Accelerated Bachelors/Masters of Science Degree
ACCELERATED BACHELORS/MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE
The accelerated M.S. degree gives students the ability to engage in substantial M.S. research with a faculty mentor, while completing the M.S. at the end of year 5. The department works closely on career planning with each B.S./M.S. student by making travel support to scientific conferences available, and guiding student in completion of an NIH-style Individual Personal Development Plan.
During the final year in the program (year 5), the student is formally enrolled in the M.S. program and therefore receives a full graduate stipend and free tuition. During year 4 (the final year of the B.S.), undergraduate tuition must be paid by the student.
Requirements to apply
- Must have an expected overall GPA of 3.0 or higher upon graduation with a B.S in Biochemistry
- Must have taken or be taking BCHM 4115 in the fall of their junior year, receiving a B or better grade by the application deadline
- Must already actively be performing research (no later than the fall semester of their junior year) in the laboratory of a faculty member in the Department of Biochemistry that is willing to mentor them during their M.S. degree
How to apply
The first step for admission to the program is to fill out a pre-inquiry form and send it to our Graduate Program Chair, Justin Lemkul (jalemkul@vt.edu, Engel Hall 315), to see if you meet the requirements described above. Dr. Lemkul will then encourage students who fit our program to submit an official application to the Graduate School through Virginia Tech’s online system by application deadline during the student’s junior year. Students will be admitted under a competitive process that includes an on-site interview.
The application to the Graduate School is the same for B.S./M.S. students as it is for traditional M.S. students. When applying, the student should indicate the entry term as the Fall semester of their senior year. Program staff will process the deferral to ensure that the student gains M.S. status in the subsequent year.
What to expect during the pursuit of your B.S/M.S. degree
In the first semester of the accelerated program (Fall of senior year), the selected students will enroll in the courses that will be used for meeting the requirement for the M.S. degree as outlined in our Graduate Handbook. That is, students will be enrolled simultaneously in 4000-level undergraduate and 5000-level graduate coursework.
Since most Biochemistry students complete the B.S. in Biochemistry in four years, and take ~20 elective credit hours in year 4, most B.S./M.S. students begin taking graduate courses in year 4. 12 credits can be double-counted towards the B.S. and M.S. degrees (up to 6 credits at the 4000 level; the rest from graduate-level coursework). For each of these courses, the grade must be at least B, and these courses must not be taken on a pass-fail basis. Therefore, students must have sufficient room in their schedule to accommodate at least 7 credits of graduate work each semester of their senior year.
Upon acceptance, the student will form a graduate advisory committee with the aid of their faculty mentor one semester prior to completion of their senior year or their first year in the graduate program (typically December) and this committee will continue to advise the student through the graduation with an M.S. degree.
Students will follow the requirements stipulated for the Master of Science in Life Sciences (MSLFS) degree from the Department of Biochemistry. Review the MSLFS Program information found here.
Every MSLFS student enters the program with the expectation that they will complete a thesis describing the results of an original research project. However, if circumstances dictate that completing a thesis is not feasible, the student may be allowed to graduate without submission of a formal thesis and will result in a non-thesis master’s degree designation. This option is only available with the agreement of the Major Professor and Advisory Committee.