Joint Degree Programs
In conjunction with several of the professional schools and many of the graduate departments, the University offers a number of joint degrees to students in the College. Students interested in any of these programs should meet with their advisers to discuss the various options and educational goals early in their career.
Professional Option Programs. The Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies, the Law School, and the School of Social Service Administration all offer programs that are available to undergraduate students interested in early completion of an advanced degree. Students apply for admission to the professional school in their junior year and, if admitted, spend their final undergraduate year in a professional school pursuing a normal program there. Upon satisfactory completion of that year and of all College requirements, they are awarded the bachelor's degree by the College. Normally the degree is in the "professional option" (the Harris School, the Law School, or SSA) rather than in a departmental concentration. Students who wish to apply to professional option programs should consult their advisers for more detailed information as early as possible (preferably early in the second year) so that all College requirements can be met. Further information is available from the Office of the Dean of Students in each professional school.
Joint Bachelor's/Master's Programs. Joint B.A.-M.A./M.S./M.A.T. programs permit qualified students to enter upon a course of graduate study while also completing their work in the College. Any department may decide to offer a joint program to those students accepted by the faculty. Applicants must have completed a significant portion of their undergraduate program before they can apply to master's level programs. Generally this means that students are admitted to candidacy for the master's degree during their fourth year in the College. During this year of graduate work, students will be billed for tuition at the graduate rate. Students should consult their College advisers, as well as the appropriate concentration chairman or program coordinator, for detailed information about this option.
The Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences (MAPSS)