Academics / Undergraduate Combined BS (or BA)/MS Degree Program
McCormick’s Combined BS/MS Program allows undergraduates to pursue a bachelor’s degree (BS) and master’s degree (MS) simultaneously, shortening the time required to earn a master’s degree. It is also available to Computer Science students in Weinberg, resulting in a BA degree from Weinberg and an MS from McCormick.
With careful planning, students may commence work on their master’s degree before completing their bachelor’s degree. For some students, it may be possible to earn both degrees at the same time, in just four years.
Jump to a Section
- The Benefits
- Eligibility Requirements
- Applying
- Requirements to Complete the MS
- Choosing a Master’s Program in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science
- For More Information
The Benefits
The benefits of a BS/MS or BA/MS are many, including better job prospects and efficient use of your college experience. Studies show that newly employed computer science graduates holding a master's degree have the potential to make almost 50 percent more money than engineering candidates with only a bachelor's degree and no experience.
Job candidates with a master's degree generally stand out in a field of applicants more so than similar candidates with a BS and no experience. For students whose bachelor's degree is not electrical engineering or computer engineering, the master's degree can provide entry into these lucrative fields.
In the shorter term, a BS/MS or BA/MS degree is an efficient use of your college time. Individuals who wait for completion of the BS or BA to enter a MS program usually take two years to complete the MS. Most candidates will complete the BS/MS or BA/MS in fewer than five years. The time it takes to complete the program is partially based on the amount of AP credit you brought to Northwestern and partially based on a carefully constructed curriculum that balances your course load and course requirements to ensure that you will complete the requirements for both programs in a timely fashion.
Eligibility Requirements
Any Northwestern undergraduate enrolled in the Weinberg College or the McCormick School of Engineering is eligible to apply. Detailed information is available on the McCormick Combined Degree webpage.
The prerequisite courses for the MS in CS are listed below:
- COMP_SCI 111 or 180
- COMP_SCI 208 or 214 (formerly EECS 311)
- COMP_SCI 211
- COMP_SCI 212 (formerly EECS 310)
- COMP_SCI 213
Applying
For details on application requirements, deadlines, and the process, please refer to the information provided on the McCormick Combined Degree webpage.
Requirements to Complete the CS MS
The general requirements are that you satisfactorily complete 12 courses. Three of the courses must be 400-level courses. Beyond the general requirements, however, there are three options available for the MS program: coursework, project, or thesis.
For information on the requirements for the three options, see the CS MS Graduate Manual on the CS Graduate Forms and Documents page.
Choosing a Master’s Program in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science
This depends on your interests and your career or research goals.
If you are already in the ECE or CE undergraduate program, the choice of an MS EE or CE will let you acquire considerably more depth (and thus market value) in these areas. On the other hand, the choice of an MS in CS will broaden the range of positions for which you are suited.
If you are already in the CS undergraduate program in McCormick or in the CS undergraduate program in Weinberg, similar reasoning also applies: An MS in CS will give you added value by giving you considerably more depth in your specialty, while an MS in EE or CE will give you added value by broadening your expertise.
If you are in another undergraduate program at Northwestern, either master's degree will considerably broaden your expertise and thus marketability.
Generally speaking, the MS in EE or CE has a greater focus on hardware, while the MS in CS has a greater focus on software.
If you are unsure where your specific interests fall, the director of graduate studies will be happy to discuss options based on your specific goals.
For More Information
Visit the the McCormick School of Engineering website for more information.
