Requirements and Recommendations
What is the Combination BA/MA Degree Program?
The BA/MA program provides academically talented students an opportunity to complete a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in a shorter period of time. The program allows students to explore graduate work in criminology before entering a graduate program. If the student then applies and is accepted into the graduate program (see application procedures for the graduate program), up to 12 hours of graduate coursework to double-count towards both the B.A. and the M.A., thus reducing the time it would normally take to complete both degrees by one semester or more. Please note, however, if a student is not serious about pursuing an M.A. in criminology, the program is not recommended.
Minimum Requirements for Competitive Admission:
- at least a 3.5 overall UF GPA
- completion of CCJ 3024, CCJ 3701, CCJ 4014, and CJL 3038 with an overall GPA of 3.5 and no grade lower than a B in any criminology course
- one letter of recommendation from a criminology faculty member
- a personal statement of purpose
NOTE: meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission into the combination degree program.
How to Apply
Students can apply for the joint program anytime from their second year forward, but students will most likely apply during the second semester of their junior year. We require students submit all application materials by Oct. 15 for admission to the spring semester and by March 15 for admission to the fall semester for full consideration. The following steps should help in the application process:
- Plan ahead when scheduling courses through the junior year (see sample schedule below). All four of the criminology required courses and all of the student’s general education requirements must be completed by the end of the student’s junior year.
- At the beginning of the semester in which the student is applying to the program, the student should approach a criminology faculty member about writing a letter of recommendation. The student should also begin working on a personal statement of purpose. The following guidelines should help with writing the statement.
- Length-2 to 4 pages
- The statement should describe:
- Applicant’s reasons for undertaking graduate study in criminology
- Applicant’s future career plans
- Planned area of concentration within criminology
By Oct 15th of the fall semester or March 15th of the spring semester the student must submit the following items to the Undergraduate Coordinator:
- Personal statement of purpose
- Letter of recommendation
- UF’s combination BA/MA application form (PDF)
- Criminology’s BA/MA application form (PDF)
Requirements Once Admitted into the Combination BA/MA Program
Once admitted into the BA/MA program, students are required to complete 12 graduate credit hours for the combination degree before graduation. Six of the 12 credits must be the required CLS courses of Seminar in Criminology (CCJ 6920) and Research Methods in Crime, Law and Justice (CCJ 5934). The remaining 6 graduate credits are based on the student’s interests. See a listing of graduate courses on our web site. Again, keep in mind that acceptance into the combination BA/MA program does not mean automatic admittance into the Master’s program upon graduation. The student must still take the GRE and submit an admission application for graduate study in Criminology and Law.
- Before January 15 of the senior year, the student must apply on-line and to the Graduate Coordinator for entry into the MA portion of the program. Minimum requirements include:
- A UF GPA of 3.0 or higher
- GRE exam scores
- Three letters of recommendation from criminology faculty or instructor; at least one letter from faculty recommended
- A personal statement of purpose. The statement may be an updated statement submitted for the BA portion.
- An academic writing sample, (i.e. a term paper, research article, or honors thesis).
- A copy of your CV or resume
Additional information about admission into the graduate program, including information on how to apply is available here.
Model Plan of Study for BA/MA Program
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| Senior |
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Contact Us
If you have questions about this combination degree program, contact the undergraduate coordinator.