Bachelor's/Master's Program

You may apply up until the last day of classes the semester prior to beginning a master’s program.  For most students, this is at the end of the spring semester of their senior year.  Keep in mind you will want to provide adequate time for faculty to write letters of recommendation (i.e., several weeks in advance of the last day of classes).  The earliest you should apply is at the start of your senior year.  However, you can start discussing and planning for this option with your advisors much earlier (such as at the start of your junior year).  Scholarship levels for the master’s degree, which are based upon cumulative GPA’s, are determined at the time of application to the master’s degree.

No, you may be awarded the bachelor’s degree before you earn the master’s degree.  Many students do wait and earn both degrees at the same time.  Students who started WashU as first-year students are classified as undergraduates for eight semesters (four years), and are then classified as master’s students during their final two semesters (fifth year) at WashU.

The master’s scholarship is only applied when a student is classified as a master’s student.  This occurs after 8 semesters of undergraduate study or upon conferral of your undergraduate degree.

Note that undergraduate Latin Honors are based upon a student’s cumulative GPA when the bachelor’s degree is earned, regardless of when the bachelor’s degree is earned (i.e., if you earn both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree at the same time, the master’s course grades are included in the cumulative GPA).

If you can graduate early with your undergraduate degree, yes, you can apply for the master’s degree early.  You should apply during the semester that you are finishing your undergraduate degree requirements.  In order to receive the master’s scholarship early, you must confer your degree. If this is under eight semesters the admissions department will request that you ask for a verification form from your advisor. This form that your four-year advisor will need to complete and sign confirms you will be able to graduate early.  If you can graduate early with your bachelor’s degree, it is still okay to overlap six approved units for both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree.

In this case, it will be to your advantage to stay classified as an undergraduate student for as long as possible, so that you can continue to maintain your classification as an undergraduate student and receive undergraduate financial aid.  For students entering WashU as first-year students, the maximum number of financial aid semesters is eight (four years).  In this case, if you are able to complete your undergraduate degree requirement in three years (as an example), and then complete your master’s requirements in one year, it would take you four years to earn both degrees, which would allow you maintain your undergraduate financial aid for all four years while earning both degrees.  Again, in this case, you would wait and earn both degrees at the same time, and your undergraduate student status would remain your “prime” status for all four years.  This would void the Bachelor’s/Master’s discount. Also, extra care would be needed to ensure your undergraduate status does not flip to graduate student status after you are admitted to the master’s program (you would discuss this with the Engineering Graduate Services Office at: engineeringgradadmissions@wustl.edu.)

Please contact that specific academic department with your questions.  The contact names are most often listed on that department’s website, on the webpage that describes the specific master’s program.

First, please carefully read this webpage for the answers to your questions. If you still have questions, please email engineeringgradadmissions@wustl.edu.

You are under no obligation to pursue the master’s program if you are admitted.  Inform Engineering Graduate Services Office that you have changed your mind.  Email them at: engineeringgradadmissions@wustl.edu.

Yes, you may defer your offer for up to one year. To request a deferral please contact Engineering Graduate Services Office at: engineeringgradadmissions@wustl.edu.

Yes, for one summer, and the courses must be engineering courses that count toward your master’s degree.  Contact Engineering Graduate Services Office at: engineeringgradadmissions@wustl.edu.

The same answers provided to the questions above all still apply to you.