Joint U2G Accelerated Graduate Program

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers joint BS/MS and BS/PhD degree programs. These programs are referred to as Undergraduate-to-Graduate (U2G) by the University of Iowa. The BS/MS U2G program is available to any student at the University of Iowa independent of their undergraduate major. The BS/PhD U2G program is available to any College of Engineering BSE major and any College of Liberal Arts and Sciences major.

Students accepted into the U2G degree program will receive a BS degree in their respective undergraduate major when all requirements for the BS degree have been completed. Students will receive an MS (thesis/non-thesis) degree or PhD in electrical and computer engineering (ECE) upon completion of the requirements for the degree.

BS/MS Benefits

A maximum of nine (9) s.h. may be counted toward both the BS and MS degrees. Only graduate courses completed after admission to the joint degree program may be counted toward the master's degree. One additional course, constituting a maximum of three (3) additional semester hours of graduate credit, taken after admission to the joint degree program and prior to award of the BS degree, may be applied toward the MS degree requirements, provided that this course is not used to satisfy BS degree requirements. Students must have less than 15 s.h. of remaining undergraduate coursework and must be in the second or subsequent semester of their joint BS/MS program at the time that this course is taken.

BS/PhD Benefits

A maximum of twelve (12) s.h. may be counted toward both the BS and PhD degrees. Only graduate courses completed after admission to the joint degree program may be counted toward the master's degree. Two additional courses, constituting a maximum of six (6) additional semester hours of graduate credit, taken after admission to the joint degree program and prior to award of the BS degree, may be applied toward the PhD degree requirements, provided that this course is not used to satisfy BS degree requirements. Students must have less than 15 s.h. of remaining undergraduate coursework and must be in the second or subsequent semester of their joint BS/PhD program at the time that this course is taken.

Eligibility Criteria

Students applying for entry into the U2G program offered by ECE must meet the following criteria:

• Completion of 80 hours of undergraduate work and declaration of a major by the end of the semester of application. A student who did not start their academic career at the University of Iowa must have completed 30 semester hours at Iowa prior to application.
• A cumulative GPA higher than 3.25 for BS/MS or 3.5 for BS/PhD is required to apply to the U2G program. 
• A cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater at the time the student transitions to graduate student only status (after completion of the U2G or blended year) is required for BS/MS.
• A cumulative GPA of 3.25 or greater at the time the student transitions to graduate student only status (after completion of the U2G or blended year) is required for BS/PhD.
• MS with thesis students must also identify an ECE affiliated faculty member willing to serve as their MS thesis advisor. The thesis advisor must provide a reference letter acknowledging willingness to serve as the primary thesis mentor.
• PhD and MS with thesis applicants must demonstrate an eagerness to participate in and dedication to complete a research-focused academic program in an ECE compatible field of study. (Typically, students supply a personal statement describing their personal goals for their graduate education and beyond.)