ABM Accelerated Bachelors to Masters: Electrical Engineering BS; Electrical Engineering MS

I. Student Requirements

The Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s (ABM) pathway allows an approved undergraduate student at NC A&T an opportunity to complete both the BS and MS degrees at an accelerated pace (approximately 5 years). In the ABM pathway, and approved student, beginning in their junior year, can take up to twelve (12) credit hours (4 courses) of approved graduate coursework that may also be used to satisfy requirements for his/her undergraduate degree.

Student Eligibility Requirements

1. Students must have completed between 75 and 90 credit hours in their undergraduate pathways, including credits earned from advanced placement.

2. Transfer students must have completed a minimum of two semesters as a full-time student at NCA&T, a minimum of 24 credit hours, in addition to the 75 to 90 hours as previously stated.

3. Students must have a minimum accumulated grade point average (GPA) of 3.25/4.0 at NCA&T at the time of admission into the ABM degree pathway.

Application to the ABM Pathway

A prospective student who meets the eligibility requirements for the ABM pathway must set up a meeting with his/her undergraduate advisor and the graduate pathway coordinator to develop a Plan of Study for her/his bachelor's and master's degree pathways. Before acceptance into an ABM pathway can be finalized, a student must submit:

a. The standard application for admission to the Graduate College;

b. A Plan of Study for the graduate degree that also indicates the graduation date for the master's degree. The Plan of Study must indicate the following: (i) a maximum of 12 graduate credit hours that will also count towards the undergraduate degree, (ii) a maximum of six (6) additional graduate credit hours that may be taken as an undergraduate student that will not be counted towards the bachelor's degree, (iii) courses that will be taken after matriculating into the graduate pathway, and (iv) the graduation date for the master's degree that meets the time limit for the ABM pathway (i.e. obtaining a thesis master’s degree within 18 months or non-thesis master's degree within 12 months  of completing the bachelor's degree in the same field).

c. Any changes to the ABM Plan of Study must be submitted in writing and approved by the chairperson and graduate pathway coordinator and by the dean of the Graduate College.

Requirements for Participation and Graduation

1. Students must complete the bachelor's degree before entering the master's program. Students in the ABM can not elect to bypass the bachelor's degree.
2. Students must receive a grade of B (3.00/4.00) or better in each of the double-counted graduate level (600 level) courses.
3. Students must complete the master's degree within 18 months for a thesis master’s degree or within 12 months for a non-thesis master's degree from the completion of the bachelor's degree.

Continuing Eligibility

1. It is the responsibility of the student to recognize his/her eligibility status.
2. If a student completes the bachelor's degree requirements with an accumulated GPA of less than 3.25/4.0, he/she automatically loses the privilege of continuing in the ABM.
3. Failure to complete the degree with a course/project option in 12 months or thesis option in 18 months voids the application of the double-counted class hours to the Master’s degree.

 

II. Pathway List of Allowable Courses

1. Allowable Course Substitutions

Students approved to enter the ABM Pathway may substitute up to four (4) course limit, graduate-level undergraduate courses according to the following schedule.

Undergraduate Course	Equivalent Graduate Course
ECEN 421 Embedded System Design	ECEN 621 Embedded System Design
ECEN 441 VLSI Circuit Design	ECEN 629 VLSI Circuit Design
ECEN 451 Digital Signal Processing	ECEN 650 Digital Signal Processing
ECEN 468 Theory of Linear Control Systems	ECEN 668 Theory of Linear Control Systems

Note: The BS portion of this pathway has already been approved by the University. In all cases, the pathway and University requirements will be satisfied based on the four-year curriculum.