Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree (BAM!) Program

The College of Education Department of Educational Psychology (EDEP) offers a dual-enrollment program with the Department of Psychology, leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Education in Educational Psychology. The latter focuses on human learning and development in the context of education.

Combined Bachelor’s & Master’s Degree (BAM) Pathways provide a way for highly motivated students to efficiently complete a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in a shorter time frame by double-counting course work (up to 3 courses) at the undergraduate tuition rate. These double-counted courses must be taken after admission to the BAM program. In most cases, pathway students graduate with a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree within 5 years (total).

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Course Pathway

• Download BAM Course Pathway (pdf)

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Admission Requirements

• Students must have received a B or better in EDEP 311/PSY 301
• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• Students must be a declared BA Psychology major (at this time BS Psychology majors are not eligible).
• Students must apply no later than Junior Year for admission in Senior Year

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How to Apply

• Interested students should contact the Psychology Undergraduate Advising Office (psyadv@hawaii.edu) for advising before they submit their MEd application.
• Students must submit an application for the MEd in EDEP by October 1 for Spring admission or March 1 for Summer/Fall admission
• To apply, visit the Educational Psychology (EDEP) website and follow the application procedures. Application materials are required by both UH Mānoa Graduate Division and EDEP. 

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BAM FAQ

Why can’t I apply to the BAM program later than my junior year?

The BAM program offers the opportunity to complete a BA and master’s degree in 5 years, but you should not conceptualize this as completing the master’s degree in one year. Instead, you are completing the master’s degree requirements in both your Senior year and the year after you receive your BA. The benefit of this is that you pay undergraduate tuition for one year of the Master’s program and get an early start on your graduate degree. Thus, your senior year is the first year of your master’s program. Applying later than your junior year would mean that you would not have time to complete the first year of your master’s degree requirements within the timeline. This does not mean you cannot apply to the MEd program. It just means you will not have the opportunity to complete your Master’s requirements in your senior year.

Can I complete a master’s thesis through this program?

The Educational Psychology master’s program has two options, a Plan A (thesis) and a Plan B (non-thesis). Both options require research, but the Plan B is more flexible. Thus, BAM students will likely complete a Plan B project rather than a Plan A thesis, given the constraints of completing BA and MEd requirements in their senior year. However, some students may be able to complete a Plan A, particularly if they are willing to stay for an additional semester.