BA + MA Program

Are there required courses for BMA students?

• Yes, you must take COMM 6013 in your first Fall semester in the BMA program and COMM 5221 in your first Spring semester in the BMA program.

How do MA-level courses count for my BA?

• The required COMM 6013 and COMM 5221 count as upper-division and as "pathways" courses for your BA
• If you take 2 more MA-level courses, they would also count as upper-division. One course could count as a BA Exit course if it's on the list of approved BA Exit courses at the 4000 level.

Can I take MA courses as a Sophomore or a Junior?

• No, you should wait until the last year of your BA to take MA courses.

Can I do the same certificate at both the BA and MA level?

• Possibly, if there is room in your schedule to take all the necessary courses for both certificates. The BMA program requires you to take COMM 6013 and COMM 5221 in your BA senior year (3 credits each), and then you can take two additional MA-level courses (3 credits each) that year. Those two elective MA courses could count towards both a BA certificate and an MA certificate if they are approved for both. BA-level courses wouldn't count towards an MA-level certificate.

How many credits can I double-count?

• Only 12 credits can be double-counted for the BA and MA. Please pay close attention to how many MA courses you take before you graduate from your BA. If you take more than 12 credits of MA courses before you've graduated from the BA and started your first semester as an MA student, those courses may only count as BA electives or may not count for either degree.

I already took a particular course at the 4000 level, can I take it again at the 5000 or 6000 level?

• Mostly no, you cannot take the same course twice for credit at the 4000 and at the 5000 or 6000 level. For example, if you take COMM 4051 during your BA you cannot take COMM 5051 for credit during your MA.
• However, there are a few important exceptions:
  • You can take the Special Topics course at the BA level (COMM 4710) and/or at the MA level (COMM 5710) multiple times as long as the topic listed in the catalog is different each time
  • You can take the Internships course at the BA level (COMM 3939) and at the MA level (COMM 5939) as long as it is a different internship experience (a different position) with different learning objectives each time.
  • You can take the projects and BA honors thesis course at the BA level (COMM 4700) and at the MA level (COMM 6700) if the project the you complete during the course is completely different each time.
  • Note: The MA program requires students to take 6700 or 5939 as an exit course; you will need one of these at the MA level to complete your MA degree.

Can MA courses I take during my BA count towards an MA at another university?

• No, they can only double-count if you stay at CU Denver for your MA.

Can I retroactively apply MA courses I took during my BA to the MA degree?

• Sorry, university policy does not allow this. MA-level courses will only double-count if you've submitted the signed BMA Intent Form and your student profile says "Option: BA/BS to Masters" before you register for an MA course.

Do MA courses cost extra?

• They usually cost a bit more, but it depends on your status, so compare the per-credit-hour rates for undergraduate and graduate tuition. For example, after subtracting the COF stipend for Colorado residents, graduate courses cost around 20% more per credit hour than undergraduate courses.

How do I become a BMA student?

• First, talk to your major advisor about your interest. In your Junior year of your BA, complete and submit the BMA intent form.

What are the requirements to apply to the BMA program?

• In general, you should have earned A or A- grades in most of your Communication courses so far, especially the courses you've taken recently. However, this is not an absolute requirement; if you have extenuating circumstances, please contact your Communication Major advisor to discuss your interest.

What does it mean to be a BMA student?

• As a BMA student, you are still a BA student, but you have access to register for 5000 and 6000 level courses. Those courses can count both towards your BA they can also double-count (up to 12 credits) towards your MA if you are admitted to the MA program.

What is the difference between upper-division BA courses and MA courses?

• MA level courses are typically more challenging and are more work than BA-level courses. A challenging 3-credit MA-level course could feel like twice as much work as a 3-credit BA-level course.
• Full-time MA students typically take only 3 courses per semester. MA students who have full-time or part-time jobs usually take only 1 or 2 courses per semester.

If I am accepted into the BMA program, am I guaranteed admission to the MA?

• No, submitting a BMA intent form and taking MA courses does not guarantee admission into the MA program. But you will have an excellent chance of being admitted to the MA as a BMA student if your Communication GPA is 3.5 or above, you've earned A's or A-'s in the MA-level courses you've taken, and your instructors in those courses believe you would succeed in the MA program.

When should I apply to the MA?

• Submit your application to the MA program in the last semester of your BA. Deadlines are posted on the MA Admission Guidelines page. Your application will be stronger if you have A or A- final grades from one or two MA courses that you've taken as a BMA student.

What semester should I start the MA?

• You should apply to the MA program for admission starting the first semester after your BA graduation in which you want to take MA courses.
  • For example, if you're graduating from your BA in Spring, you should select “Summer” admission for the MA program if you want to take one or more summer courses for the MA program. If you do not want to take Summer courses, and you graduate from your BA in Spring, you can select Fall admission to the MA.
• You can apply for admission to the MA in any semester: Fall, Spring, or Summer.

Do I have to pay an application fee to apply to the MA as a BMA student?

• No. When you apply online, select the "4+1" option in the system. Within a day or two, the system should automatically apply a fee waiver.

What GPA do I need to apply to the MA?

• To apply to the MA as a BMA student, you will need a minimum of 75 BA credits completed with cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 AND a minimum of 12 completed credits in Communication with a GPA of at least 3.5
• Your application will be stronger if you have A or A- final grades from one or two MA courses that you've taken as a BMA student.

How do I apply to the MA?

• Please follow all the general MA application guidelines and process. When you apply online, make sure you select the "4+1" option in the system.

What if I decide not to apply to the COMM MA at CU Denver or I am not admitted to the MA program?

• You can graduate as usual from your BA, and any MA-level courses you took will just count as upper-division (and one could possibly count as an exit course, if applicable) for your BA.

Do I graduate separately from the BA and MA programs?

• Yes, you graduate from the BA as usual, and walk if you want to, then you start as an MA student the following semester.
• After you complete all the remaining MA program requirements, then you graduate from the MA program.

Can I come back later and finish my MA?

• Yes, you could become a BMA student, take up to 12 credits of MA courses during your BA, graduate from your BA, and then come back a few years later (courses are typically valid for up to 7 years) and apply those 12 credits to an MA with us.