Combined Programs

Advanced undergraduate students may begin their graduate degree early while still completing their undergraduate degree requirements. Accelerated degree programs, often referred to as “combined” programs, allow students to work on a certain number of master’s degree credits while completing their undergraduate degrees, thus shortening the time it takes to earn both degrees.

Combined Program Basics:

Compliance with federal and accrediting requirements requires Mines to follow specific policies for students in combined programs, which include:

General Information

• Graduate transcripts must display a minimum of 24 graduate-level credits applied to a 30-credit hour master’s degree or a minimum of 30 credits for a 36-credit hour master’s degree; up to 6 credits of double-counted coursework can be listed on the undergraduate transcript.
• A note will be added to the graduate transcript to indicate that double-counted courses completed while the student was an undergraduate can be found on the undergraduate transcript.
• Undergraduate students can complete a maximum of 12 credits of 500-level coursework, coded at the GR level prior to the BS degree being awarded.
• Students in a combined program can apply a maximum of 6 additional credits of 500-level coursework, coded at the UG level toward a graduate degree (for a grand total of 18 credits that can be earned while an undergraduate).  Students must be enrolled in the graduate program prior to their BS degree being awarded to be considered as enrolled in a combined program.  Credits will be applied to the graduate degree when the student applies to graduate with the graduate degree.
• Students in a combined program must complete a minimum of 12 credits of graduate coursework after the BS has been awarded—students CANNOT earn a BS and MS degree in the same term.
• No courses registered at the UG level will appear on a graduate program degree audit (beginning Fall 2024).
• No courses registered at the GR level will appear on an undergraduate program degree audit (beginning Fall 2024).
• Double-counted courses must have a grade of “B-” or higher; additional grade requirements may vary by department.

 Forms & Processes

• Undergraduate and combined program students will need a level override for all 500-level courses restricted to graduate students.  Override requests can be submitted using the 500-level form (Instructor Approval).
• Upon successful registration, students must submit a Course Level Change form to registrar’s office to update any 500-level course to GR level. This request is due by the Add/Drop Deadline. Note: Level cannot be updated to GR retroactively.
• Requests that would put an undergraduate student over the maximum 12 GR credits will be denied and those courses will remain at the UG level. 500-level courses registered as UG may be used toward 6 credits of double-counted credit, if admitted as a ‘Combined’ student.
• 500+ level courses counting toward UG degree will require a Course Exception form to be applied to UG degree audit.
• A Course Exception form must be submitted for any 500-level course that is being double-counted towards the graduate degree.  This form can be submitted after the BS degree is awarded.
• If student withdraws from their graduate program and wishes to use previously coded GR level course toward their undergraduate degree, a Course Exception form must be submitted to have course applied to UG degree audit.

Financial Aid

• Federal financial aid (i.e., Pell Grant, Federal Student Loans, etc.) can be awarded only for courses that apply to a student’s primary degree and courses can only be awarded for one degree at a time.  Therefore, undergraduate federal financial aid cannot be awarded for graduate courses that are not counting toward the undergraduate degree.
• To qualify for full undergraduate financial aid, a student must be in a BS program AND be enrolled in minimum of 12 credits at UG Level.  Financial aid for UG enrollment for fewer than 12 credits a semester will be pro-rated or unavailable.
• If a change is made to the course level at any time, students are responsible for any changes to tuition and financial aid.
• Questions regarding course level registration and effects on financial aid should be directed to finaid@mines.edu.

Current Combined Program Students with 60 credits earned prior to Fall 2023 (including students admitted through spring 2025)

• Previously approved courses will be allowed under previous catalog guidelines.
• 400-level courses completed through Spring 2025 may still be double-counted or used to fulfill graduate degree requirements listed in the admitted catalog.
• Financial Aid rules related to course level are still applicable.

Click the links below to review respective rules for undergraduate, graduate and combined programs.

Undergraduate program students (not admitted to graduate or combined program)

Combined program students (undergraduate students admitted into a graduate program)

Graduate program students (not admitted into an undergraduate program)