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Department of Mathematics

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4+1 B.A/M.A.

The 4+1 B.A./M.A. program allows you to complete a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in five years by beginning to take graduate courses during your senior (fourth) year. Read an overview of the 4+1 program in the College of Arts & Science.

Admission | Application | Requirements | 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 adviser 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.

Contact

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