Blended Programs

Cal Poly has received permission from the CSU Chancellor's Office to offer blended programs that under certain circumstances award a bachelor's degree and a master's degree at the same time.

The purpose of the blended program (AA-2012-01) is to provide an accelerated pathway from a bachelor's to a master's degree and to enhance the undergraduate learning experience. 

Under Title V, a minimum of 225 units are required (Bachelor's 180 + Master's 45) for receiving a combined (blended) degree.

Admission to Blended Program

• Students may be admitted to a blended program up to two years before they would expect to graduate with their bachelor’s degree.
• Admission recommendation is determined at the program level with final approval from the Dean of Graduate Education.
• The student must submit an Admission to Blended Program Approval form.
• The specific requirements for admission are set by the program with approval by the Graduate Education Office and Office of the Registrar.
• Once accepted, students may take graduate-level courses towards master’s degree requirements, as their schedules permit, provided they have met the course prerequisites.

Transition to Graduate Standing

• Students admitted to the blended program will maintain their undergraduate status until they have reached a minimum of 180 degree-applicable units (or the minimum units required for a degree program of more than 180 units); these units can apply to either the undergraduate or graduate degree.
• At the beginning of the first academic term in which the student will earn this number of units, the student must file a post-baccalaureate change of degree objective (PBCO) form. Once the form is processed, the student will transition to graduate status and incur the appropriate increase in tuition fees.
• Students must complete the Graduate Writing Requirement before transitioning to graduate status.
• Students must have graduate standing for a minimum of two quarters before degree completion.

Double Counting Units

• A student may apply any units that are in excess of the 180 undergraduate degree minimum requirements towards both their undergraduate and graduate degree requirements, up to a maximum of 9 units (double-counted units).

Senior Project Requirements

• Students in a blended program must complete all undergraduate requirements, including senior project requirements as detailed in the Cal Poly Catalog, along with the culminating experience required by the individual graduate program. In cases where the graduate culminating experience is a thesis or project, a student can align the objectives for this culminating experience with those of their senior project. The graduate thesis or project and the senior project must have separate course numbers, each with their own learning objectives and final deliverables.

For more information refer to the Graduate Education Handbook.

Sources: CSU Coded Memorandum AA-2012-01 January 9, 2012 (PDF) and Senate Resolution 877-19