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Department of Mathematics

4+1 B.A/M.A.

Are you interested in earning both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree on an accelerated timeline? The 4+1 B.A./M.A. Program allows for the completion of a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in five years; anyone planning to take graduate courses in their fourth year is a viable candidate. Here is where you can find the overview of the 4+1 program in the College of Arts & Science.

Admission | Application | Requirements | FAQ | Contact

Admission

To be considered for the program, students will need to have completed (or be enrolled in courses leading to the completion of) the requirements for a major or minor in mathematics at Vanderbilt in the semester when the application is made and achieved a grade point average in the mathematics courses taken at Vanderbilt of 3.3 or higher.

Candidates should apply during their junior year. Before beginning the application process, candidates are encouraged to discuss the program with the Director of Graduate Studies.

Application

Download and complete the Petition to Apply to the Combined BA/MA (4+1) Degree Program. Meet with your faculty advisor and then the Director of Graduate Studies.

Once admitted at the department level, students will need to apply to the Graduate School. A complete application will include:

  • a transcript verifying that the candidate meets the minimum requirements;
  • a completed application form;
  • a statement of purpose; and
  • at least three letters of recommendation addressing the candidate’s preparation for graduate study from instructors that are familiar with the candidate’s mathematical abilities. At least two of the references must be from the Vanderbilt Department of Mathematics. These materials relax the requirements of the Graduate School by waiving the GRE requirement.

See the Graduate School website for more information.

Requirements

Each semester, prior to completing the requirements for a bachelor’s degree, a candidate must complete the minimum hours requirement set out by their undergraduate school.

First Year (senior year)

In order to demonstrate sufficient progress in the program, by the end of their first year in the 4+1 program, a candidate must complete a minimum of 12 hours of courses approved for graduate credit in the Department of Mathematics (a list of courses can be found in the Graduate Catalog) with a grade of C or better in each course and an average of 3.0 or higher in the courses used to satisfy this first-year requirement. These courses cannot be used to satisfy the minimum hours requirement for a major in mathematics or for a bachelor’s degree. Candidates must complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree by the end of their first year in the program.

Program Completion

After completing their bachelor’s degree, candidates are subject to the academic regulations of the Graduate School. In addition to the first-year requirements, a candidate must complete 24 hours of courses approved for graduate credit in the Department of Mathematics with a grade of C or better in each course and an average of 3.0 or higher. Candidates must complete a minimum of 9 hours of course work in the department each semester with a grade of C or better in each course.

Degrees Awarded

A candidate who successfully completes the program will be awarded a master of arts in mathematics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this program for me? What are some good/bad reasons to participate?

This is definitely the number one question! It varies between individuals and situations, so it’s useful to comment on the main motivations:

Positioning for application to graduate school. Schools vary, but only very rarely (if at all) is an M.A. not necessary to apply to Ph.D. programs, therefore, this would be a BAD reason to get an M.A. However, a GOOD reason to participate is to cover some specific advanced math courses (likely topology/algebra/analysis), so that there is sufficient background to select (or be considered for) particular Ph.D. programs. In another way, applicants should have taken several proof-based courses and ideally at least two of Math 3100, 3200 and 3300 to apply for graduate school. Further, having taken graduate courses is good, but not required, and it usually doesn’t make sense to do the 4+1 program just to take graduate courses. Also, it’s a GOOD reason to fast-track for an M.A. because of specific job/industry requirements.

Is the B.S./M.S. Program offered by the College of Engineering the same/interchangeable with this one?

No… be careful not to confuse these, as they are from different colleges, and thus, have different regulations and structure.

What kind of financial aid is available?

No student financial aid or graduate assistantships are available for this program (at the time of this posting).

What is the timeline? That is, when should I apply, is there a deadline, etc.?

Roughly, the deadline is to apply in junior (third) year in the fall semester; it’s probably a good idea to consult with your advisor/department chair first to plan for/insure approval for the graduate classes.

For a more specific timeline:

  1. Fall Semester, Junior year:   In the fall semester of junior year, the student completes the 4+1 petition form.
  2. Spring Semester, Junior year: The student takes graduate classes while still enrolled as an undergraduate during spring junior year and senior year.  This will typically require department approval as the student is formally solely an undergraduate.  The student may have to petition to enroll in some of these classes, depending on their home college as well.
  3. Fall Semester, Senior year: Along with taking graduate classes the student formally applies to the Graduate School in fall of the senior year.
  4. Spring Semester, Senior year: In the spring of their senior year, the department will review the application for graduate study and forward it to the Graduate School for acceptance, if the student is in a position to meet the 4+1 requirements.  At the end of the semester, the student will graduate with the B.A. degree.
  5. 5th Year: In the 5th year, the student is solely a graduate student and can enroll directly in graduate classes, and must also complete RCR training (see e.g., https://gradschool.vanderbilt.edu/academics/research/#h2-responsible-conduct-of-research).
  6. At the end of the 5th year, the student graduates with the M.A degree.

Contact

For questions about the 4+1 program, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies.