Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Concurrent BS/MS in Agricultural Engineering

The concurrent Bachelor of Science /Master of Science (BS/MS) agricultural engineering degree program in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering is designed especially for seniors in agricultural engineering at Iowa State who wish to pursue advanced studies.

The concurrent BS/MS program allows seniors to

  • take graduate courses in their field of study
  • become eligible for a research assistantship during their senior year
  • complete an MS degree (with thesis) within 18 months of BS graduation

Eligibility

To be eligible for application, a student must meet the following criteria:

  • Have a minimum GPA of 3.2/4.00.
  • Be within two semesters of graduation.
  • Be able to satisfy all graduation requirements for the B.S. with 24 credit hours remaining in the program of study.

Application

Students interested in the concurrent program should identify their potential area of graduate specialization before the end of their junior year. To accomplish this, students are encouraged to contact faculty members throughout the ABE Department to discuss the concurrent BS/MS program and to learn more about ongoing research efforts.

Within the Agricultural Engineering major, students have the opportunity to specialize in

  • water and environment
  • power and machinery
  • food and processing
  • structures and environment
  • biosystems

Once a student has selected an area of specialization, she or he selects a major professor and begins the admission process.

Admission

Admission criteria are similar to those used for all graduate students in the Department. Qualifying students must complete the "Concurrent Enrollment Request Form" as well as the standard graduate school application form. Both are available from 102 Davidson Hall.

Applications to the program will be reviewed by the department’s graduate program committee. Those admitted to the program must establish a Program of Study (POS) committee and submit their program of study form to the graduate faculty for approval by the end of their second semester following admission.

Research Assistantship

Qualified students in the BS/MS program are eligible to receive a quarter or half-time research assistantship during their senior year. Most assistantships are contingent on the availability of research project funding, so students seeking financial support through research assistantships are advised to visit with departmental faculty regarding the potential for funded research in their area of specialization.

Tuition  & Fees

Students who are not citizens of Iowa but who qualify for and are granted a research assistantship (RA), will pay reduced "in-state" graduate tuition fees. Those receiving research assistantships also benefit from the graduate tuition reduction offered to RA's by the Graduate College.

Qualified students also are eligible to compete for a one- or two-year Premium for Academic Excellence (PACE) award which pays one-half of graduate tuition. Application for PACE awards must be made at the time of application for graduate school admission.

Graduate Coursework

To qualify for a Master of Science degree, all graduate work must be in accordance with guidelines given in the current issue of the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department graduate student guide (pdf).