Bachelor's to Master's Accelerated Pathways (BMAP) Policy

I. Scope

This policy applies to William & Mary (W&M) as a whole university, including the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (the university). 

II. Purpose and Policy Statement

The purpose of this policy is to establish minimum requirements for bachelor’s-to-master’s accelerated pathways at W&M.

III. Definitions

Bachelor’s-to-Master’s Accelerated Pathway (BMAP) means a defined and approved pathway in which an existing bachelor’s degree program at W&M is paired with a specific, existing master’s degree at W&M such that the pathway may allow for a specified number of graduate credits to be applied to both the undergraduate and graduate degrees and which may allow for the completion of both degrees in a shorter timeframe than completing them separately. Note that admission to a BMAP is different from conditional admission to a graduate program; see definition of “conditional admission” below.

Primary academic units at W&M are: the College of Arts & Sciences; the Raymond A. Mason School of Business; the School of Computing, Data Sciences, & Physics; the School of Education; the School of Law; and the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences and VIMS.

Double-counted credits means graduate credits that are earned prior to conferral of the undergraduate degree and are counted towards both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Reserve credits means credits that meet each of the following conditions: (1) the credits are graduate credits; (2) the credits are earned prior to the conferral of the undergraduate degree; (3) the credits are earned prior to the student's conditional admission to the graduate program; (4) the credits are earned after admission to the BMAP; and (5) the credits are not counted towards the undergraduate degree but may be counted towards the requirements of graduate degree program.

Conditional admission or Conditional graduate admission means provisional admission of an undergraduate student to a graduate program prior to their completion of the undergraduate program. Conditional admission is reserved for students who have previously applied to and have been accepted for participation in a BMAP.

IV. Policy

A.    BMAP Design and Approval Requirements

1. Design of a BMAP program is at the discretion of the involved primary academic unit(s), including the number of double-counted and reserve graduate credits, up to the maximums established by this policy.
2. A potential BMAP must be developed and approved through usual academic program approval processes within each primary academic unit in which a degree program being considered as part of the BMAP is housed.
3. Following approval by the appropriate primary academic unit(s), a potential BMAP must be submitted to the university’s Institutional Change (IC) Team for review.
4. A potential BMAP submitted for approval to the IC Team that does not meet the requirements of this policy cannot be offered and will be rejected. Resubmission is permitted after any noncompliance issues are addressed.
5. The double-counting of graduate credits towards the undergraduate degree is permitted but not required as part of a BMAP. The maximum number of double-counted credits is 12 credits.
6. BMAPs may also allow for students to earn up to six (6) reserve graduate credits.
7. The total number of double-counted and reserve graduate credits cannot exceed 18 credits.
8. BMAPs must consist of a minimum of at least 138 total credits. The total number of required credits depends on the requirements of both the undergraduate and graduate programs and upon the program-specific allowable limits on double-counted and reserve graduate credits.
9. Undergraduate credits shall not be counted towards the graduate degree. In other words, undergraduate credits cannot be double-counted nor used as reserve credits.
10. A BMAP fewer than the sum of total credits required for the bachelor’s degree and the total credits required for the master’s degree must be able to demonstrate via crosswalk that the expectations for student learning delivered in the BMAP encompass all expectations delivered in the individual undergraduate and graduate degree programs. This crosswalk must be provided to the Institutional Change Team and/or the W&M Curriculum Committee for review at the request of the team/committee.
11. Schools must publish in the graduate academic catalog the specific curricular requirements for a BMAP. Graduate program directors (or their equivalent - or the Associate/Vice Dean for Graduate Studies in the absence of an equivalent) must approve each student's specific BMAP curriculum and, in doing so, must ensure that the curriculum is consistent with the requirements of this policy, and that it maintains the integrity of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
12. No “ad hoc” BMAP shall be established. That is, while it is permissible to seek approval of a BMAP where multiple (or even “any”) bachelor’s degrees can be part of the BMAP, the graduate degree component of the BMAP must be specifically identified and must be approved by both the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

B.     Application to a BMAP and Requirements for Conditional Graduate Admission

 

1. Application, acceptance, and participation in a BMAP is reserved for current W&M undergraduate students.
2. Application to a BMAP may not be made prior to the student being classified as a social junior.
3. Application to a BMAP must be made prior to the start of the semester in which the student graduates.
4. The application process for conditional admission into the graduate degree program associated with the BMAP must be a separate application, review, and admission process from the process in Section IV.B.1 above.
5. Conditional admission to a graduate program must be reserved for exceptional undergraduate students who meet a minimum grade point average and other requirements as established by the primary academic unit(s).
6. Conditional admission to a graduate program cannot be granted prior to the student’s classification as a social senior.
7. Conditionally admitted students will be classified as undergraduate students until they complete their undergraduate degree. This includes, but is not limited to, being charged undergraduate tuition and fees and being governed by undergraduate academic and institutional policies.
8. Conditional admission is not a required component of a BMAP. Including an option for conditional admission is at the discretion of the school/college in which the graduate program is housed, subject to standard curricular review processes at both the school/college and university levels.
9. When two or more primary academic units share or jointly house an approved BMAP (i.e., the undergraduate and graduate programs are in different primary academic units), deans’ offices shall coordinate when establishing BMAP admissions processes and requirements. Operation of and acceptance into a BMAP is solely the responsibility of the primary academic unit in which the graduate program is housed. Also, the admissions requirements and application process for conditional admission to the graduate program are established and operated solely by the school/college that houses the graduate program

C.     Program and Coursework Requirements

1. BMAP students may complete no more than 18 graduate credits while in undergraduate-only status. No more than 12 of these credits may be counted towards both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
2. All prerequisites for a graduate course must be completed prior to enrollment in that graduate course.
3. BMAP students must earn a minimum grade of B- in each graduate course taken during undergraduate status. Colleges/Schools may establish and approve more stringent minimums.
4. Reserve graduate credits must be earned through the successful completion (i.e., minimum grade of B-) of required or elective courses that count towards the master’s degree portion of the student’s BMAP.
5. Students who earn unsatisfactory grades in any approved graduate course, who fail to meet the requirements of the School/College for graduate study, or who fail to maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate grade point average by the time of undergraduate degree conferral may not be admitted fully to the master’s program through the accelerated degree program pathway. These students may file a new admissions application to the master’s program and, upon admission and enrollment, may request the application of credits for any graduate coursework previously taken at W&M as an undergraduate student, subject to the double-counted credit maximums established in this policy and to any other maximums established by the university or School.
6. Successful completion of a BMAP requires that all university requirements for the master's degree are met, including any residency requirements and graduate time limit to degree requirements.
7. Conferral of the bachelor’s degree must occur at the conclusion of the term in which all requirements for the undergraduate degree have been met by the BMAP student.

D.    Federal Financial Aid

1. Federal financial aid that is awarded to cover costs associated with a BMAP student’s undergraduate degree cannot and must not be applied towards credits that do not apply to the student’s undergraduate degree.
2. If a BMAP student holds only undergraduate status, then any federal financial aid awarded to the student can only be applied to graduate credits that count towards the undergraduate degree.
3. Students must be informed about this policy’s financial aid restrictions. Notifications to students must include a clear statement that the student may be responsible for tuition associated with any graduate credits they take beyond the first 12 graduate credits until such time as they are admitted to graduate status.

V.            Enforcement; Complaints, Grievances, or Appeals

Appeals to academic policy must be made via established university procedures.

VI.            Authority and Amendment, Implementation

This policy is approved by the Provost in accordance with Article IX Section D of the Bylaws of the Board of Visitors and the Policy on Creating and Maintaining Whole University Policies & Procedures.

This policy was amended on August 25, 2025 to include the definition of Conditional admission or Conditional graduate admissions and to clarify requirements for Conditional Graduate Admission under Section IV.B.