FAQs
Who is eligible for the Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's Program in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology?
Only Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Majors at the University of Colorado are eligible for the BAM Program. Persons working on an undergraduate degree in another Department or degrees from other Universities are ineligible. Students must apply before the 2nd semester of their junior year.
Am I eligible for financial aid if I enroll in this program?
For financial aid purposes, BAM students are currently treated as undergraduates while they have undergraduate status. As such, they are eligible for support from UROP. When students complete the BA and are admitted to graduate status, they are eligible for Deans Small Grants Awards, PBK graduate fellowships, etc.
Am I eligible for a TA position?
Once a student completes the BA and continues to the MA, if a TA position is available, then the student would be eligible to accept a TA position. Be aware of the fact that a commitment to a TA position involves a commitment of 50% of a graduate student's time for that semester.
Can double majors enroll in the concurrent BAM program?
Students pursuing double degrees or additional majors/minors at the undergraduate level are subject to college/school/program policies. This may result in a student choosing to discontinue the additional undergraduate degree, major or minor, or delaying formal admission into the graduation portion of the BAM program in order to complete the additional degree, major, or minor, or fulfilling the remaining requirements for the additional undergraduate credentials while at graduate status (graduate tuition, enrollment status, etc.). Students should discuss these options with their advisor.
At graduation, am I awarded one or two degrees?
Students will receive the BA degree when they complete the requirements for that degree, and will then be continued on to the MA portion of the degree. The degrees are awarded separately.
When am I considered a graduate student at the university?
A student achieves graduate status after they have completed the requirements for the BA degree including 120 credit hours, fulfilled all of their MAPS deficiencies, all core requirements, all upper-division credit, and the residency requirements. In the final semester of undergraduate work, a student who has been admitted to the BAM program will submit a form to continue on to the MA program.
Are there exceptions to the requirements/standards for the degree?
Exceptions to graduate school requirements are addressed by the Concurrent Degree Appeals Committee (CDAC).
Am I eligible for Honors?
Students must fulfill all of the honors requirements of the department by the end of their fourth year. This includes submitting an Honors thesis for evaluation. Honors will be awarded at graduation for the undergraduate degree.
Can I enroll in off-campus programs, such as "Semester at Sea", and still complete the BAM program?
The BAM degrees are a demanding, time-consuming program. Since there is a firm deadline for finishing this degree, a semester spent elsewhere presents a particular problem. It might be possible to do both the degree and a semester away, but this course of action would be difficult.
What happens if I drop out of the program?
Students may drop out of the BAM program to complete only their B.A. degree. In order to do so, they should submit a .
Who is on the Thesis Committee, and how do I pick the right faculty?
The Thesis Committee has a minimum of three members. The three would consist of 1) a research advisor and 2) two other graduate faculty, one of whom may be from outside of EBIO. In general, you should ask faculty who have considerable expertise in your research area. Become familiar with the research interests of EBIO's faculty.
Are the graduate courses that I take limited to those offered by Ecology & Evolutionary Biology?
Students may enroll in graduate courses in other departments if they are appropriate for their graduate studies. A Thesis Committee needs only to approve a course taken outside the department.