WashU undergraduate students with a demonstrated capacity for advanced, intensive work may be able to complete an Arts & Sciences master's degree in a one-year accelerated program after completing the bachelor's degree. The undergraduate and graduate degrees are awarded sequentially. Admission to the master's degree program, if approved, will occur for the fall semester following completion of the bachelor's degree in the preceding December, May, or August.
WashU undergraduate students wanting to pursue an Accelerated BA/MA must consult with the specific master's-degree-granting program in advance to determine what courses they will need to enroll in as an undergraduate to be able to complete the master's program in the accelerated timeline. It is recommended that these conversations take place no later than the first semester of the student's junior year. Please consult the specific Accelerated BA/MA page for the master's-degree-granting program in the Arts & Sciences Graduate & Professional Bulletin for more detailed information as academic units may set earlier deadlines.
The student must then apply for the specific Accelerated BA/MA program through the admissions system no later than March 15 of their senior year. Applications may be submitted at any time during the student's senior year up to the deadline of March 15. Please consult with the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, Central Admissions Office at artscigradadmissions@wustl.edu to ensure access to the accurate application. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores and letters of recommendation are not required. The program is available only to students currently in their senior year and only for continuous enrollment the next year. There is no option for deferred admission.
The master's-degree-granting program and the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, will review the application. All admissions are provisional until the successful completion of the bachelor's degree. The actual awarding of each degree is contingent on the successful completion of all requirements for that degree.
Some academic units may not participate in this program. Please consult the specific Accelerated BA/MA page for the master's-degree-granting program in the Arts & Sciences Graduate & Professional Bulletin for more detailed information about program requirements, and contact the relevant master's-degree-granting academic unit for more specific information about its admissions policies and requirements. Students admitted to the Accelerated BA/MA program will be regular, full-time graduate students enrolled in the School of Arts & Sciences at Washington University following conferral of their bachelor’s degree.
Most master's degrees in Arts & Sciences require 30 to 36 credits. For accelerated programs for master's degrees requiring 30 to 35 units, up to a maximum of 12 units (four 3-credit courses or three 4-credit courses) at the 4000 level or above taken as an undergraduate may be applied toward the master's degree. Accelerated programs for master's degrees requiring 36 or more credits may apply up to a maximum of 16 units (five 3-credit courses or four 4-credit courses) taken as an undergraduate at the 4000 level or above toward the master's degree. Master's programs requiring 36 or more units may require an additional semester of enrollment. The master's-degree-granting academic unit will determine which undergraduate courses may be applied to the accelerated program for the master's degree. At a minimum, the undergraduate courses must be in an appropriate discipline and completed with a grade of B or higher.