Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Programs

Fast-track Your Master’s Degree

The Costello College of Business at George Mason University offers several Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s (BAM) pathways for highly-qualified Mason undergraduates. 

Are you excelling academically in your undergraduate program at George Mason University? If so, you may qualify for one of the integrated Costello College of Business Bachelors/Accelerated Master’s (BAM) pathways, allowing you to take up to 12 credits (using Advanced Standing Credits) applicable to both your current bachelor’s degree and a business master’s program.

Enrolling in a BAM pathway within the Costello College of Business offers numerous advantages including graduate assistantship and scholarship preference. You'll embark on a unique journey, gaining early exposure to graduate-level courses while still pursuing your undergraduate degree. By completing up to 18 graduate credits (using Reserve Credits) during your undergraduate studies, you'll pave the way for a smoother transition into the master’s program and save thousands of dollars on your graduate tuition.

Furthermore, you'll gain early access to graduate-level career advising, workshops, and events. With a lighter course load in the master’s program, you'll have the flexibility to pursue job and internship opportunities that align with your career aspirations, effectively preparing for a successful career.

Explore Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Programs at the Costello College of Business

Master's in Accounting

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The Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Pathway – Master’s in Accounting (BAM-MSA) is for George Mason University bachelor of science in business with a concentration in accounting students who seek to meet the CPA requirements and want to quickly advance their careers.

Key Information for BAM-MSA pathway:

  • Potential savings of up to $11,000 on graduate tuition
  • Up to 12 credits of Advanced Standing (apply to both you bachelor’s and master’s degree)
  • Up to 6 credits of Reserve Credit (taken while an undergraduate, at the undergraduate tuition rates, credits only apply to master’s)
  • The master’s in accounting comprises 30 credits, and the minimum total number of credits completed between the BS with a Concentration in Accounting and an MS in Accounting degrees is 138.
  • View the MSA-BAM eligible courses here. Other courses may be approved for advanced standing with departmental permission.

To be eligible for the BAM-MSA pathway, you must:

  • Be pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business with a concentration in accounting with a 3.0 overall GPA or better.
  • Have earned at least 60 credits, of which 15 have been earned at George Mason University.
    • Students approved for the BAM-MSA pathway may enroll in graduate courses after they have earned 75 credits.
  • Have completed ACCT 303 with a grade of C or better.

Application requirements for the BAM-MSA pathway:  

CPA Considerations: All 600-level accounting courses qualify toward the Virginia CPA educational requirements. Courses that count toward two degrees (advanced standing courses) are only counted once toward the CPA 150-credit licensure requirement. If you are going to be short of the 150 credits, work with your advisors to add courses as allowable by the University.

Those on an F-1 visa or other students who need to be full time while in the Master’s in Accounting program, please consult with an advisor before pursuing the BAM-MSA pathway.

AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies can be found in the George Mason University Catalog.

Master's in Business Analytics

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The Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Pathway – Master’s in Business Analytics (BAM-MSBA) is designed for George Mason University undergraduates from any major who want to sharpen in-demand analytical skills and data-driven decision making.

Key Information for BAM-MSBA pathway:

  • Potential savings of up to $7,000 on graduate tuition
  • Up to 12 credits of Advanced Standing (apply to both you bachelor’s and master’s degree)
  • Up to 6 credits not used for Advanced Standing can be used for Reserve Credits (taken while an undergraduate, at the undergraduate tuition rates, but credits only apply to master’s)
  • The master’s in business analytics comprises 30 credits, and the minimum total number of credits completed between a BA/BS in a chosen major and an MS in Business Analytics is 138.
  • View the MSBA-BAM eligible courses here.

To be eligible for the BAM-MSBA pathway, you must:

  • Be pursuing a George Mason University undergraduate degree with a 3.0 overall GPA or better.
  • Have earned at least 60 credits, of which 15 have been earned at George Mason University
    • Students approved for the BAM-MSBA pathway may enroll in graduate courses after they have earned 75 credits

Application requirements for the BAM-MSA pathway:

Those on an F-1 visa or other students who need to be full time while in the Master’s in Business Analytics program, please consult with an advisor before pursuing the BAM-MSBA pathway.

AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies can be found in the George Mason University Catalog.

Master's in Finance

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The Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Pathway – Master’s in Finance (BAM-MSBA) is for George Mason University undergraduates from quantitative majors seeking a comprehensive financial education covering financial planning, portfolio management, corporate banking, and investment banking.

Key Information for BAM-MSF pathway:

  • Potential savings of up to $12,000 on graduate tuition.
  • 12 credits of Advanced Standing (apply to both you bachelor’s and master’s degree)
  • Up to 6 credits not used for Advanced Standing can be used for Reserve Credits (taken while an undergraduate, at the undergraduate tuition rates, but credits only apply to master’s)
  • The master’s in finance comprises 33 credits, and the minimum total number of credits completed between a BA/BS in a chosen major and master’s in finance is 141.
  • View the MSF-BAM eligible courses here.
  • Due to prerequisites, the MSF-BAM pathway must be started in the fall semester.

To be eligible for the BAM-MSF pathway, you must:

  • Be pursuing a George Mason University undergraduate degree with a 3.0 overall GPA or better.
  • Have earned at least 60 credits, of which 15 have been earned at George Mason University
    • Students approved for the BAM-MSF pathway may enroll in graduate courses after they have earned 75 credits
  • Completed at least two quantitative courses (from the Quantitative Reasoning section of the Mason Core or equivalents) with a grade of B or better in at least one of the courses.

Application requirements for the BAM-MSF pathway:

Those on an F-1 visa or other students who need to be full time while in the Master’s in Finance program, please consult with an advisor before pursuing the BAM-MSF pathway.

AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies can be found in the George Mason University Catalog.

Master's in Management

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The Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Pathway – Master’s in Management (BAM-MSM) is for current George Mason University undergraduates from any major who want to develop a robust understanding of interdisciplinary business management principles.

Key Information for BAM-MSM pathway:

  • Potential savings of up to $11,000 on graduate tuition.
  • 12 credits of Advanced Standing (apply to both you bachelor’s and master’s degree)
  • Up to 6 credits of Reserve Credit (taken while an undergraduate, at the undergraduate tuition rates, but credits only apply to master’s)
  • The master’s in management comprises 33 credits, and the minimum total number of credits completed between a BA/BS in a chosen major and master’s in management is 141.
  • View the MSM-BAM eligible courses here.

To be eligible for the BAM-MSM pathway, you must:

  • Be pursuing a George Mason University undergraduate degree with a 3.0 overall GPA or better.
  • Have earned at least 60 credits, of which 15 have been earned at George Mason University
  • Students approved for the BAM-MSM pathway may enroll in graduate courses after they have earned 75 credits

Application requirements for the BAM-MSM pathway:

Those on an F-1 visa or other students who need to be full time while in the Master’s in Management program, please consult with an advisor before pursuing the BAM-MSM pathway.

AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies can be found in the George Mason University Catalog.

Master's in Real Estate Development

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The Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Pathway in Real Estate Development (BAM-MRED) is for current George Mason undergraduates from any major who aspire to deepen their understanding of the commercial real estate industry and pursue a career in the industry.

Key Information for BAM-MRED pathway:

  • Potential savings of up to $11,000 on graduate tuition.
  • 12 credits of Advanced Standing (apply to both your bachelor’s and master’s degree)
  • Up to 6 credits not used for Advanced Standing can be used for Reserve Credits (taken while an undergraduate, at the undergraduate tuition rates, but credits only apply to master’s)
  • The master’s in real estate development comprises 36 credits, and the minimum total number of credits completed between a BA/BS in a chosen major and master’s in real estate development is 144.
  • The MRED-BAM eligible courses
    • REAL 605 – Policy & Planning of the Built Environment
    • REAL 615 – Brokerage and Market Analysis
    • REAL 625 – Financial Analysis and Valuation
    • REAL 635 – The Development Process

To be eligible for the BAM-MRED pathway, you must:

  • Be pursuing a George Mason University undergraduate degree with a 3.0 overall GPA or better.
  • Have earned at least 60 credits, of which 15 have been earned at George Mason University
  • Students approved for the BAM-MRED pathway may enroll in graduate courses after they have earned 75 credits
  • Have completed FNAN 351 with a grade of B or better.

Application requirements for the BAM-MRED pathway:

Those on an F-1 visa or other students who need to be full time while in the Master’s in Real Estate Development program, please consult with an advisor before pursuing the BAM-MRED pathway.

AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies can be found in the George Mason University Catalog.

How To Apply, Notification, and Transitioning to Master’s Program 

Checklist

  • You may apply to the program once you have earned between 60 -100 credit hours in your relevant undergraduate program.

    • Though you can apply to BAM with only 60 credits, you must complete at least 75 undergraduate credits before taking advanced standing graduate courses. Advanced standing courses double count towards your undergraduate and Master’s program. 
  • Apply at least one full semester prior to the semester in which you intend to graduate. This ensures that you will have at least two semesters to take the necessary courses for transitioning. 
  • Materials you will need to apply: 
    • Mason transcript from Patriot Web 
    • The name and GMU email address of your BAM advisor with your application. 

How to Apply

  1. Go to the online application portal 
  2. Sign up for an account 
  3. Once set up, click the “Start A New Application” button 
  4. Then select the “Start Application” button under the “College of Business Graduate Application" section.  
  5. A set of questions will appear:  
    1. What level are you applying?  Select “4 – Accelerated Masters (for Mason Undergraduate Students Only)” 
    2. What campus are you applying for? Select the modality of your preferred program 
    3. What degree-seeking program are you applying for? Select your program of choice. 
    4. Term: Select the term you will start your graduate degree. This should be the term after your undergraduate degree is awarded. 
  6. Once you answer all the appropriate fields, the bachelor's accelerated master's form will appear. Complete the form, click "Review Your Application", and then click "Submit Your Application". 

Notification

If your Accelerated Master's application is approved, you will receive an automated email notifying you to check your Application Portal. Your decision will be available to you on your Application Portal. 

Approved students can register for graduate courses via Mason's Patriot Web system when they have reached at least 75 credits. 

Approval for the Accelerated Master's program only guarantees admission to a degree program at a later date if you maintain the required GPA outlined in the University Catalog, and follow all of the policy requirements outlined in the “Transitioning to a Master’s Program” section below. 

Transitioning to Master’s Program

  • File your intent to graduate in the final semester of your undergraduate degree here
  • At the beginning of your final undergraduate semester, meet with your graduate advisor to have your Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's (BAM) Transition Form signed and approved. Find the form here. If this form is not received by Graduate Admissions, you will not be eligible to be formally admitted to your graduate program.  
  • Your graduate advisor will submit the BAM Transition Form to the Graduate Admissions Office (OGA). The form will then be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office. 
  • Once the BAM Transition Form has been processed by OGA and the Registrar, you will receive an official admission letter to the graduate program via the admissions web portal. Please access the official admission letter and "Accept" the offer of admission. If you do not accept the offer, you not become a master's student.
  • If you were considered out-of-state for your undergraduate program and would like to qualify for in-state tuition for your graduate program, you must also submit a new domicile form with your BAM Transition Form to Graduate Admissions. 
  • During your first semester as a graduate student, applicable credits will be designated “Advanced Standing.”
  • Transition terms for all pathways: Fall or Spring

Questions? Contact Us

Email: sbusgrad@gmu.edu
Phone: 703-993-8006