Bachelor's to Master's Accelerated Pathways (BMAP) Policy

I. Scope

This policy applies to William & 玛丽 (W&M) as a whole university, including the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (the university). 

II. Purpose and Policy Statement

The purpose of this policy is to establish minimum requirements for bachelor’s-to-master’s accelerated pathways at W&M.

III. Definitions

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IV. Policy

A.    BMAP Design and Approval Requirements

1. Design of a BMAP program is at the discretion of the involved primary academic unit(s), including the number of double-counted and reserve graduate credits, up to the maximums established by this policy.
2. A potential BMAP must be developed and approved through usual academic program approval processes within each primary academic unit in which a degree program being considered as part of the BMAP is housed.
3. Following approval by the appropriate primary academic unit(s), a potential BMAP must be submitted to the university’s Institutional Change (IC) Team for review.
4. A potential BMAP submitted for approval to the IC Team that does not meet the requirements of this policy cannot be offered and will be rejected. Resubmission is permitted after any noncompliance issues are addressed.
5. The double-counting of graduate credits towards the undergraduate degree is permitted but not required as part of a BMAP. The maximum number of double-counted credits is 12 credits.
6. BMAPs may also allow for students to earn up to six (6) reserve graduate credits.
7. The total number of double-counted and reserve graduate credits cannot exceed 18 credits.
8. BMAPs must consist of a minimum of at least 138 total credits. The total number of required credits depends on the requirements of both the undergraduate and graduate programs and upon the program-specific allowable limits on double-counted and reserve graduate credits.
9. Undergraduate credits shall not be counted towards the graduate degree. In other words, undergraduate credits cannot be double-counted nor used as reserve credits.
10. A BMAP totaling fewer than 150 credits must be able to demonstrate via crosswalk that the expectations for student learning delivered in the BMAP encompass all expectations delivered in the individual undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
11. Schools must publish in the graduate academic catalog the specific curricular requirements for a BMAP, including a curated list of graduate courses that may be counted towards both degrees, that are consistent with these requirements, and that maintain the integrity of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
12. No “ad hoc” BMAP shall be established. That is, while it is permissible to seek approval of a BMAP where multiple (or even “any”) bachelor’s degrees can be part of the BMAP, the graduate degree component of the BMAP must be specifically identified and must be approved by both the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

B.     Application and Admissions Requirements

 

1. Application, admission, and enrollment in a BMAP is reserved for current W&M undergraduate students.
2. Application to a BMAP may be made after the student has completed 60 credits but before they have completed 90 credits.
3. Admission to a BMAP must be reserved for exceptional undergraduate students who meet a minimum grade point average and other requirements as established by the primary academic unit(s).
4. Schools may develop processes that permit students to be admitted to their BMAP’s identified graduate program in advance of their completion of the undergraduate degree.
5. Students may hold dual status as undergraduate-degree seeking and graduate degree-seeking only after the student has completed 90 or more credits towards the undergraduate degree.
6. When two or more primary academic units share or jointly house an approved BMAP (i.e., the undergraduate and graduate programs are in different primary academic units), they shall jointly establish and operate application and admissions processes for the BMAP.

C.     Program and Coursework Requirements

1. BMAP students may complete no more than 18 graduate credits in their field of study while in undergraduate status. No more than 12 of these credits may be counted towards both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
2. All prerequisites for a graduate course must be completed prior to enrollment in that graduate course.
3. BMAP students must earn a minimum grade of B- in each graduate course taken during undergraduate status. Primary academic units and/or departments may establish and approve more stringent minimums.
4. Reserve graduate credits must be earned through the successful completion (i.e., minimum grade of B-) of required or elective courses that count towards the master’s degree portion of the student’s BMAP.
5. Students who earn unsatisfactory grades in any approved graduate course or who fail to maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate grade point average by the time of undergraduate degree conferral may not be admitted to the master’s program through the accelerated degree program pathway. These students may file a new admissions application to the master’s program and, upon admission and enrollment, may request a transfer for any graduate coursework previously taken at W&M as an undergraduate student.
6. Successful completion of a BMAP requires that all university requirements for the master's degree are met, including any residency requirements and graduate time limit to degree requirements.
7. Conferral of the bachelor’s degree must occur at the conclusion of the term in which all requirements for the undergraduate degree have been met by the BMAP student.

D.    Federal Financial Aid

1. Federal financial aid that is awarded to cover costs associated with a BMAP student’s undergraduate degree cannot and must not be applied towards credits that do not apply to the student’s undergraduate degree.
2. If a BMAP student holds only undergraduate status, then any federal financial aid awarded to the student can only be applied to graduate credits that are double-counted.
3. Students must be informed about this policy’s financial aid restrictions in advance of enrolling in a BMAP, unless the student has also been admitted to graduate status prior to the start of classes of their first semester in a BMAP program.
4. Notifications to students must include a clear statement that the student may be responsible for tuition associated with any graduate credits they take beyond the first 12 graduate credits until such time as they are admitted to graduate status.

V.            Enforcement; Complaints, Grievances, or Appeals

Appeals to academic policy must be made via established university procedures.

VI.            Authority and Amendment, Implementation

This policy is approved by the Provost in accordance with Article IX Section D of the Bylaws of the Board of Visitors and the Policy on Creating and Maintaining Whole University Policies & Procedures.