BAM Program

The Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's (BAM) in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology is designed to encourage the highly motivated undergraduate who is majoring in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology to take advanced courses at an accelerated pace, engage in an independent research project, and obtain their bachelors and masters degrees in 5 years. Those interested should speak with the EBIO Graduate Program Director early in their undergraduate career.  Students admitted to the accelerated degree program prior to July 1, 2019 are under the old concurrent BA/MA regulations.  The information on this page is for the new BAM Program only.

Considerations and Requirements

Students should begin considering the BAM Program early in their undergraduate careers. Prospective students may be admitted as early as their sophomore year, spring semester. Undergraduate students in their senior year will not be admitted to the BAM Program.

Applicants considering entering the BAM Program should:

  1. Declare EBIO as their Major

  2. Have completed 12 credit hours of EBIO courses

  3. Have completed EBIO-2040, EBIO-2070, EBIO-3080

  4. Be on track to fulfill the Arts & Sciences core requirements

  5. Have an overall GPA of 3.0, and a 3.0 or greater GPA within the EBIO major

  6. Contact faculty members within the department and select a research advisor

  7. Gather letters of support from:

    1. A research advisor

    2. Two additional individuals who can comment on the prospective student's performance and potential

  8. Compose an essay detailing the prospective student’s interest in the BAM Program. An adequate essay would include a prospective student's long-term professional goals, research interests, and how the BAM Program would assist in those endeavors. Research experience should also be included.

  9. Interview with the Admissions Committee

  10. Apply before the application deadlines, March 15th and October 15th using this link:

The BAM program requires students to take 30 hours of graduate-level (5000+) courses in addition to their undergraduate requirements. 6 undergraduate credits in the 4000 range may count for both undergraduate and graduate-level requirements. Up to 12 graduate credits (including up to 6 undergraduate credits that are double-counted) may be completed prior to the completion of the BA degree.