BS/MS Combined Degree Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BS/MS combined degree in Mechanical Engineering?
The BS/MS combined degree allows qualified Mechanical Engineering undergraduates to earn both the BS and the Master of Science (MS) in approximately five years, which is about one year faster than completing the two degrees separately. Students complete at least 152 total credit hours, including 6 graduate credit hours that double-count toward both the BS and MS degrees.
What MS options are available within the BS/MS program?
The combined program leads to the Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering with either a thesis or non-thesis option. Departmental communications also show that students commonly connect this pathway with structured graduate interests in areas such as aerospace, systems, engineering management, and related ME graduate study options.
How does the five-year timeline work in practice?
Students complete the first three years as undergraduates, begin graduate coursework and, for thesis students, research in the fourth year, and then complete the remaining MS requirements in a fifth year. Both degrees are awarded simultaneously after all BS and MS requirements are completed.
Who is eligible to apply for the BS/MS combined degree?
Applicants must be Mechanical Engineering undergraduates at the University of Utah, typically in the third year, with at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA. For the thesis option, the pre-screening process also requires a faculty research adviser reference.
When should students apply, and what is the pre-screening process?
Students are generally pre-screened during the junior year or early in the senior year so graduate coursework can be planned before the BS is completed. After pre-screening, students typically meet with the Director of Graduate Studies and the graduate academic advisor to discuss eligibility, course selection, and thesis versus non-thesis planning.
How many letters of recommendation are required?
For thesis-track students, the screening form requires a faculty research adviser reference. Department emails also indicate that the formal graduate application for internal BS/MS students has been configured to require one recommender rather than the higher number commonly used for external applicants.
How many credits are required, and how much can be double-counted?
Students must complete at least 152 semester credit hours in total, with at least 122 credits satisfying BS requirements and at least 30 credits satisfying MS requirements. Two of the four BS technical electives, totaling 6 credit hours, are taken at the 6000 level and double-count toward both degrees.
Which courses can be counted toward the MS degree?
Only graduate courses that satisfy MS requirements may be counted, and any course offered at both the 5000 and 6000 level must be taken at the 6000 level to apply to the MS. Students must complete at least 6 graduate credit hours during the senior year and may take up to 12 graduate credit hours before finishing the BS.
Is there a fixed roadmap for the BS/MS program
The department page defines the credit and policy framework, but departmental advising practices show that the actual plan is individualized for each student. Students work with the Director of Graduate Studies and the graduate advisor to develop a course and research plan that fits their sub-discipline interests and degree goals.
Can students take graduate courses in the summer?
Yes, students may take graduate courses in the summer when appropriate offerings are available. Department emails direct students to the official class schedule to verify current offerings and then confirm with advising that the selected courses will count properly toward the BS/MS and MS requirements.
How does research fit into the thesis BS/MS option?
Thesis-track students are encouraged to begin research as early as the summer between the third and fourth years. Research may be integrated into the senior capstone sequence or carried out separately with a faculty adviser, and the thesis is expected to involve more in-depth and original work than a standard undergraduate design project.
What is the non-thesis BS/MS option?
The non-thesis option provides additional graduate depth and breadth through coursework rather than a thesis. Students take graduate technical-elective credits during the senior year that double-count and then complete the remaining MS coursework plus the required exit process before both degrees are awarded.
When does a student become a graduate student?
Students remain undergraduates until all BS requirements are completed and they are admitted to the Graduate School. After that status change, both the BS and MS are awarded together once all degree requirements are finished.
What financial aid opportunities are available?
During the fourth year, BS/MS students may receive hourly positions. After admission to the Graduate School and classification as MS students, they may be eligible for research assistantships, teaching assistantships, grading positions, and the University of Utah Tuition Benefit Program, subject to Graduate School rules and available funding.
What happens if a student leaves the BS/MS pathway?
Students who leave the BS/MS program may still apply completed coursework toward the BS and may later pursue a separate MS. However, they generally lose the benefit of double-counting those graduate technical-elective credits unless they took additional eligible coursework and successfully petition for graduate credit treatment later.
Where should students go for advising or more information?
Students should consult the Mechanical Engineering graduate program pages for official degree requirements and then schedule an appointment with the Director of Graduate Studies or the graduate academic advisor for individualized planning. Participation in the BS/MS combined degree remains contingent on Graduate School admission and approval of the program of study.