Integrated BS/MS in Information Systems - Admission Criteria and Procedures

Admission Criteria
Current RMU Students
Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
  1. Minimum cumulative QPA of 2.8
  2. Minimum major QPA of 3.0
  3. Minimum QPA of 3.0 for computing courses
  4. Applied 87-108 credits towards bachelor's degree with at least 18 credits earned at RMU
Students who do not meet the 87-credit minimum are still encouraged to apply. The application will remain on file, and the student will receive academic advising each semester to help him or her meet the admission requirements.

Incoming Freshmen
Applicants must meet either of the following criteria:

  1. A minimum score of 1100 on the SAT exam and a minimum 3.0 high school QPA
    - or -
  2. An aggregate score of at least 1700 using the following formula:
Aggregate score = SAT score + (200 x high school QPA)

Transfer Students
Applicants must meet either of the following criteria:

  1. If transferring from a school with a specific articulation agreement: a minimum 3.0 high school QPA
    - or -
  2. If transferring from a school without a specific articulation agreement: same requirements as current RMU students (above).

Program Cost
Once students submit the enrollment agreement to enter the integrated program, they will be placed on the University's blended tuition rate. This rate is a hybrid of the current per-credit rates of undergraduate and graduate tuition. Students should recognize that they are saving the cost of tuition for one undergraduate and one graduate course by completing the integrated program.

Application Procedures
Current RMU Students
Interested students should obtain an application packet from the Graduate Enrollment Office. Applicants must submit the following items to the Graduate Enrollment Office:

  1. A completed program application
  2. Two (2) letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from an RMU faculty member
  3. A current resume or vita
Transfer Students
Interested students should obtain an application packet from the Graduate Enrollment Office. Applicants must submit the following items to the Graduate Enrollment Office:
  1. A completed program application
  2. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  3. Two (2) letters of recommendation from college/university faculty members
  4. A current vita or resume
Incoming Freshmen
Interested students should obtain an application packet from the Enrollment Services Office. Applicants must submit the following items to the Enrollment Services Office:
  1. Completed application
  2. Official high school transcript
  3. Two (2) letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from a high school faculty member
  4. Current vita/resume
  5. Official SAT scores
Once all materials are received, the completed application packet will be forwarded to the program director for review.

Financial Aid
Grants
Eligible students will continue to receive their PELL, SEOG and Perkins Loans during their fourth year of study. PHEAA grants can be used during the fourth year of study if the student carries at least 12 undergraduate credits per semester. Partial PHEAA grants may be awarded during the fourth year if the student carries at least six undergraduate credits per semester.

Loans
Graduate and undergraduate loans differ in the levels of money that a student is able to borrow. Generally speaking, a student in the program may borrow at the undergraduate level during the fourth year and at the graduate level (if desired) during the fifth year.

Students can apply for graduate loans using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If a student chooses to borrow a graduate loan, the repayment obligation for undergraduate loans can be deferred until after the graduate degree is complete.

Institutional Aid
Eligible students will continue to receive RMU institutional grants and scholarships (including athletic scholarships and residential dorm grants) during the fourth year of study and will be eligible to receive most RMU institutional grants and scholarships during the fifth year of study. Athletic scholarships and residential dorm grants are only available for four years unless an exception is made through the athletic department.

Students must maintain full-time status, which is a minimum of 12 credits each fall and spring semester, in order to continue to receive institutional aid. The 12 credits may be a combination of graduate and undergraduate course work. Generally, institutional aid is not available to students during the summer and spring intersession terms. However, a prorated portion of a student's fifth year of scholarship money may be applied toward a graduate COIS/INFS course taken during the summer term. This can only be done with approval of the program director and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Students who enter the integrated program will follow the graduate financial aid and refund schedule for the spring and fall semesters, which means refunds will not be issued until week 10 of each semester.

Academic Policies
Withdrawals
Students withdrawing from the integrated program must complete a Change of Major form and obtain the signature of the program director. Students withdrawing from the program may be able to apply graduate course work to their undergraduate checksheets to complete degree requirements. Students must meet with the program director to determine what will apply.

Continued Enrollment
Once admitted to the Integrated Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Information Systems program, students must maintain a 2.8 cumulative QPA. By the completion of the 30-credit, 60-credit, 90-credit and 123-credit checkpoints in the undergraduate portion of the program, the student's cumulative QPA must be at least 2.8 and their QPA for computing courses taken at RMU must be at least 3.0. Failure to comply with these conditions will result in termination from the program, and all credits earned will be applied towards undergraduate degree requirements.

For the graduate portion of the program, students must maintain a graduate cumulative QPA of at least 3.0 in order to graduate. Failure to meet this condition or any other academic requirement of the graduate degree program will result in termination from the program, and all credits earned will be applied towards undergraduate degree requirements.

Registration
Students in the program must meet with the program director for an advising session prior to the registration period for the upcoming semester.

Graduation
Integrated program students have three options for graduation:

Option One: Both degrees conferred at the same time. Requires that the degree requirements for both degrees to be met before any degree can be conferred.

Students selecting this option must submit an application for the conferring of the undergraduate and graduate degrees within 10 days after the beginning of the final semester of study. Degree applications (List both degrees but only one form needed for this option) may be picked up at the Student Support Center in Moon or Pittsburgh. Only one degree can be conferred at commencement (usually the graduate), but the student will receive separate diplomas for each degree earned.

A graduation fee is assessed to all degree candidates and is payable at the time the student applies for graduation, regardless of the student's participation at commencement. Notice of eligibility or ineligibility for the degree will be mailed to each student.

Formal commencement exercises are held each year in May. All who successfully complete degree programs prior to the annual commencement date will be invited to participate. Commencement information will be mailed in March.

Option Two: The undergraduate degree is conferred when earned.

Students may elect to have their respective undergraduate degree conferred prior to the completion of the course-work for their graduate degree program. In order to do so, students need to meet the following three requirements:

  1. The student must meet all of the degree requirements of their undergraduate degree program.
  2. With respect to their undergraduate check-sheet, the student must have completed and applied a total of "N" combined undergraduate and graduate credits where "N" is the number of undergraduate credits normally needed to complete the undergraduate degree.
  3. The student will have completed no more than 12 graduate credits by the time that the undergraduate degree is conferred.

Students selecting this option must submit an application for the conferring of the undergraduate degree within 10 days after the beginning of the final semester of study. Degree applications may be picked up at the Student Support Center in Moon or Pittsburgh.

Integrated Program students who select this option will have their QPAs frozen when the undergraduate degree is conferred. A new Masters degree QPA will then be calculated from zero with new graduate courses completed afterwards. With respect to the graduate course work attempted and completed prior to the awarding of the undergraduate degree, the courses and grades will still be shown on the graduate check-sheet. However, they will not be used in the calculation of the Graduate QPA.

A graduation fee is assessed to all degree candidates and is payable at the time the student applies for graduation, regardless of the student's participation at commencement. Notice of eligibility or ineligibility for the degree will be mailed to each student.

Formal commencement exercises are held each year in May. All who successfully complete degree programs prior to the annual commencement date will be invited to participate. Commencement information will be mailed in March.

Option Three: Subsequent conferring of the Masters degree.

Any Integrated Program student who has his/her undergraduate degree already conferred will need to make another application for graduation for the subsequent conferring of their Masters degree.

Students selecting this option must submit an application for the conferring of the graduate degree within 10 days after the beginning of the final semester of study. Degree applications may be picked up at the Student Support Center in Moon or Pittsburgh.

A graduation fee is assessed to all degree candidates and is payable at the time the student applies for graduation, regardless of the student's participation at commencement. Notice of eligibility or ineligibility for the degree will be mailed to each student.

Formal commencement exercises are held each year in May. All who successfully complete degree programs prior to the annual commencement date will be invited to participate. Commencement information will be mailed in March.