Approved Bachelor’s-Plus-Master’s (BPM) degree programs allow well qualified students at the University of Dayton to earn both a B.S./B.A and an M.S./M.A./MBA degree in an accelerated fashion, often enabling them to earn a master’s degree with only twelve additional months of study subsequent to completing their baccalaureate degree. This is achieved in part through careful program coordination and, in many cases, by allowing BPM undergraduates to take up to 6 credit hours of graduate coursework to simultaneously satisfy both undergraduate and graduate program requirements. While BPM programs are often referred to as “5-Year” programs, completing both degrees may in some cases require more than five years of study. The total period of study will be influenced by several factors including whether or not a student changes undergraduate majors, participates in a co-op program, drops and re-takes multiple courses or pursues a thesis option master’s degree. Interested undergraduates are encouraged to consult with their departmental or dean’s offices to learn more about BPM programs that may be available to them.

Note that in order to remain in compliance with Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) regulations, at the end of both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees all graduates from University of Dayton Bachelor+Master’s (BPM) programs must have earned a minimum of 150 unique credit hours. It is the responsibility of the graduate program director, with Registrar oversight, to ensure credit hour minimums have been met prior to approving conferral of the graduate degree.

Admission to the BPM Degree Program

Admission to a BPM program will typically occur during the first semester of the junior year. However, a student may be admitted anytime subsequent to completion of 60 semester hours of undergraduate coursework and prior to being awarded the baccalaureate degree. Admission to a BPM program requires a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade-point-average (GPA) of 3.00. Continued enrollment in the BPM program requires maintenance of an undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 and, when applicable, a graduate GPA of at least 3.00 as well. Individual programs may require additional or more stringent criteria according to their needs (e.g., higher minimum GPA’s, standards for performance within the undergraduate or graduate program, or the completion of specific coursework).

Admission to the Master’s Degree Program

Subsequent to admission to a BPM program, students must also apply for admission to the master’s program through the Office of Admission. To matriculate as a BPM Graduate Student, students must meet all admissions requirements and be fully accepted into an approved BPM graduate program. Streamlined acceptance into the graduate program is permitted, though application materials (e.g., GRE, transcripts, and letters of recommendation) must be in accordance with those specified by the program director.

Transcript Considerations

Joint-degree graduate course hours will be credited to both the undergraduate and graduate degree program requirements. Transcription of graduate only degree credit will, however, be contingent upon matriculation into the graduate degree program. If a conditionally admitted student does not achieve regular admission to the graduate program, any graduate work already completed will be noted on the undergraduate transcript only.

Joint-degree graduate course hours will be shown only on the undergraduate portion of a BPM student’s transcript and are included only in undergraduate quality point-average calculations. As a result, the graduate portion of a BPM student’s transcript will show up to 6 credit hours fewer than would be otherwise shown and the final graduate cumulative quality-point average will be calculated based upon a correspondingly fewer number of graduate credit hours. The following notation (or alternate language with similar effect) will also be included at the beginning of the graduate portion of a BPM student’s transcript:

"[Specific number] semester hours of graduate program requirements

were satisfied as an undergraduate student."

BPM Program Guidelines

The procedures and deadlines specified in the “Guidelines for Bachelor-Plus-Master’s Programs and Undergraduates Who Enroll in Graduate Coursework” document, available via the Graduate Academic Affairs page in Porches (Graduate Policies area), must be carefully followed. Failure to understand and follow these guidelines can result in substantial unanticipated costs to students, as well as registration and records errors that may affect timely degree completion.