BA+MA Programs

BA in International Studies + MA in Political Science Program
The accelerated Master’s program in Political Science is an expedited program of study that allows students to complete a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and a Master’s degree in Political Science in as little as five years. High-achieving undergraduates can apply to the program anytime after achieving Junior standing. Upon acceptance, students are allowed to take graduate-level courses during their remaining semesters of undergraduate study. These classes count BOTH towards satisfying requirements of the BA in International Studies major and the Master’s degree in Political Science. Students may take up to 5 dual-counted graduate seminars in this way so that by the time the student completes their undergraduate degree, they are already half-way finished with their Master's degree. This program is intended for outstanding undergraduate International Studies majors who have demonstrated graduate level academic ability and can conduct graduate-quality work as undergraduates. Interested students should meet with an International Studies program advisor to learn more.

BA in International Studies + MA in Master of Humanities and Master of Social Science
Because both the International Studies Major (INTS) and the Master of Humanities/Master of Social Science (MHMSS) programs are interdisciplinary by design (i.e., students do coursework in multiple departments), their curricular goals are similar, making them a good match for a BA to Master fast-track program. Students can pursue a Master of Humanities or Master of Social Science degree with a concentration in Social Justice, Ethnic Studies, Philosophy and Social Theory, or Women and Gender Studies via focused tracks in either of these two master degree plans. INTS students interested in participating  apply for either the MH or MSS degree no earlier than their first semester of junior-year standing as an undergraduate. Upon acceptance, students take five graduate-level courses beginning the second semester of their junior year and continuing during the whole of their senior year. These classes “double count,” satisfying requirements for both the BA major and the Master degree in Humanities or Social Science. They would then continue graduate studies in the MH or MSS degree plan with concentration in a chosen area if so desired to complete their master degree by the conclusion of their fifth year in CLAS at CU Denver. This program is intended for outstanding undergraduate students in International Studies majors who have graduate-level skills and can do graduate-quality work as undergraduates. It is thus not appropriate for all majors; students would therefore have to apply and be accepted into the program. Interested students should meet with an International Studies program advisor to learn more.

Application Steps

Step 1: Meet with an INTS advisor to discuss how many courses you have left in your major and what areas you have left to fulfill. How much the BA/MA combination works to reduce time/courses in both degrees depends on the number of courses you need to complete your 120 credits for the BA and how we can apply courses from the MA to the BA.

Step 2: Meet with a faculty member of the PSCI or MHMSS programs. They may want to see work from an advanced undergraduate course or interview you about your interests to see if you are good fit for moving into their graduate program.

Step 3: Complete the application attached here. Obtain signatures from and INTS Advisor and a PSCI or MHMSS advisor approving your entry into the combined BA-MA program.

Step 4: Submit the signed form to CLASadvising@ucdenver.edu. CLAS will add it to your degree audit and then your CLAS advisor can work with you on your overall graduation requirements for the BA based on that plan.

Step 5: When you complete the BA, you formally apply to the graduate program for admission to complete the MA. That application is more formal than the one-page form provided here that you use to begin graduate courses. Entering the combined degree process does not guarantee admission to the MA program, though there is generally an expectation that students admitted to the combined BA/MA will complete both degrees.