George Mason University's Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's (BAM) program allows current undergraduate students to be admitted into graduate degree programs and take classes that apply to both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
What are the benefits of the BAM program?
- Save money on tuition
- Expanded career opportunities
- Faster degree completion in as little as five years
- Waived application fee
- Streamlined application process
Why select the Schar School?
- World-renowned faculty
- Tailored, field-specific career support
- Unparalleled professional connections
- Highly ranked programs
- Close proximity to Washington, D.C. (Mason Square campus)
Accelerated Master's Degrees Offerings
- Biodefense, MS
- Global Commerce and Policy, MA
- International Security, MA
- Organization Development and Knowledge Management, MS
- Political Science, MA
- Public Administration, MPA
- Public Policy, MPP
Online degree options are available for all programs except for political science.
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A Degree That Works With Your Schedule
Classes for Schar School graduate programs are offered in such a way that gives students the chance to work or pursue internship opportunities while still completing their coursework:
- Classes occur in the evening at 4:30 or 7:20 p.m.
- Online and in-person options
- Part-time or full-time coursework after transitioning from undergraduate to graduate studies
“Becoming a BAM student means gaining access to graduate-level career resources, internship connections, and networking opportunities. You are truly on an accelerated professional path in this program and it can make a big difference at the start of your career.”
Duane Bradshaw
Director of Career Development at the Schar School
All BAM students have access to individualized assistance from our career services team.
- Explore career and internship opportunities
- Define your goals
- Develop the skills needed for a successful job search
- Craft a resume and cover letter
Scholarships
The Douglas and Mariana Brook Public Policy Endowed Scholarship awards funding to Schar School BAM students who have been accepted into one of Schar School’s seven bachelor’s-accelerated master’s (BAM) degree programs and have recently transitioned. For more information, please visit the Douglas and Mariana Brook Public Policy Endowed Scholarship page. BAM Students are not eligible for Schar School master’s merit-based scholarships.
Cost and Time Savings
While BAM students are not eligible for Schar School Merit-Based Scholarships, the program is designed to offer cost and time savings. BAM students can replace up to 12 undergraduate credits with 12 graduate credits once approved for the program. These credits would otherwise be taken at the undergraduate level, so this overlap allows students to complete up to one-third of their master's degree at no extra cost. By fully utilizing this 12-credit overlap, BAM students can maximize their savings. In-state students can save over $11,000 and out-of-state students over $21,000 by completing at least 12 BAM credits.
BAM also offers students savings in terms of time. While master’s programs generally take 4 semesters to complete at a full-time pace, students that complete 12-18 BAM credits can reduce that timeline to as little as 2 semesters. This allows BAM students to finish their bachelor’s and master’s in as little as 5 years.
Financial Aid and Tuition
All BAM classes taken during undergraduate are assessed at the undergraduate tuition rate. Once a student transitions to the master’s program, they will be assessed the master’s tuition rate.
Advanced standing BAM courses are eligible for undergraduate financial aid, but reserve BAM credits are not. Once a student transitions, they are eligible to apply for graduate Federal Financial Aid, which comes as loans. For more information, please contact the Financial Aid Office.