Chemistry or Biochemistry Accelerated BA/MBA Program

The Accelerated Master’s Pathway (AMP) in Chemistry and Biochemistry to MBA offers highly qualified UCCS BA Chemistry and Biochemistry majors the opportunity to pursue the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Chemistry or Biochemistry and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) concurrently. The main benefit of the program is that it allows students to register for up to 12 credit hours to be used for both the BA and MBA programs. The program is designed to be a five-year or five-year+ (less than six) program for currently enrolled UCCS chemistry or biochemistry majors.

Please refer to the department website for a complete program description, or contact the Graduate Program Director, Dr. Carlos Diaz.

The main benefit of the program is that it allows students to register for up to 12 credit hours to be used for both the BA and MBA programs. The program is designed to be a five-year or five-year+ (less than six) program for currently enrolled UCCS chemistry or biochemistry majors seeking the BA. This program was designed for students who want to take their analytical and scientific training to a business, enterprise, or managerial position for their careers. Students start their MBA careers with enrolling in STRT 6000 - Strategic Foundations for Responsible Management and nine credits of electives within the MBA curriculum at the graduate level. A list of approved courses for dual credit is provided below.

BA in Chemistry Degree Requirements

General Requirements for the BA in Chemistry include:

• 51 credit hours of Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry coursework, 16 hours must be upper-division (3000+ level).
• All major coursework must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better.

General Requirements for the BA in Biochemistry include:

• 52 credit hours of CHEM coursework, 16 hours must be upper-division (3000+ level).
• All major coursework must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better.

Master of Business Administration Degree Requirements

• Completion of a minimum of 30 hours of graduate work with a grade point average of B (3.0) or better.
• Students must earn grades of C (2.0) or better in all courses applied to the degree.
• The 30 hours include 27 hours of core courses and 3 hours of MBA elective courses.
• Students enrolled in the BA in Chemistry to MBA AMP or the BA in Biochemistry to MBA AMP will complete STRT 6000 and two additional MBA core courses as part of the undergraduate degree.
• BA in Chemistry to MBA AMP students or BA in Biochemistry to MBA AMP must complete all the MBA courses and additional MBA degree requirements as outlined in the university catalog.

Dual Credits

The BA in Chemistry to MBA or the BA in Biochemistry to MBA AMP allows students to count 12 semester credit hours toward both the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Chemistry or BA in Biochemistry and the Master of Business Administration. For credits to be double-counted, the following conditions must be met:

• Dual credit courses must be from among those approved, included in the list of courses approved for dual credit below.
• Dual credit courses must be completed with a B or better
• Dual credit courses must be taken for graduate credit (5000 level or above)

Courses approved for Dual Credit:

• STRT 6000 (required)
• ACCT 6100
• BUAN 6000
• FNCE 6000
• INFS 6000
• MGMT 6000
• MKTG 6000
• OPTM 6000

Standards for Admission

• Completion of the AMP Intent form and admission into the BA in Chemistry or BA in Biochemistry to MBA AMP is required prior to taking the dual-credit Chemistry/MBA courses at the 6000 level. Admission into the BA in Chemistry or BA in Biochemistry to MBA AMP is competitive. Students must meet the following criteria:
  • A current UCCS student who has completed at least 30 credit hours at UCCS
  • Student must have junior class standing or higher
  • A cumulative CU GPA of at least 3.0
  • Student is a declared major in the Chemistry or Biochemistry bachelor’s program (BA)
  • Completion of at least 18 credit hours in the major
  • Any MAPS deficiencies must be completed prior to admission to the accelerated master’s degree program
  • Meet the standards and admissions requirements for both programs as outlined in the UCCS catalogue (which may include higher standards than those listed above and/or additional criteria)
  • Completion of a 1-page (double-spaced, 1-inch margins) essay outlining the student’s career goals

Interested students should make an appointment with the Graduate Program Director to discuss the AMP and to ensure eligibility (see criteria above). In order to be admitted to the program, the Graduate Program Director must be notified during the student's junior year (preferably) or first semester of the senior year at the very latest. The submission deadline is Nov 1st for admission to the following spring semester and April 15th for admission to the following fall semester. The student must submit the following items to the Graduate Program Director in the junior year:

1. Intent Application: This application states that you currently intend, and are eligible, to begin taking dual-counting courses during your Bachelor’s degree. This does not admit you to Graduate School,
2. The AMP application form: This application is for the Department records,
3. A Personal Statement of Intent (this is included in the AMP application form, above),
4. Two letters of recommendation from UCCS Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry or College of Business faculty members, and
5. An unofficial transcript.the program a maximum of two times. The Graduate Program Director will be responsible for admissions procedures and decisions.

To learn more about admission requirements and the application process, please visit the UCCS Admissions page.

Additional Resources for Admissions:

• Tuition Rate
• Cost of Tuition Estimator
• Financial Aid
• Scholarships