Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's

Accelerate your education.

The CU Boulder Bachelor’s - Accelerated Master’s (BAM) degree program offers enrolled undergraduate students the opportunity to receive a bachelor’s (BS) and master’s (MS) degree in an expedited period of time. Students complete their BS degree, but begin taking graduate coursework as an undergraduate (typically in their senior year). Because some courses are allowed to double count for both the BS and the MS degrees, students receive a MS degree in less time and at a lower cost than if they were to enroll in a standalone master’s degree program after completion of the undergraduate degree. 

Curriculum & Requirements

Students can complete up to 12 credit hours/4 classes of graduate-level coursework during their undergraduate career that can be used toward the MS degree. Six of the 12 credit hours must be ECEN 5000+ level coursework, and are permitted to double-count toward the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree. The remaining six credit hours/2 classes can be 5000+ graduate-level coursework in ECEE or other STEM departments. BAM students should consult with the graduate program advisors in ECEE to determine that all 12 credits/4 classes will count toward their selected graduate degree in advance of taking the courses. The MS degree is 30 total credits/10 classes.  

Students may be eligible to begin applying for the BAM in their junior year. At the latest, students must apply to graduate with the bachelor’s degree and then apply to continue with the master’s degree early in the semester in which their undergraduate requirements will be completed.  Please see below for required deadlines.

The following BAM programs are available in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering: 

Bachelor of Science in one of the following:

Graduate degree in one of the following: 

Admission Requirements

General Requirements

In order to gain admission to the BAM programs named above, a student must meet the following criteria, with no exceptions:

  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher.
  • Have a major GPA of 3.00 or higher.
  • Have no MAPS deficiencies.
    • Students who matriculated Summer 2023 and later will not need to meet MAPS as a part of BAM admission requirements.
  • Have at least junior class standing (60 credits completed)

Electrical Engineering Majors: Prerequisite Coursework Requirements

Students must have completed at least five of the following courses with a C grade or higher at the time of admission.

Required: You will need at least two of the following Advanced Analog Core courses:

  • ECEN 3250: Microelectronics
  • ECEN 3300: Linear Systems
  • ECEN 3400: Electromagnetic Fields & Waves

The remaining three courses must come from the following list:

  • ECEN 2260: Circuits as Systems
  • ECEN 2270: Electronics Design Lab
  • ECEN 2360: Programming Digital Systems or CSCI 2400: Computer Systems
  • ECEN 2370: Embedded Software Engineering
  • ECEN 3810: Introduction to Probability Theory or APPM 3570: Applied Probability, MATH 4510: Introduction to Probability, or STAT 3100: Applied Probability

Electrical and Computer Engineering Majors: Prerequisite Coursework Requirements

Students must have completed at least five of the following courses with a C grade or higher at the time of admission.

Required: You will need at least one of the following Advanced Analog Core courses or ECEN 3753:

  • ECEN 3250: Microelectronics
  • ECEN 3300: Linear Systems
  • ECEN 3400: Electromagnetic Fields & Waves
  • ECEN 3753: Real-Time Operating Systems or CSCI 3753: Design and Analysis of Operating Systems

The remaining four courses must come from the following list:

  • ECEN 2260: Circuits as Systems
  • ECEN 2270: Electronics Design Lab
  • ECEN 2360: Programming Digital Systems or CSCI 2400: Computer Systems
  • ECEN 2370: Embedded Software Engineering
  • ECEN 3810: Introduction to Probability Theory or APPM 3570: Applied Probability, MATH 4510: Introduction to Probability, or STAT 3100: Applied Probability

Steps to Apply

Verify that all general requirements and prerequisite coursework (listed above) are satisfied before submitting any application materials.

1. Submit Application Materials

Eligible students may apply for the BAM program by completing the
BAM Intent Form. 

The following dates are the final department deadlines for submitting the form prior to graduation, though we suggest submitting sooner if general requirements and prerequisites have been completed:

  • Sept. 15 for those earning their BS degree in fall
  • Jan. 10 for those earning their BS degree in spring
  • Feb. 15 for those earning their BS degree in summer

If these deadlines are missed, we cannot guarantee admissions to the BAM program.

2. Prepare for Continuation

Once the undergraduate degree is completed, change your status from undergraduate to graduate
by the following deadlines:

  • Oct. 1 for those earning their BS degree in fall
  • Feb. 1 for those earning their BS degree in spring
  • March 1 for those earning their BS degree in summer

Questions?

Undergraduate students should contact their undergraduate academic advisor to learn more about BAM programs offered with their particular undergraduate degree program. Students are also welcome to   contact the relevant graduate program advisor for the MS program to learn more about the master’s program and to determine their eligibility for admission to the BAM program. For ECEE, the graduate advisor contact email is ecegrad@colorado.edu 

Funding the MS Degree

Master’s students should plan on providing their own fellowships and/or private funds to finance their education. Possible funding sources may include student loans, outside fellowships, employer sponsorships, etc. Some funding information/opportunities may be found on the Graduate School's funding website.The CU Office of Financial Aid has full information on federal programs for domestic graduate students, eligibility, and what you need to do apply.

ECEE does not use Teaching Assistantships. Instead, we hire hourly course support student roles which both traditional and professional MS students are eligible for. Research Assistantships are generally reserved for PhD students and are rarely available to master's students. Research positions are not centrally managed. Students must reach out directly to faculty to find research opportunities. Professional MS students are not eligible for Teaching Assistantship or Research Assistantship roles; only traditional MS students are eligible if positions become available.

Student employment can also be found throughout campus.

Tuition costs differ between the professional master's program and traditional MS program; additional tuition differences apply due to in-state or out-of-state residency. For more information, visit the Bursar: