The Joint
A.B.-A.M.
Program
The joint
A.B./A.M.
program allows very strong undergraduates in the College to earn both
the
A.B. and A.M. degrees in their major area.
Some freshmen arrive with college credits already earned through
Advanced
Placement
or courses taken at a college while in high school--occasionally with
the
equivalent
of a full semester's college work. In addition, some
students
choose to carry more than the standard course load. Therefore we
see students who
could complete the requirements for the A.B. degree in fewer than the
traditional
8 semesters.
Most of
these
students simply apply
for the A.B. degree upon completion of undergraduate requirements,
often
with more than one major. However, a few elect to enter the joint
A.B./A.M.
program in their chosen area and are awarded the two degrees
simultaneously.
- The
AB/AM
program
is
designed
for those able to complete requirements for both degrees in a total of
8 semesters. The program might be advantageous to
students
able to complete requirements for both degrees in 9 semesters.
When
10 or more semesters will be needed, it will be to a student's
advantage
NOT to pursue a joint program: instead, first complete bachelor's
requirements
and then apply for admission to a graduate program.
- Financial
aid for A.B./A.M. students is arranged by the undergraduate Office of
Financial
Aid. Consistent with the first point, a maximum of 8 semesters of
support
is normally available. A.B./A.M.
students are not eligible for any form of financial support from the Graduate School.
Candidates
must be recommended
by the Department and then be admitted
to
the program by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. According to the Graduate
School, "only in exceptional cases will candidates be admitted to the
joint A.B.-A.M. after the fifth semester of study." So the
application process should be started at the beginning of your junior
year. .
Here are copies of
Part of the application process
involves submitting a plan of which
math courses will be taken and applied toward the master's degree and
which will count toward the undergraduate major. (These cannot
be
"double-counted.).
A completed copy of the application form should also be given to
Professor Ron Freiwald (Director of Undergraduate Studies) before it is
submitted to the Graduate School.
Your
advisor can help you determine if such a program might be feasible or
advantageous
for you.
Interested students can also talk with Professor
Ron Freiwald as early as possible in the junior year about the
procedures.
You can also find more information in the Bulletin
of the College of Arts & Sciences.
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