Graduate Options for Virginia Tech Undergraduates

The Graduate School encourages the participation of qualified undergraduate students in graduate programs of teaching and research. Qualified juniors and seniors at Virginia Tech have an opportunity to participate in summer research initiatives and to enroll in graduate classes. These opportunities serve to acquaint undergraduates with the nature and rewards of graduate education.

The following admission statuses are available to qualified undergraduate students at VT. Under each one of these statuses, undergraduates can take graduate level classes.

Dual Students (Virginia Tech undergraduates)
Seniors who intend to receive a bachelor's degree, are within the last semester of graduation, and have a GPA of 3.0 or better, may take graduate level course work to satisfy an advanced degree program as dual registrants. Such work may only be used to satisfy graduate degree requirements when it is not used for the bachelor's degree and with the consent of the graduate advisory committee.

The Department of Biochemistry offers a special five-year graduate degree program, and undergraduates with a superior academic record (GPA of 3.3 or higher) may be admitted as dual students at the end of their junior year.

Honors Dual Students
Seniors (defined as students who have completed 96 hours) with a 3.40 minimum cumulative GPA may take graduate-level course work to satisfy an advanced degree program as Honors Dual registrants.

Seniors
Students in their senior year, with a 3.0 or better GPA, may take graduate-level courses (5000 or above) for undergraduate credit if permission is requested in writing by the course advisor and is granted by the Graduate School. Should the student become a graduate student, these courses may not be used for graduate credit.

Combined Student Status
This status is reserved for qualified students in the Bachelor of Architecture program who: (a) are within 24 semester hours of graduation; (b) are proceeding towards one of the two-year Master's programs in Urban and Regional Planning or Architecture; and (c) have at least a 2.75 GPA for the last two years (60 credit hours) of undergraduate studies. Combined students are permitted to take graduate courses. The Bachelor of Architecture degree is awarded at the end of the first year of graduate studies on acceptance of 24 semester hours of work done instead of the regular fifth year in Architecture. A total of 156 semester hours are required for the Bachelor of Architecture degree.

Five-year Bachelor/Master's Degree
Undergraduate students with a 3.5 or above GPA may apply for admission to the Graduate School upon the completion of 75 hours of undergraduate study. (Departments in the College of Engineering require 90 hours of undergraduate study.)

The student must include with the Application for Graduate Study a letter from the head of the proposed graduate department affirming the department's acceptance of the student as a graduate student and agreement that the student can complete his or her undergraduate studies upon demonstration of 12 hours of graduate study.

The student will be required to complete the Graduate Record Examination at the normal time. The GRE will not be required for admission to a Master's program under this option. During the two semesters following admission to graduate school, the student may complete up to 12 hours of graduate work, jointly enrolled in the Graduate School and undergraduate department. Successful completion of 12 hours of graduate work with no less than a "B" average will be considered completion of the last 12 hours of the undergraduate degree.

To apply for the program, 1) Pick up a Graduate School application from the reception desk on the first floor of the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown or download the BS/MS form and complete it. 2) Discuss your participation in this program with your advisor and obtain your department head’s approval in the form of a letter addressed to the Dean of the Graduate School. 3) Take your completed application and your department head’s letter to the office of the Director of the Honors Program in Hillcrest Hall for certification of your eligibility for this program. 4) Return the completed application with the Honors Program certification and your department head’s letter to the Graduate School. Within two weeks, you will be notified of the action taken on your application.