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You've done the RAP. The minor. The EWB trips. Turn that experience into a graduate degree — in one extra year — through the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's program.
If you're in any of these programs, you already have the foundation. The BAM pathway lets you convert your undergraduate experience into a graduate engineering degree with just one additional year.
~100 students/year in the Residential Academic Program. You've lived the mission for 2+ years. Now formalize it as a graduate credential.
~40 students/year completing the minor. Your electives already overlap with MS requirements — you're closer than you think.
Campus-wide sustainability minor with Mortenson Center core courses. The MS extends this into a professional engineering credential.
You've designed and built real projects in real communities. The MS gives you the analytical and professional skills to do this as a career.
Designing and building pedestrian bridges for isolated communities. Your structural and community engagement skills translate directly into the MS.
Civil, mechanical, environmental, aerospace, electrical — any engineering student with a 3.0+ GPA can apply for the BAM. You don't need a specific minor.
Start taking graduate courses in your senior year. Double-count 6 credits toward both degrees. Graduate with your BS and MS in 5 years total instead of 6.
The math: A standard MS is 30 credits. Through BAM, you take 12 graduate credits during your senior year (6 double-count toward your BS). In your 5th year, you complete the remaining 18 credits — including a 3-credit paid MS project. Total additional time: 1 year.
Both are Professional MS degrees through CEAE. Both accept BAM students. Choose the one that matches your career direction.
The Mortenson Center's flagship degree. Climate adaptation, water systems, carbon markets, disaster resilience, international development.
Water treatment, environmental remediation, air quality, and environmental compliance — with a global perspective.
CVEN 5919 Global Development for Engineers (3 cr)
CVEN 5909 Hazards, Resilience & Sustainability (3 cr)
CVEN 5939 Global Engineering Practicum (3 cr)
2–3 month placement with 80+ partners in 30+ countries
CVEN 5969 WASH (3 cr)
MCEN 5299 Household Energy (3 cr)
ENVS 5100 AI for Good (3 cr)
Environmental & Dev Economics
Intro to Global Health
Applied Global Health
Data Analytics for Development
Study Design & Impact Evaluation
Community Appraisal
Intro to Humanitarian Aid
Disaster Risk Reduction
Refugees & Displacement
Engineers with a master's earn 15–25% more at entry level than those with only a bachelor's. At Tetra Tech, AECOM, and Jacobs, an MS opens senior technical and project management tracks that a BS alone cannot access.
The combined carbon market is $115B+ with a 7M green worker shortfall by 2030. No dominant credentialing body exists. An MS with carbon markets training is a career differentiator that didn't exist 5 years ago.
Your 3-credit capstone is a real engineering engagement with an industry partner or research group. You work on a real problem, build your portfolio, and earn a stipend while completing your degree.
2–3 month international placement with one of 80+ partners across 30+ countries. From fog collection in Morocco to bridge building in Bolivia to water monitoring in Kenya. Partially funded by the Mortenson Center.
| BAM (5th Year Only) | Traditional MS (2 Years) | |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Time | 1 year | 1.5–2 years |
| Additional Credits to Pay For | 18 credits (12 taken senior year, 6 double-counted) | 30 credits |
| Tuition (In-State) | $30,582 (18 credits × $1,699) | $50,970 (30 × $1,699) |
| Tuition (Out-of-State) | $37,224 (18 credits × $2,068) | $62,040 (30 × $2,068) |
| Paid MS Project Stipend | Yes — offsets costs | Sometimes (RA/TA) |
| Separate Application | No GRE, no external app | GRE may be required |
| Opportunity Cost (Lost Salary) | $0 (vs. 1 extra year anyway) | $100K+ (2 years out of workforce) |
Tuition rates are 2025–26 Professional MS Engineering rates, subject to Board of Regents approval. BAM students pay graduate tuition only for credits not double-counted. The 6 double-counted credits are charged at undergraduate rates during senior year.
Apply during your junior year. You need a 3.0+ cumulative and major GPA. Meet with a Mortenson Center advisor early to plan which graduate courses to take in your senior year.
You take up to 12 graduate credits during your senior year. Of those, 6 can count toward both your BS and MS simultaneously. That means those 6 credits satisfy requirements for both degrees — you don't pay for them twice.
No. The BAM through CEAE is open to any CU Boulder engineering major. Civil, mechanical, environmental, aerospace, electrical — any student with a 3.0+ GPA can apply. The Global Engineering RAP, minor, or EWB experience strengthens your application but is not required.
A 3-credit capstone engineering engagement with an industry partner, NGO, or research lab. Recent projects include fog collection systems (Dar Si Hmad, Morocco), WASH infrastructure (OneVillage, Sierra Leone), water quality monitoring (Water for People), and tribal water systems (Alaska Native Tribal Health). Many come with a stipend.
Yes. Most BAM students do their practicum the summer between their 4th and 5th year, or during their 5th year. The Mortenson Center has 80+ partners in 30+ countries and provides partial funding.
That's the beauty of BAM — you apply junior year but aren't locked in. If you change your mind, the graduate courses you took still count as electives for your BS. There's no downside to starting the process.
The Professional MS is coursework-based (no thesis) with a 3-credit project instead. It's designed for engineers going into practice, not academia. If you want to do research, ask about the research-track MS or PhD options through CEAE.