Accelerated Masters Degrees for Mason Undergraduates

Accelerated master’s degree programs (also called "BAMs," for Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's) are designed for Mason’s highly qualified and highly motivated undergraduates.

Interdisciplinary Studies offers a BAM option in 7 concentrations.

Why BAM?

BAM pathways are appropriate for high-performing Mason undergraduates who seek a master’s degree and want to save time and money. Students who maximize their BAM opportunity can earn their master’s degree in less time and pay graduate tuition rates for fewer credits.

Saving Time: BAM undergraduate may take up to 12 credits of graduate courses in “advanced standing.” These credits will count towards both their undergraduate and graduate degrees, enabling them to graduate with their BA (or BS) and their Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) in 144 credits instead of 156.

Saving Money: BAM degree pathways save students money by enabling them to take up to 18 credits of graduate courses at undergraduate tuition rates. Twelve of these graduate credits are taken in “advanced standing” and count towards both the undergraduate and graduate degree. The other 6 graduate credits are taken as an undergraduate, but are held in “reserve graduate credit,” meaning they will not count towards the undergraduate degree. They are held “in reserve” to count towards the student’s master’s degree, at Mason or even at another university.

Getting Started with the BAM Process