College of Architecture and Environmental Design
| Graduate Program | Bachelor’s Degree |
|---|---|
| MS Architectural Engineering | Architectural Engineering |
| Architecture – SUSPENDED |
College of Agriculture Food and Environmental Sciences
| Graduate Program | Bachelor’s Degree |
|---|---|
| MS Food Science | Food Science |
| MS Nutrition | Nutrition |
College of Engineering
| Graduate Program | Bachelor’s Degree |
|---|---|
| MS Aerospace Engineering | Aerospace Engineering |
| MS Biomedical Engineering | Biomedical Engineering Chemistry Computer Engineering, CPE Electrical Engineering Materials Engineering Mechanical Engineering |
| MS Civil & Environmental Engineering | Civil Engineering Environmental Engineering |
| MS Computer Science | Computer Engineering, CPE Computer Science, CSC Software Engineering, SE |
| MS Electrical Engineering | Computer Engineering, CPE Electrical Engineering |
| MS Engineering Management | Aerospace Engineering Biomedical Engineering Environmental Engineering Industrial Engineering Manufacturing Engineering Materials Engineering, MATE Mechanical Engineering Software Engineering, SE |
| MS Industrial Engineering | Industrial Engineering Materials Engineering, MATE Mechanical Engineering |
| MS Mechanical Engineering | Aerospace Engineering Mechanical Engineering |
College of Liberal Arts
| Graduate Program | Bachelor’s Degree |
|---|---|
| MA English | English |
| MPP Masters of Public Policy | Political Science |
College of Science and Math
| Graduate Program | Bachelor’s Degree |
|---|---|
| MS Mathematics | Mathematics |
| MS Polymers & Coatings Science | Chemistry Biochemistry Materials Engineering, MATE |
| MS Statistics | Statistics |
What is a Blended Program?
- Joint (blended) Bachelor’s and Master’s degree
- No “formal” application made through Admissions; no application fee
- Under Title V, minimum of 225 total units required (BS 180 + MS 45)
- Blended matriculation is “Graduate”
- Only certain bachelor/master programs are paired as blended. (see above)
Academic Objectives
- To provide an accelerated route to a graduate degree, with simultaneous awarding of both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees
- In most cases, to allow for the possibility of students’ earning graduate credit for several of their senior electives, effectively decreasing the summed unit requirements for both degrees
- To provide a seamless process whereby students can progress from undergraduate to graduate status without having to apply through the Admissions Office (thereby eliminating the need to pay the application fee)
- To provide a meaningful capstone experience that in some cases integrates the senior project with the graduate thesis/project
Eligibility Requirements
Transition
Students admitted in the blended program will retain undergraduate status until they complete 180 term or 120 semester units that count toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
A blended student must be at graduate standing for a minimum of 2 academic terms before they graduate.
Early Requirements
Important: By the term you are submitting your Blended Pathway Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective you must have your GWR and all lower-division degree requirements completed.
UNIV 401 is offered every term, including summer. Please contact the Writing and Learning Initiatives Office with any questions or for assistance.
GPA
Students must have a minimum of a 2.5 cumulative SLO GPA in order to be accepted to a Blended Program.
*Note: Once students are admitted to graduating standing, they must maintain an overall 3.0 GPA for courses on their Formal Study Plan.
Admission to Blended Degree Program
Before Starting Blended Application Approval Form:
STEP 1: Apply and be accepted to the blended program directly with the program department
STEP 2: Complete the Blended Application Curriculum Plan
Complete your curriculum plan with your Blended Program Faculty Advisor or Program Coordinator. This plan ensures you are prepared for the transition to graduate standing and have mapped out your graduate degree requirements.
Blended Pathway Program Application Curriculum TEMPLATE
STEP 3: Submit the Blended Application Approval Form
Blended Pathway Program Application Approval (E-form)
Due June 4, 2026 by 4pm to be considered a Spring 2026 admit.
SAMPLE Blended Pathway Program Application Approval
This document can be submitted anytime and serves the purpose of notifying the Graduate Education Office of your intention to pursue the Blended Pathway to achieve your bachelor’s and master’s degree. It is important that this document be received at least 1 term before the Blended Pathway Change of Objective.
Transitioning to Graduate Standing
The term a student is earning 180 term/120 semester units (for high-unit bachelor’s the threshold is equal to the number of units required by the bachelor’s) that count toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees they must transition to graduate standing. To initiate this process Blended students will submit the Blended Pathway Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective to request that the Registrar’s Office change your student status to have graduate standing:
Blended Pathway Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective form available weeks 1 – 3
SAMPLE Blended Pathway Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective
Blended Transition Deadlines
The Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective will only be processed by the Office of Graduate Education if the Blended applicant has completed at least 91% of their undergraduate degree, completed all of their lower-division requirements, cleared their GWR milestone in their Poly Profile, and previously submitted a Blended Programs Application Approval Form to the Office of Graduate Education. If any of these requirements are not met by the Week 3 deadline, the Blended applicant’s Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective will not be processed in that term. There are no exceptions.
- To transition to graduate standing in Winter 2026, all requirements must be met by – Wednesday, October 8, 2025
- To transition to graduate standing in Spring 2026, all requirements must be met by – Friday, January 23, 2026 at 4:00pm
- To transition to graduate standing in Fall 2026, all requirements must be met by – Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 4:00pm
Frequently Asked Questions
Blended Program, BMS/BMA, and 4+1 are different names for the same degree objective. Toward the end of his/her undergraduate degree at Cal Poly, a student can apply to pursue a Blended Program (this is the correct name to use) in which the student seamlessly transitions from undergraduate (Bachelor’s) to graduate standing (Master’s) without having to apply through Cal State Apply. Once the student has completed all degree requirements for BOTH the undergraduate degree and the graduate degree, BOTH degrees are then conferred at the same time. PLEASE NOTE: Not all majors on campus are eligible to pursue a paired Bachelor’s and Master’s degree (see Graduate Education website for eligible degree pairings).
Not necessarily. There is no guaranteed 4+1 time-frame. Consult with your Graduate Coordinator and develop a Working Formal Study Plan. You will receive your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees when you have completed all degree requirements for both degrees. This often takes longer than 5 years to accomplish, particularly if your program requires a thesis.
If you are interested in applying for a Blended Program, there are three steps you will need to complete:
- Speak directly with the Graduate Coordinator of your program of interest. All Blended Program pairings have their own criteria for admittance and application processes. All Graduate Coordinator contact information can be found on Graduate Coordinators.
- File a Blended Programs Application Approval Form with the Graduate Education Office. You should only file your approval form once your program of interest has officially accepted you as a Blended student. PLEASE NOTE: You must also file a Blended Pathway Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective to transition to graduate standing. The Blended Programs Application Approval Form does not replace the Blended Pathway Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective.
No. Only certain majors on campus are eligible to pursue a paired Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. To determine if your undergraduate program is paired with a corresponding approved Master’s degree, view the Blended Program Pairings PDF.
No. There are no conditional admittances into any Blended Programs. Students who are accepted into Blended Programs should not be required to complete any additional courses other than those identified as required for the Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degrees in the Cal Poly catalog.
Yes. All Blended Program students must also complete all senior project requirements identified in the Cal Poly catalog for their respective undergraduate program.
You must apply to a Blended Program BEFORE you have completed all undergraduate degree-applicable units required for your specific major. Check with the Cal Poly Catalog to be sure.
Also keep in mind that you must be matriculated at graduate standing for a minimum of two academic terms before you graduate. If you are matriculated at graduate standing for less than two academic terms, the Office of the Registrar will be unable to grant your Master’s degree.
Completion of the Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR) is required to submit the BLENDED PATHWAY Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective. Some graduate programs will accept applications to the program with this requirement pending, however, you will not be able to transition to graduate standing until the requirement has been satisfied and is reflected on your Poly Profile.
No. Unfortunately, you will lose access to Degree Planner and your Degree Progress Report once you transition to graduate standing. You must run your final Degree Progress Report before your Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective is processed.
Blended Degree students must be matriculated for at least two academic terms at graduate standing before they can graduate. If you are matriculated at graduate standing for less than two academic terms, the Office of the Registrar will be unable to grant your Master’s degree.
Yes. Transitioning to graduate status will increase your tuition. PLEASE NOTE: Transitioning to graduate standing may also impact your financial aid status. Speak directly with the Financial Aid Office for more information.
Under California Code of Regulations, Title V, a minimum of 225 total units are required (Bachelor’s 180 + Master’s 45) for receiving a Blended degree. A Blended Program can allow double counting equal to the number of units greater than 180, but not to exceed 9 units.
If you will be gone for a Co-op or internship during the first term of your Blended Program (the first term you are matriculated at graduate standing), you must either:
- Enroll in an approved Co-op course, or
- Apply for GS S5597 through the Extended Education Office BY THE FIRST DAY OF THE TERM IN WHICH YOU WILL BE GONE. For instance, if you will be absent from Cal Poly in Fall, you must enroll in GS S5597 by the first day of the Fall term. All graduate students at Cal Poly must be actively enrolled the entire time they are completing their degree requirements. To maintain Continuous Enrollment, you must enroll in a 1 unit, credit/no credit course run through the Extended Education Office (GS S5597). For more information about Continuous Enrollment, visit Continuous Enrollment.
Returning to Cal Poly as a Blended student can be extremely challenging. The first step is completing a “Former Student Evaluation Request” with the Office of the Registrar.
Once you have received a response from the Office of the Registrar, contact the Graduate Education Office directly before re-applying to Cal Poly. Our office will be able to assist you with this complicated process.