B.A./M.A. Program

The English department at Boston College has created a B.A./M.A. Program that allows selected students to earn both a B.A. and an M.A. in English in five years. Enrolled students will start earning graduate credit as a senior, then complete the M.A. in a fifth year of full-time study.

 

Requirements

Admission to the program requires a GPA of 3.3 overall and 3.6 in the English major. Students may count four courses taken in the senior year toward their M.A. degree. These courses may be graduate courses, or undergraduate courses designated as 'seminars.' At least two of the four must be at the graduate level, including hybrid graduate/undergraduate seminars; up to two of the four may be undergraduate courses designated as 'seminars.' The two graduate courses must be taken as overloads, and these count toward the M.A. degree only. The other two courses will count toward both degrees. One of the graduate courses taken in the senior year must be 'Introduction to Advanced Research' or 'Issues and Methods in American Studies.' One of the courses counting for both degrees may be an undergraduate course designated as a 'seminar' which was taken before the senior year for a grade of A or A-.

The purpose of the program is to allow students a greater opportunity for concentrated study and research training. Students in the B.A./M.A. program must meet all the specific course requirements for the undergraduate major as well as the formal requirements for the M.A., including the completion of Introduction to Advanced Research or its equivalent, demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language, a theory course, and a comprehensive exam.

Students interested in the program should consult the Director of the M.A. Program, to discuss whether this version of the M.A. is right for their individual goals. We recommend that students interested in pursuing a doctoral degree consider writing an Honors Thesis, which is not compatible with the B.A./M.A. The Director will review the student's academic record and, if appropriate, facilitate the application process. The application fee and GRE requirement will be waived. Once accepted into the B.A./M.A. program, students will have the Director of the M.A. Program as their advisor. Students in the program will not be eligible for TF/TA positions or graduate financial aid. Students in the program will not be charged graduate tuition for the two overload graduate courses taken in the senior year.

How to apply

Students must submit applications by March 31 of the junior year. The required application materials are a personal statement, a writing sample, three letters of recommendation, and an official transcript. Please take a look at the Graduate School Admissions site for application instructions and e-mail gsasinfo@bc.edu with any questions on how to upload materials.

Do not send any materials to the English department.