Combined BS and MA Option*
Qualified undergraduate students in the in the B.S. in Cognitive Science as well as students completing a Bachelors degree in related fields like Anthropology, Computer and Information Science, Philosophy and Psychology (and other fields by application) may apply for the Combined B.S. and M.A. option, which combines the requirements of the undergraduate and master’s degree programs in Cognitive Science and Cognitive Science and Linguistics. Whereas the traditional programs for the B.S. and M.A. degrees in Cognitive Science, and Linguistics and Cognitive Science involve 4 years of undergraduate work and 2 years of graduate work, the Combined B.S. and M.A. option enables students to earn both degrees in a 5-year period. Students who complete the Combined B.S. and M.A. program will graduate with both a Bachelor of Science degree in Cognitive Science and a Master of Arts degree in Linguistics and Cognitive Science. Students who are candidates for the Combined B.S. and M.A. option, and who complete the requirements for the B.S. but fail to complete the additional M.A. requirements, will receive the B.S. degree.
*Please note that the M.A. degree is a degree in Linguistics and Cognitive Science. The M.A. program is not a professional program in Speech Pathology, and does not offer a concentration in Speech Pathology.
Admission into the Combined B.S. and M.A. Program
Students may apply for admission to the Combined B.S. and M.A. program at the end of the sophomore year. The application process requires submission of a completed graduate application form for review by the Departmental Graduate Studies Committee. Initial admission will be based upon the student’s ability to meet the following recommended entrance criteria:
• Combined mathematics and verbal SAT scores of at least 1200
• An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.25
• Completion of all core courses for the B.S. other than CGSC 485
• Submission of an in-person writing sample, based on work completed in a Cognitive Science course
Admission is competitive so meeting the minimal requirements for admission does not guarantee admission nor does the failure to meet a requirement result in an automatic rejection. The GRE is not required for admission to the Combined B.S. and M.A. program by UD undergraduates.
Maintaining Status within the Program
Upon admission into the program and prior to the start of the junior year of study, the student will meet with his graduate advisor and submit a planned program of study, including all elective courses, to the Graduate Studies Committee. Planned programs of study are due by the end of fall semester of the student’s junior year.
Continuation in the Combined B.S. and M.A. program is contingent upon maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 in undergraduate courses with CGSC and LING designations and in graduate coursework. Satisfactory progress includes following the prescribed program of study.
Each student’s progress and GPA will be evaluated at the end of each academic year by the student’s advisor and the Graduate Studies Committee. Students who fail to meet the minimum GPA requirements or fail to show progress toward the degree will be dropped from the Combined B.S. and M.A. program. They may, however, continue in the undergraduate major unless their undergraduate progress is unsatisfactory according to the rules in effect for the B.S. program.
Degree Requirements for the Master of Arts in Linguistics and Cognitive Science and the B.S. in Cognitive Science
The graduate level course requirements for students in the Combined B.S. and M.A. option are the same as those for the M.A. in Linguistics and Cognitive Science. The course requirements for the degree include 30 credit hours planned in consultation with the student’s advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies, which must include at least 21 credit hours in the Linguistics Department and at least one 800-level seminar. The M.A. in Linguistics and Cognitive Science is a flexible program of study that provides training in both Linguistics and Cognitive Science. Separate tracks are provided for students whose emphasis is clearly in Cognitive Science or in Linguistics. In addition, students may propose a program of study that combines elements of the Linguistics and Cognitive Science tracks. See the Department’s Graduate Policy Statement for additional information. Students in the Combined B.S. and M.A. option must fulfill all graduate and undergraduate course requirements for both the M.A. and their undergraduate degree.
Course Overlap
In the event that a student in the Combined B.S. and M.A. option completes a required graduate course as an undergraduate, and elects to count that course toward the bachelors degree, he will be permitted to substitute another graduate course, the choice requiring approval of the Director of Graduate Studies. When a student completes a 400-level undergraduate course that has content very similar to that of a parallel 600-level graduate course, he may petition the Director of Graduate Studies to substitute another graduate course for the 600-level course in question.
Distribution of Credits in Combined B.S. and M.A. Program
The following table illustrates a typical distribution of graduate and undergraduate credits for a student in the Combined B.S. and M.A. program. This sample program is based on the assumption that the policy of the University is not to permit any reduction in undergraduate courses for students in the Combined B.S. and M.A. option. Thus, students in the program complete both the full 124 credit hours of the B.S. and the full thirty credit hours of the M.A. It should be noted that, unless the student takes the maximal possible course load of 17 credit hours during several semesters, it may necessary for the student to participate in as many as two special sessions in order to complete the program in five calendar years.
In the sample program below, the student participates in one winter session consisting of two three credit courses and one summer session (an internship). For example, the Department of Linguistics conducts a summer and a winter session course in Italy each year that would be appropriate for many of the students. Summer session would also be an appropriate time for an internship relevant to the student’s academic interests, as in the example below.
UG Credits Grad Credits
Freshmen Year
Fall 16 0
Winter 0 0
Spring 15 0
Summer 0 0
Sophmore Year
Fall 16 0
Winter 6 0
Spring 15 0
Summer 0 0
Junior Year
Fall 16 0
Winter 0 0
Spring 12 3
Summer 4[e.g. internship] 0
Senior Year
Fall 12 3
Winter 0 0
Spring 12 3
Year 5
Fall 9
Spring 12
Revisions to Planned Program of Study in Combined B.S. and M.A. Option
Students who wish to make changes to their program of study must first obtain permission from their advisor. The advisor must then make a written request to the Graduate Studies Committee to revise the program of study.
