be considered for admission into the combined program, applicants must submit a completed combined degree application to their admitting program. In addition, most programs require the submission of two letters of recommendation and official transcripts.
Applicants should check with their admitting program for specific application requirement details. In all cases, applicants must have at least one quarter of undergraduate study remaining at the time of their application to the combined degree program.
Student status
Students who finish their undergraduate degree concurrently with their master’s degree will remain categorized as “undergraduate” for their entire term of study (no more than twelve quarters, typically). Students who receive their undergraduate degree (after twelve quarters) but have remaining graduate course work to complete will be given "graduate" status upon graduation from their undergraduate school.
Requirements
Combined degree (bachelor’s/master’s) students must meet The Graduate School’s minimum course requirements to earn the master’s degree. Students must successfully complete at least nine quality letter-graded course units (ABC, not P/NP or S/U) authorized for graduate credit in addition to meeting the minimum degree/unit requirements for the bachelor’s degree. TGS allows a maximum of three courses to count towards both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, certain programs may have more strict requirements. Students should speak with the undergraduate and graduate programs about double counting potential of their course work.
Courses presented for the master’s degree must have an average 3.0 GPA and follow the grading requirements of The Graduate School. Courses with grades of D or CR cannot be used to meet The Graduate School’s minimum requirements for the master’s degree.
Students must speak with both their undergraduate and graduate advisers to ensure that both sets of requirements are met without exceeding the limits of double counting, if permitted.
Degree Completion
Students receive two degrees as part of this combined course of study, one from their undergraduate school and one from TGS.
Students may pursue this course of study once they are within one quarter of completing their undergraduate degree. Some students may complete the combined degree program concurrently, that is, by completing the degree requirements for the bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the same time. Other students may complete the undergraduate degree first and then complete the master’s degree after having graduated from their undergraduate college. Students in this program may not receive their master’s degree ahead of their bachelor’s degree.
Financial Aid
Students interested in this program must be aware of certain financial aid information and implications:
- Undergraduates may receive up to four years of financial aid to support undergraduate study; after four years and once a student receives their bachelor's degree, undergraduate financial aid packages do not apply, as students will be shifted to graduate status.
- Students who do not complete the master's degree concurrently with the bachelor's degree, and will need aid to support further study at the graduate level, should apply for financial aid by completing the FAFSA in their twelfth quarter.
- Students may not serve as a TA while receiving undergraduate aid. In order to serve as a TA, students pursuing these combined degrees must formally forfeit their undergraduate financial aid (if they have such a package).
- Students who forfeit their undergraduate status will also forfeit their student health insurance, housing, and meal plan; for all intents and purposes, the students will be considered graduate students.
- Students who officially switch status from undergraduate to graduate may receive the TGS health subsidy and may be subject to the TGS activity fee.