Mechanical Engineering, B.S.+M.S.

The MAE Blended BS-MS program provides a method for students to earn a BS and an MS degree in an accelerated manner. Students will be able to double count 500 level courses for both BS and MS requirements. As such, the program enables high performing students to challenge themselves.

• Up to 12 fewer units required when compared to completing BS and MS separately.
• Shorter time to completing MS degree
• Reduced cost from having 12 fewer units and paying undergraduate rates for up to 12 units.

a. Requirements:

• Completed application form
• GPA>=3.5 (cumulative GPA)
• A student in good standing in the CSULB BSME program.
• The GRE is not required.
• Must have completed 2 full semesters in residence at CSULB
• All required 300 MAE seminar courses and MATH370A have been completed by start of first 500 level course.
• Completed at least 60 units of BS coursework.

b. Timeline

• Apply as early as the semester the student is expected to complete all 300 MAE seminar courses and MATH370A. In the example course flowchart (Section 6), this timing corresponds to Semester 6 (for application).
• Applications must be received by the department chair via email by October 1 (for spring admission) or March 1 (for Fall admission). Tentative admission decisions will be made by November 1 or April 1 for the October 1 and March 1 deadlines, respectively.
• Students will not be officially admitted to the blended program until grades are posted for that semester and all requirements met.
• Admitted students must complete the Beach Edge Agreement Form and have both undergraduate and graduate advisor written approval via signature. Students must initiate the discussion with the undergraduate advisor first.
• Students who apply to the blended program but do not meet the requirements at the end of the semester they applied are eligible to reapply the following semester assuming requirements are met.
• Students may start the blended program in Fall or Spring semester.
• A department committee will review applications and make recommendations on admissions.

a. Overview:

• Up to 12 units will double count for BS and MS requirements
• Degree Award: Students will take 500 level courses (not including MAE 501 and 502) as a BS student. The BS degree will be awarded first before MS degree completion.

b. GPA: Must maintain at least a 3.0 for courses applied to MS degree. A grade of ‘C’ in a 500-level course is acceptable (i.e., an ‘A’ will be needed to meet the GPA requirement).

• Students whose GPA drops below 3.0 will be subject to academic warning requirements as determined by University policy once they have ‘graduate’ status.

c. MS tracks:

• Students in the Blended program may take either the thesis or comprehensive exam track.
• Thesis track: Students opting to complete a thesis are recommended to find a faculty research advisor prior to, during, or shortly after the application process to facilitate the expedited timeline. Any work completed as part of honors theses, independent study, senior design, etc. is not allowed to be included in the graduate thesis. Follow on work or results not included in the above mentioned coursework may be included in the graduate thesis.
• Comprehensive exam track: Students in the blended program will take the same exam as students enrolled in the MS programs. Refer to the graduate program handbook for specific details.
• Students are encouraged to identify a concentration for the MS degree prior to enrolling in courses. This approach is recommended to prioritize course selection for the concentration-specific courses to facilitate timely graduation.

d. Courses: Students in the blended program will have the same course requirements as the traditional MS programs.

• Students should refer to the latest version of the graduate program handbook for core and concentration course requirements.
• 400-500 Course Double Counting Details

1. The 12 units students may choose to substitute are listed below.

2. BSME students will use the following courses to double count for both degrees.

• MAE 531 for MAE 431
• MAE 573 for MAE 476
• Any MAE 500-level course (except MAE 501 and 502) for the first free elective
• Any MAE 500-level course (except MAE 501 and 502) for the second free elective

3. Students are responsible for choosing the proper courses to meet MS program requirements and must seek advice from the graduate advisor and, if appropriate, their thesis chair immediately after being accepted into the blended program.

4. Transfer credits may not be double counted for both the BS and MS degrees.

e. Advancing to Candidacy

• Students must have completed their BS program and be in graduate status before being advanced to candidacy.
• The graduate program requires students advance to candidacy after the completion of 12 units, GPA>=3.0, etc. as outline by the graduate handbook.
• Students in the blended program will have the same requirements. The GPA used for candidacy will be calculated from the courses that go to the MS degree whether or not the course is double counted for the BS degree.

f. Dropping out of Blended program

• Students whose GPA drops below the minimum required GPA for the traditional program (e.g., BSME or MSME) will be subject to academic warning and follow procedures set by that respective program and university policy.
• Blended program students that are in process of completing their BS degree must maintain a GPA of 3.0 for all 500 level courses.
• Students who do not meet GPA requirements in item 4.f.ii will be removed from the blended degree program. Students will remain in their BS program and shall follow the course requirements for that program. Previous 500-level courses completed with grades C or above will be substituted for the appropriate 400 level course for the BS degree requirement.
• A final grade of D/F in any 500 level course while the student has undergraduate status will result in their removal from the blended degree program. Students will need to complete B.S. degree requirements.
• Students that do not maintain continuous enrollment or have approved academic leave will be dropped from the BS program (if they have undergraduate status) or the MS program (if they have graduate status). In those cases, they student must reapply to the respective program.
• A student may voluntarily decide to exit the blended program and finish the BS program requirements. A student may choose to discontinue the blended degree and must inform the graduate advisor of their decision in writing prior to the start of the following semester.
• Any student who is withdrawn from the program for any reason may not re-enroll in the Blended program. Students who wish to obtain a MS degree will have to apply via Cal State Apply after the completion of their BS degree.
• Any student that withdraws from the program for any reason and is readmitted to the regular MSME program will not double count 500 level courses previously taken as part of their BS degree unless it has been more than 7 years since that course was taken. If a core MSME course was taken as part of the student’s BS degree, the student cannot retake that course for MSME credit. Instead, the student must work with the graduate advisor to substitute another course.
• If they change undergraduate major’s or master’s program, they will be withdrawn from the Beach EDGE.

Students must meet with both undergraduate and graduate advisors until they have graduate status.

• Undergraduate advisors will help with substituting the appropriate course ONLY AFTER the student has discussed which courses to take with the graduate advisor. The signed, by the student and both advisors, form with the discussed course roadmap is required.

Example course flow chart for the Blended BS-MS Mechanical program. Note that students taking the thesis route will take MAE 698 in semesters 9 and 10 instead of 5XX. Actual course flow will change depending on MSME concentration chosen.

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