Accelerated Pathway B.B.A./Master of Science

Colleges and Schools  > C.T. Bauer College of Business  > Accelerated Pathway B.B.A./Master of Science

The accelerated pathway Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.)/Master of Science (M.S.) degree offered at Bauer College is open to qualified University of Houston undergraduate Bauer College of Business students wanting to continue their education at the graduate level in specialized M.S. degree programs upon completion of the B.B.A. degree. The purpose of an undergraduate business major in Bauer College pursuing an M.S. degree offered at Bauer College would be either to add depth at a higher level in the same functional area they pursued as a major or minor at the undergraduate level, or to add breadth to their business education by pursuing an M.S. degree in an area other than their undergraduate major or minor or specialty track in their major. This accelerated pathway allows qualified business majors to take up to six (6) graduate-level credit hours in business that can be applied to both the B.B.A. and toward one of the specialized M.S. degrees offered at Bauer College. Approval and completion of these graduate courses does not guarantee admission to an M.S. degree program. The accelerated pathway B.B.A./M.S. degree program is designed to reduce the total number of undergraduate and graduate credit hours required to complete both degrees. Students who complete those graduate courses may use them toward the requirements for the B.B.A. regardless of admission to an M.S. degree program, either toward major or minor requirements for courses with the same letter rubrics as their major or minor, or toward elective requirements of their major. To take full advantage of the accelerated program, a student will need to:

1. seek approval for the accelerated pathway program and take up to six (6) credit hours of graduate courses, and

2. apply and be admitted to an M.S. degree program offered at Bauer College.

Eligibility and Approval Process for the Accelerated Pathway to Take Graduate Courses as an Undergraduate

An undergraduate business student in Bauer College wanting to participate in the accelerated pathway B.B.A./M.S. degree program should submit an application to the Bauer College Office of Undergraduate Business Programs (UBP). The application for the accelerated pathway should be submitted for review prior to a student’s final semester toward the B.B.A. The minimum eligibility requirements to participate in the accelerated pathway B.B.A./M.S. degree program are shown below, with any additional requirements specified by individual programs:

1. Senior standing and completion of or in progress in the required credit hours for their major minus six (6) credit hours.
2. Minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average at the University of Houston.
3. Minimum 3.0-grade point average in their major at the University of Houston.
4. Approval by the specialized M.S. degree program faculty director or faculty designee for that program for which the student intends to apply.

To participate in the accelerated pathway and to take graduate courses as an undergraduate requires approval by the specialized M.S. degree program faculty director or faculty designee for which the student intends to apply.  Students who complete those graduate courses may use them toward the requirements for the B.B.A. regardless of admission to an M.S. degree program, either toward major or minor requirements for courses with the same letter rubrics as their major or minor, or toward elective requirements of their major. Approval for the accelerated pathway as an undergraduate and/or completion of graduate courses does not constitute automatic admission to the M.S. graduate program.

Selection of an MS Degree Program and Graduate Courses:

Prior to the application process for the accelerated pathway, students should consult with the M.S. degree program faculty director and/or other designated faculty members and graduate advisors, and the academic advisor of their major to determine which MS degree program offered at Bauer College would provide the depth or breadth to add value to their career, and the appropriate course selection based on a student’s undergraduate courses, preparation, and intended MS degree program. In addition, the department of their intended master’s degree program maintains an approved list of graduate courses eligible for that master’s program.

Selective List of Graduate Courses Allowed to Count for Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Undergraduate students can take a combination of courses (not exceeding a total of six credit hours) from the list below. Selection of graduate courses requires approval by the specialized M.S. degree program faculty director or faculty designee for which the student intends to apply. This list is not exhaustive as students could be advised to take other courses not listed here.

Supply Chain

• SCM 6A01 Supply Chain
• SCM 7A01 Project Management
• BZAN 6351 Basic Programming for Business Analytics

Management Information Systems

• MIS 7373 Business Applications Database Management Systems I
• MIS 7376 Systems Analysis and Design

Finance

• FINA 7397 Entrepreneurial Finance
• FINA 7371 Energy Value Chain
• FINA 7372 Upstream Economics
• FINA 7373 Petrochemical and Refining Economics

Management and Leadership

• MANA 6A25 Ethical Leadership and Critical Reasoning
• MANA 6A32 Organizational Behavior and Management
• MANA 6A83 Strategic Analysis
• MANA 7336 Human Resource Management

Marketing

• MARK 6A61 Marketing Administration
• GENB 6A50 Business Communications
• BZAN 6310 Quantitative Analysis for Businesses Decisions
• ACCT 6331 Financial Accounting

Admission to the Graduate Program

Students in the accelerated pathway must complete the graduate application process before they will be formally considered for admission the M.S. graduate program. The admission committee for that M.S. degree program reviews the entire application when making an admission decision. Students may apply in their final semester while completing the undergraduate degree; admission will be conditional pending conferral of bachelor’s degree.