MEMO
Dean of
Graduate Studies
STREET ADDRESS
Maggie Benston Student Services
Centre 1100
Burnaby BC VsA iSf>
Canada
MAIL INC. ADDRESS
8888 University Drive
Burnaby BC V>A iS6
Canada
SFU
S.12-21
TO: Senate
TEL
FROM Wade Parkhouse, Dean, Graduate Studies
C^O^ oJL£L^**_*
RE General Graduate Regulation 1.3.8.a
1GS2011.23]
cc
DATE December 8, 201 1
Motion: That Senate approve the addition of GGR 1.3.8.a which outlines the criteria
for admission to a Concurrent Bachelors-Master's program
[GS2011.23]
Effective Date is September 2012
Senators wishing to consult a more detailed report of curriculum revisions
may do so by going to Docushare:
https://docushare.sfu.ca/dsweb/View/Collection-12682
If you
are unable
to access the information, please call 778-782-3168 or email
shellev aair@sfu.ca.
Addition of G.G.R. 1.3.8.a
Motion
That SGSC recommend to Senate the addition of GGR 1.3.8.a which outlines the criteria for admission to
a Concurrent Bachelor's-Master's program.
Rationale
A number of graduate programs are interested in developingconcurrent bachelor's-master's programs
(sometimes referred to as combined or accelerated bachelor's-master'sprograms) similar to what is in
place in many other universities. The hallmarkof these programs is that exceptional undergraduates can
apply into the concurrent program and while they are completingtheir bachelor's program they complete
a portion
of the graduate credits needed for their master's degree. It is the responsibility of SGSC to
recommend and Senate to establish minimum admission standards for these programs which, as proposed,
are similar to programs at other institutions and have been established following consultation across the
graduate programs. Further details on concurrent bachelor's-master'sprograms are provided as
background following the calendar language.
Background on Concurrent Bachelor's-Master'sprograms
A Concurrent Bachelor's -Master's program is one in which it is deemed academically advantageous to
treat the educational process leading through the bachelor's to the master's degree as a single continuous
integrated whole, while at the same time satisfying the requirements for both degrees. Such structured
programs, starting at the undergraduate level and terminating with a master's degree, provide an
alternative means, complementary to existing undergraduate and graduate programs, for the attainment
of
a master'sdegree. Concurrent Bachelor's- Master's programs may be developed in response to a number
of needs among which are:
1. recognition
of outstanding students and provision of academic enrichment for them;
2. provision of an introduction to the postgraduate milieu for good undergraduate students who
might otherwise overlook the opportunity of graduate studies;
3. the provision of a reasonably firm time horizon for the completion of a master'sprogram;
4. the opportunity to recruit outstanding high school students to UG programs with Concurrent
Bachelor's- Master's programs.
These types of programs exist at many institutions including the University of Waterloo, University of
Calgary, University of California - Berkeley, New York University, Johns Hopkins University, MIT,
Brown University, Yale College, Temple University, and many others. All the programs share some
common elements: higher admission standards than regular admission to the master's program,
completion of a limited amount of graduate work as part of the UG credential, limits on when students
can apply to the program relative to their UG degree completion progress, and time-limits on degree
completion at the master's level which are quite short. These programs provide a mechanism for the
institution to offer a quicker route to a master's degree for outstanding students.
SGSC has established the followingframework as a guide for the development of Concurrent
Bachelor-Masters Programs based on its consultation and a review of other institutional concurrent
programs. All programs developed will be subject to Senate approval.
1. Concurrent Bachelor's- Master's programs will require that students fulfill the degree
requirements of both the bachelor's program and the master's program. This implies that:
o students complete at least two terms of full-time registration(or equivalent) at the
graduate level (mandatory);
o the graduate program must adhereto the residence requirements for a master's degree at
SFU (GGR 1.7.2);
o the co-operative work term requirements of the bachelor's or master's programs or any
internship requirements
of the master's programs must be met (if applicable);
o a maximum often graduate course units used as either electives or upper division
required courses at the bachelor's level will be applied to the requirements for the
master's degree;
o students registering for "piggybacked" undergraduate-graduate courses as part of their
concurrent program must register in the graduate course, complete the graduate course
requirements;
o if a student becomes ineligible to continue to participate in the concurrent program, the
Chair of the Graduate ProgramCommittee must inform the student in writing of his/her
ineligibility and a copy of this letter must be sent to the Dean of Graduate Studies;
o each individual in any concurrent bachelor's-master'sprogram must complete an
individual or small group project/research report/extended essays as part of the program
via at least 3 units of master's-level independent study units or master's level
project/research report/extended essay-based courses to gain experience in applying
research methodology to real-world problems.
2. There must be complete freedom of transferability from the concurrent programs to the regular
programs and a student may withdraw at any time from an approved Concurrent Bachelor's-
Master's program by informing the Chairs
of the Undergraduate and Graduate Programs and the
Dean of Graduate Studies in writing.
3. The culmination of the concurrent program is the master's degree.
4. Students admitted to the concurrent programwill pay the UG per credit rate for all UG courses
(or premium if applicable) and the graduate per credit rate (or premium if applicable) for all
graduate courses while they are registered in their bachelor's program. Once the students
complete their bachelor's degree, students will pay the appropriate graduate tuition fees for that
program.
5. Students admitted to the concurrent programs are ineligible for graduate scholarships or awards
administered from SFU sources until they complete their bachelor degrees.
6. Students are expected to complete the master'sdegree within 12 months of completion of the
bachelor's degree for a non-thesis master's degree and within 18 months for a master's program
requiring a thesis.
7. Recruitment into a Concurrent Bachelor's - Master's degree program must have the flexibility to
satisfy the requirements of individual students; at the same time it must have coherence - each
student's program must be addressed toward a well-defined area of specialization.
Summary of Program Requirements of Some Concurrent Bachelor's-Master's
Programs
Minimum
Admission
CGPA
Admission
entry
Continuing
eligibility
Maxgrad
credits
taken
while UG
Maximum
degree
time for
masters
Waterloo
Not
specified
75-90U
B
6U
Not
specified
Calgary
3.6/4.0
90U
Not
specified
6U
12 mo
Dalhousie
3.3/4.3
90U
3.3
6U
12 mo
NCSU
3.5/4.0
75-96U
3.5/4.0
12 U
12-18 mo
Temple
3.25
75U
B
9U
12 mo
NYU
3.5/4.0
48-96U
3.0/4.0
8-12 U
12 mo
Yale
Not
specified
75U
3.0/4.0
6U
12 mo
John Hopkins
U
Not
specified
75-105U
3.0/4.0
9U
12 mo
Brown
Not
specified
90U
3.0/4.0
6U
12 mo
Berkeley
3.5/4.0 UD Not
specified
3.0/4.0
9U
8 mo
UColorado
3.3/4.0
CGPA
Not
specified
3.5 prog
3.3 CGPA
6U
12 mo
MIT
4.25/5.0
Third year
4.0/5.0 B
Varies
max 12U
12 mo
UCSanDiego 3.0/4.0
75U
3.0/4.0
OU
12 mo
Across these institutions, concurrent programs exist in the following disciplines: computer science,
engineering, history, mathematics, philosophy, statistics, marketing, communication, criminology,
nursing, recreation, public health, public administration, forestry and environmental studies, music,
biology, chemistry, classics, comparative literature, economics, English, French, journalism, politics,
psychology, sociology, kinesiology, physics, bioengineering earth sciences, and others.
Calendar
language (insert)
1.3.8a
Admission to
a Concurrent
Bachelor's-Master's
Program
The minimum University requirements for admission to a concurrent bachelor's-master'sprogram are as
follows:
a) Simon Fraser University undergraduate students following the completion of 90 UG credits with a
minimum CGPA of 3.67/4.33;
b) submitted evidence, usually references, from qualified referees of the student's ability to undertake
advanced work in the area of interest.
Students must satisfy any additional requirements set by the graduate program committee.