Options for B.S./M.S. program:

Thesis Option

 Thesis option: research with a UM professor funded by a graduate research assistantship or fellowship or research funded by industry or government laboratory.

First step, exploring research areas that interest you:

During the 1st and 2nd semester of junior year, potential B.S./M.S. program students seek out faculty members with research topics in areas that interest them.

Students can meet with the faculty member, discuss the faculty member’s research projects. It is a good idea to ask if in general, the faculty member anticipates having graduate research assistantship openings on his/her research team.

Students can also ask whether the faculty member has hourly research positions or opportunities for independent study (ENME488) credit open to undergraduates. Working in the lab as an undergraduate gives students an opportunity to explore possible topics as a junior and gain experience in a research setting.  (Graduate funding is not an option until a student graduates with a B.S. degree. At the undergraduate level, students continue to pay their own tuition but an hourly job in a research lab is encouraged.)

Need help getting started?

For a list of all ME professors and links to their research pages, visit: http://www.enme.umd.edu/research

Kerri Poppler James (kjames3@umd.edu) can help you narrow down the list of faculty members to a smaller group; you can then delve deeper on-line into their research to see if it would interest you for a master’s degree. You may want to approach a few faculty members to see if they have openings and to find out more about the topic and their labs.

The point to this process is to give faculty and students a chance to match interests with opportunities. There may not be sufficient funded opportunities in a topic area that interests you at the University of Maryland. It is a good idea to explore other institutions and their programs during your junior and senior year.

Program Steps/Timeline

When do I “start” the program?

Students begin participating in the BS/MS program during their senior year when they enroll in graduate courses approved for their program. However, no final commitment is made by the student until the application for graduate school is submitted, see “Applying for Graduate School” below. The Department must first admit the student for graduate study.

Admissions criteria for B.S./M.S. program:

1. GPA of at least 3.5
2. No more than 30 credits of ENME courses remaining for the BS
3. No more than 6 credits of CORE/Gen Ed requirements remaining

How do I choose the courses?

During the semester in which you meet the B.S./M.S. admissions criteria, you will need to consider which graduate level courses to take as an undergraduate.

B.S./M.S. students can take up to 9 credits that will count for both the B.S. and the M.S. program. A total of 150 credits are required for both degrees. 

Courses need to be pre-approved by the graduate and undergraduate program directors, and by the Clark School of Engineering. Courses should be cleared the semester prior to enrollment in that course. After these approvals have been received students must fill out the Graduate School’s B.S./M.S. course form:   https://www.gradschool.umd.edu/forms

After discussing courses with your advisor, send this form to Kerri Poppler James at kjames3@umd.edu.

Students who will take graduate courses in a Fall term should discuss course selection in March with their potential faculty advisor (October for students who will take graduate courses in Spring.) 

Request contact information from Kerri Poppler James, kjames3@umd.edu.

Applying for Graduate School:

When?

Apply in December prior to completion of the B.S. degree for students who will graduate in May, and in September for students who will graduate in December. Submit your application for graduate school on-line via the web application. http://www.gradschool.umd.edu/

What do I need to submit?

You will need to submit:

1. At least 3 letters of recommendation. Enter the name and email of the reference in the application screen and they will be contacted automatically. Be sure to obtain approval from the reference before submitting his/her name.
2. An essay of statement of purpose
3. Application fee
4. Scanned copy of your UMD transcript

NO GRE is required. We ask that you not send your GRE score to UMD if you are applying as a B.S./M.S. student.

Once your application has been submitted, remind your faculty advisor to email Megan Wells at mpetry@umd.edu, indicating that he/she “recommends you for admission to the M.S. program.”

Questions about the graduate application process?

Please contact Megan Wells, Program Manager for Graduate Studies at mpetry@umd.edu.

What are some of the advantages of the B.S./M.S. program?

• Up to 9 credits can double count for the B.S. and the M.S. program.
• GRE score is waived.
• Opportunity to meet with and  pursue research with faculty members prior to pursuing graduate program.
• Opportunity for financial support for graduate program through graduate assistantships.