Baylor’s Joint Undergraduate & Graduate Degrees
Many colleges and departments within Baylor University offer accelerated and/or joint combined degree programs, sometimes referred to as "4+1 programs." These programs allow a student to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree in five years rather than six. However, please note that gaining admission to a particular college within Baylor does not automatically guarantee your admission to its 4+1 program(s). In other words, you often must apply to them separately. Students typically start preparing for the 4+1 admissions process during their junior year of college. See below for the specific areas of study in which Baylor offers these 4+1 programs.
Master of Arts in Teaching
The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) joint degree program enables qualified Baylor University students in certain undergraduate programs to obtain a bachelor’s degree and a M.A.T. degree with teacher certification in a minimum of five years. Undergraduate students may pursue the M.A.T. as a joint degree program, with Baylor seniors taking up to 12 hours of graduate-level work as part of their undergraduate degree program.
For full admission into the joint degree program, applicants must be accepted both by the Baylor Graduate School and the M.A.T. Program through Baylor’s School of Education. The joint M.A.T. degree allows a student to graduate within a year of their originally scheduled undergraduate graduation with both a master’s degree and a teaching certificate in their chosen field. For full admission into these programs, applicants must be accepted by both the Baylor Graduate School and the M.A.T. Program through Baylor’s School of Education. The Academic Catalog offers more information on admission, options, content areas and eligibility.
Baylor offers Joint B.A./M.A.T. degrees in the following areas:
- Art History or Studio Art
- Biochemistry/Chemistry
- English
- Environmental Studies
- History
- Mathematics
- Religion
Baylor offers Joint B.S./M.A.T. degrees in the following areas:
Bachelor of Arts for Select Majors*/Master of Arts in Museum Studies
- For undergraduate students majoring in American Studies, Anthropology, Art and Art History, History, Journalism, or Museum Studies who want to apply their undergraduate knowledge to museum work, the department offers a joint bachelor’s and master’s degree. Click here for more information.
Bachelor of Arts in Classics/Master of Arts in Classics
- The Joint B.A./M.A. in Classics allows students to graduate within a year of their originally scheduled undergraduate graduation. For full admission into the program, applicants must meet with the Graduate Program Director. They must show active progress toward earning a B.A. in Classics, Greek or Latin, maintain GPA and GRE scores indicative of success in the program and write a personal statement explaining their reasons for seeking the degree. Check the graduate catalog for more information on these requirements.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication/Master of Arts in Communication
- The Joint B.A./M.A. in Communication allows students to graduate within a year of their originally scheduled undergraduate graduation with a degree in Communication. For full admission into the program, applicants must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher, a major GPA of 3.4 or higher, hold senior status and have completed 24 Communication hours. Check the graduate catalog for more information on the requirements.
Bachelor of Business Administration/Master of Accountancy
- The Joint B.B.A./M.Acc. allows students to graduate within a year of their originally scheduled baccalaureate graduation. Up to seven semester hours of undergraduate electives are waived for up to seven semester hours of graduate business electives. For full admission into the program, applicants must be accepted into the Master of Accountancy program during their senior year. Applicants must also meet with the Director of Graduate Accounting Programs to determine if the M.Acc. is the right path for them. Check the graduate catalog for more information on the requirements of the program.
Bachelor of Business Administration/Master of Science in Economics
- The Joint B.B.A./M.S. in Economics may allow students to graduate within a year of their originally scheduled baccalaureate graduation. The program provides flexibility in course scheduling and more efficient use of financial aid. The Master of Science in Economics concurrent with the B.B.A. requires students to write a thesis. For full admission, the Business School considers the applicant’s prior undergraduate record, their GRE scores and two letters of recommendation from professors in economics or related disciplines. Check the graduate catalog for more information on the requirements of the program.
Bachelor of Business Administration/Master of Taxation
- The Joint B.B.A./M.Tax. allows students with a major in Accounting to graduate within a year of their originally scheduled undergraduate graduation. Up to seven semester hours of undergraduate electives are waived for up to seven semester hours of graduate business electives. For full admission into the program, applicants must be accepted into the Master of Taxation program during their senior year. Applicants must also meet with the Director of Graduate Accounting Programs to determine if the M.Tax. is the right path for them. Check the graduate catalog for more information on the requirements of the program.
Bachelor of Science in Biology/Master of Science in the Biology of Global Health
- Undergraduate students nearing completion of their B.S. in Biology can pursue an accelerated M.S. in the Biology of Global Health. The five-year B.S./M.S. degree in Biology of Global Health is a collaboration with the Baylor College of Medicine (B.C.M.) National School of Tropical Medicine (N.S.T.M.). Pre-health students will have two tracks of specialization – a B.S./M.S. with all coursework at Baylor’s Waco campus and a B.S./M.S. with a certificate in Tropical Health and Biotechnology that requires coursework from the N.S.T.M. at B.C.M. in Houston.
Bachelor of Science in Education/Master of Science in (Sport Pedagogy)
- Students in Baylor’s All-Level Physical Education (ALPE) program have the opportunity to obtain a B.S. in Education, an M.S. in Sport Pedagogy and the Texas Teaching Certification in five years of full-time study. Undergraduate ALPE students with 90 undergraduate hours and a 3.0 GPA are eligible to apply to the Joint B.S.Ed./M.S. in Sport Pedagogy program at the end of their junior year. For more information about application requirements, click here.
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health Science/Master of Public Health
- Undergraduate B.S. in Environmental Health Science students can apply to the Joint B.S./M.P.H. in Environmental Health Science program at the end of their junior year. This five-year joint degree program enables qualified students to obtain a B.S. in Environmental Health Science and an M.P.H. in Environmental Health Science in a minimum of five years of full-time study. Applicants are required to take the GRE before being admitted into the program, and they must meet all requirements for entry into the Baylor Graduate School as an MPH student. For more information, click here.
Bachelor of Science in Public Health/Master of Public Health
- Undergraduate B.S.P.H. students must officially apply for this joint degree program during their junior year. Admitted students begin taking M.P.H.-level courses during their "senior" year of the B.S.P.H. program while also finishing up some of their BSPH requirements. For more information, click here.
Bachelor of Science in Statistics/Master of Science in Statistics
- The Joint B.S./M.S. in Statistics program, also called the Professional Master of Science program, combines the traditional 36-hour B.S. degree with a 30-hour M.S. degree, enabling a student to graduate in five years. For more information, click here.
Bachelor of Science/Master of Athletic Training
- The Joint B.S./Master of Athletic Training program allows for students to graduate within a year of their originally scheduled undergraduate graduation. Students majoring in Health Science Studies can apply for this program once they have completed 89 credit hours. For full admission, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, complete 32 credit hours of applicable prerequisites, receive a “C” or better in all prerequisite coursework, complete at least 100 observation hours, submit a signed copy of the written technical standards and have a current CPR/AED certification. Click here for more information on Baylor’s Master of Athletic Training program.
Masters Degrees in Engineering
The School of Engineering and Computer Science offers several joint degree programs for students nearing the completion of their bachelor’s degrees. These joint degree tracks allow students to apply up to six semester hours toward the degree requirements for both their bachelor’s degree and their chosen master’s degree. Students can thus complete their master’s degree in a shorter amount of time. For more information on these programs, visit the Joint Degrees webpage on the School of Engineering and Computer Science website.
Baylor offers the following joint degree programs in engineering:
- Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering/Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering/Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering/Master of Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering/Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering/Master of Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering/Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering/Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering/Master of Engineering