What is a Blended Program?
- Joint (blended) Bachelor’s and Master’s degree
- No “formal” application made through Admissions; no application fee
- Under Title V, minimum of 138 minimum units required (BS 120 + MS 30 | up to 12 semester units allowed to double count – differs by program)
- Blended matriculation is “Graduate”
- Only certain bachelor/master programs are paired as blended. (see above)
Academic Objectives
- To provide an accelerated route to a graduate degree, with simultaneous awarding of both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees
- In many cases, to allow for the possibility of students’ earning graduate credit for several of their senior electives, effectively decreasing the summed unit requirements for both degrees
- To provide a seamless process whereby students can progress from undergraduate to graduate status without having to apply through the Admissions Office (thereby eliminating the need to pay the application fee)
- To provide a meaningful capstone experience that in some cases integrates the senior project with the graduate thesis/project
Eligibility Requirements
Transition
Students admitted in the blended program will retain undergraduate status until they complete 180 quarter or 120 semester units that count toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees (unit count is set by the number required for the bachelor’s degree, high unit programs differ).
A blended student must be at graduate standing for a minimum of 2 academic terms before they graduate.
Early Requirements
Important: By the term you are submitting your Blended Pathway Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective you must have your GWR and all lower-division degree requirements completed.
An academic course for your GWR is the preferred method, however UNIV 4401 is offered every term, including summer. Please contact the Writing and Learning Initiatives Office with any questions or for assistance.
GPA
Students must have a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative SLO GPA in order to be accepted to a Blended Program.
*Note: Once students are admitted to graduating standing, they must maintain an overall 3.0 GPA for courses on their Formal Study Plan.
Admission to Blended Degree Program
Blended Application Approval:
STEP 1: Apply and be accepted to the blended program directly with the program department.
STEP 2: Complete the Blended Application Curriculum Plan
Complete your curriculum plan with guidance from your Blended Program Faculty Advisor or Graduate Coordinator. This plan ensures you are prepared for the transition to graduate standing and have mapped out your degree requirements.
Blended Pathway Program Application Curriculum TEMPLATE (Excel file download)
Blended Pathway Program Application Curriculum TEMPLATE (OneDrive Copy)
SUBMIT Blended Pathway Program Application Curriculum Plan here
It is important that the Application Approval be completed at least 1 term before the Blended Pathway Change of Objective.
Due August 10, 2026 by 4pm to be considered a Summer 2026 admit.
Due December 9, 2026 by 4pm to be considered a Fall 2026 admit.
STEP 3: Complete the Blended Application Approval Form
After your curriculum plan is reviewed, the Graduate Education Academic Advisor will initiate this form on your behalf. You will receive an email in your Cal Poly account with instructions to complete your portion of the form.
Once submitted, the form will be routed for approval in the following order for approval:
- Graduate Coordinator
- Master’s Program Department Chair
- Associate Dean of the Master’s Program College
- Dean of Graduate Education
You will receive an email notification once the approval process is complete.
SAMPLE Blended Pathway Program Application Approval
Transitioning to Graduate Standing
The term a student is earning 180 term/120 semester units (for high-unit bachelor’s the threshold is equal to the number of units required by the bachelor’s) that count toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees they must transition to graduate standing. To initiate this process Blended students will submit the Blended Pathway Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective to request that the Registrar’s Office change your student status to have graduate standing:
Blended Pathway Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective form available weeks 1 – 5
SAMPLE Blended Pathway Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective
Blended Transition Deadlines
The Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective will only be processed by the Office of Graduate Education if the Blended applicant has completed
- the number of units applied between the bachelor’s and master’s degree as set by the undergraduate degree (180 quarter/120 semester units for standard unit programs, higher unit programs differ),
- completed all of their lower-division requirements,
- cleared their GWR milestone in their Poly Profile,
- and previously submitted a Blended Programs Application Approval Form to the Office of Graduate Education.
If any of these requirements are not met by the Week 5 deadline, the Blended applicant’s Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective will not be processed in that term and the student will forfeit their place in the blended program. There are no exceptions.
- To transition to graduate standing in Spring 2027, all requirements must be met by – Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 4:00pm
- To transition to graduate standing in Fall 2027, all requirements must be met by – Thursday, February 25, 2027 at 4:00pm
Frequently Asked Questions
Blended Program, BMS/BMA, and 4+1 are different names for the same degree objective. Toward the end of a student’s undergraduate degree at Cal Poly, a student can apply to pursue a Blended Program (this is the correct name to use) in which the student seamlessly transitions from undergraduate (Bachelor’s) to graduate standing (Master’s) without having to apply through Cal State Apply. Once the student has completed all degree requirements for BOTH the undergraduate degree and the graduate degree, BOTH degrees are then conferred at the same time. PLEASE NOTE: Not all majors on campus are eligible to pursue a paired Bachelor’s and Master’s degree (see Graduate Education website for eligible degree pairings).
Not necessarily. There is no guaranteed 4+1 time-frame. Consult with your Graduate Coordinator and develop a curriculum plan. You will receive your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees when you have completed all degree requirements for both degrees. This often takes longer than 5 years to accomplish, particularly if your program requires a thesis.
If you are interested in applying for a Blended Program, there are three steps you will need to complete:
- Speak directly with the Graduate Coordinator of your program of interest. All Blended Program pairings have their own criteria for admittance and application processes. All Graduate Coordinator contact information can be found on Graduate Coordinators.
- File a Blended Programs Application Approval Form with the Graduate Education Office. You should only file your approval form once your program of interest has officially accepted you as a Blended student. PLEASE NOTE: You must also file a Blended Pathway Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective to transition to graduate standing. The Blended Programs Application Approval Form does not replace the Blended Pathway Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective.
No. Only certain majors on campus are eligible to pursue a paired Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. To determine if your undergraduate program is paired with a corresponding approved Master’s degree, view the Blended Program Pairings at the top of the page.
No. There are no conditional admittances into any Blended Programs. Students who are accepted into Blended Programs should not be required to complete any additional courses other than those identified as required for the Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degrees in the Cal Poly catalog.
Yes. All Blended Program students must also complete all senior project requirements identified in the Cal Poly catalog for their respective undergraduate program.
You must apply to a Blended Program BEFORE you have completed all undergraduate degree-applicable units required for your specific major. Check with the Cal Poly Catalog to be sure.
Also keep in mind that you must be matriculated at graduate standing for a minimum of two academic terms before you graduate. If you are matriculated at graduate standing for less than two academic terms, the Office of the Registrar will be unable to grant your Master’s degree.
Completion of the Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR) is required to submit the BLENDED PATHWAY Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective. Some graduate programs will accept applications to the program with this requirement pending, however, you will not be able to transition to graduate standing until the requirement has been satisfied and is reflected on your Poly Profile.
No. Unfortunately, you will lose access to Degree Planner and your Degree Progress Report once you transition to graduate standing. You must run your final Degree Progress Report before your Postbaccalaureate Change of Objective is processed.
Blended Degree students must be matriculated for at least two academic terms at graduate standing before they can graduate. If you are matriculated at graduate standing for less than two academic terms, the Office of the Registrar will be unable to grant your Master’s degree.
Keep in mind graduate-level courses apply to the degree applicable unit threshold. Taking too many before being admitted may make a student ineligible for the program.
Yes. Transitioning to graduate status will increase your tuition. PLEASE NOTE: Transitioning to graduate standing may also impact your financial aid status. Speak directly with the Financial Aid Office for more information.
Under California Code of Regulations, Title V, a minimum of 138 minimum total units are required (Bachelor’s 120 + Master’s 30 – 12 potential double counting units) for receiving a Blended degree. A Blended Program can allow double counting up to 12 semester units, but this varies by program.
If you will be gone for a Co-op or internship during the first term of your Blended Program (the first term you are matriculated at graduate standing), you must either:
- Enroll in an approved Co-op course, or
- Apply for GS S5597 through the Extended Education Office BY THE FIRST DAY OF THE TERM IN WHICH YOU WILL BE GONE. For instance, if you will be absent from Cal Poly in Fall, you must enroll in GS S5597 by the first day of the Fall term. All graduate students at Cal Poly must be actively enrolled the entire time they are completing their degree requirements. To maintain Continuous Enrollment, you must enroll in a 1 unit, credit/no credit course run through the Extended Education Office (GS S5597). For more information about Continuous Enrollment, visit Continuous Enrollment.
Returning to Cal Poly as a Blended student can be extremely challenging. The first step is completing a “Former Student Evaluation Request” with the Office of the Registrar.
Once you have received a response from the Office of the Registrar, contact the Graduate Education Office directly before re-applying to Cal Poly. Our office will be able to assist you with this complicated process.