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Bulletin Archive

This archived information is dated to the 2011-12 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Coterminal Bachelor's and Master's Degrees

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Degree Programs

The coterminal degree program allows undergraduates to study for a master's degree while completing their bachelor's degree(s) in the same or a different department. Undergraduates with strong academic records may apply for admission to a coterminal master's program upon completion of 120 units, but no later than the quarter prior to the expected completion of the undergraduate degree. Full-time enrollment during Summer Quarters, as well as allowable undergraduate transfer credit, are also counted towards quarters of undergraduate study. Students who wish to apply for a master's program after these deadlines must apply through the regular graduate admissions process.

To apply for admission to a coterminal master's program, students must submit to the prospective graduate department the following: coterminal application, statement of purpose, preliminary program proposal, two letters of recommendation from Stanford professors, and a current Stanford transcript. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores or other requirements may be specified by the prospective department.

For coterminal students, the quarter following completion of 12 full-tuition undergraduate quarters is identified as the first graduate quarter for tuition assessment. Beginning with this quarter (13th quarter), coterminal students are subject to graduate student policies and procedures (including those described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin) in addition to undergraduate minimum progress standards. These policies include continuous registration or leaves of absence for quarters not enrolled and minimal progress guidelines.

Coterminal students are permitted to count coursework taken in the two quarters immediately prior to their first graduate quarter toward their graduate degree (Summer quarter is not included in the two quarter back count). However, if a student is on an approved leave of absence in the two quarters prior to the admit term, the course transfer option may not be applicable. All course transfer requests should be submitted no later than the quarter prior to intended conferral quarter as course work cannot be transferred once the undergraduate degree is conferred.

In the first graduate quarter, a coterminal student is assigned an adviser in the master's department for assistance in planning a program of study to meet the requirements for the master's degree. The plan is outlined on the Program Proposal for a Master's Degree, which is approved by the master's department by the end of the first graduate quarter. Authorizations for master's programs expire three calendar years from the first graduate quarter. An extension requires review of academic performance by the department.

The specific University residency, unit requirement, and additional policies for a bachelor's/master's program are described under Coterminal Programs Residency Requirement in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin. For University application forms, see http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/registrar/publications#Coterm.

Conferral of each degree is applied for separately by the deadlines given in the Academic Calendar at http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/registrar/academic-calendar. The master's degree must be conferred simultaneously with, or after, the bachelor's degree.

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