Concurrent Undergraduate Graduate Studies (CUGS) - LSA Only

The CUGS program is intended for exceptional students who have completed the majority of an LSA undergraduate program in three or three and one-half years. A potential CUGS student must have an outstanding academic record and is a student who, in the judgment of both graduate and undergraduate faculty, is ready to enter a graduate program.

Evaluation of the quality of students granted early admission to the graduate program is based on several admission criteria including: breadth of undergraduate program, course grades, commitment to the field, degree of motivation, academic ability, and other factors regularly considered by a graduate admissions committee.

Please note that only LSA undergraduate students are eligible to apply to CUGS. Students from other schools and colleges, including undergraduate Engineering students, are NOT eligible. Additionally, students earning dual bachelors degrees are NOT eligible for CUGS.  

Once admitted to Rackham, CUGS students will generally be assessed graduate tuition and fees, though occasionally undergraduate tuition and fees are higher and in this case the higher tuition rate would apply. Participation in CUGS may impact the student's eligibility for graduate school funding opportunities. 

Conditions for Early Admission

• The student must have a minimum average grade of A (3.7).
  
  
• Before entry into the CUGS program, the student must have met all requirements for the bachelor’s degree except in the major and in independent study or its equivalent. This is determined by the LSA Representative in the Dean’s or Honors Office. In the major, the student must have completed a minimum of six courses and one independent study experience (or seven courses and no independent study). This should be reflected with a note from the Director of the Undergraduate Mathematics Program.
  
  
• Early in the junior year, the prospective student should discuss the possibility of participating in the CUGS program with the Director of the Undergraduate Programs and the Chair of the Master’s Program in the Mathematics department. Admission cannot be granted until the student completes 90 credit hours.

Admission Procedures

1. Prior to October 15 of the undergraduate’s third year, the applicant must obtain a Letter of Approval from the Honors Program or LSA Undergraduate College to apply for the CUGS program. If you are a student in the Honors Program, contact Gayle Green, greengd@umich.edu or Lisa Broome, lbroome@umich.edu.  Other LSA students who receive general advising from the Newnan Advising Center should contact Dana Schumacher-Schmidt at danaschu@umich.edu.
   
   
2. By November 1, the applicant must meet with the Undergraduate Program Director, Hanna Bennett, to begin completing the CUGS Election Form. Appointments may be made by using this online scheduling system.
   
   
3. The applicant must apply for an MS of Mathematics to the Rackham Graduate School by completing this online application and paying any applicable application fees.  On page 2, Program Selection, be sure to choose Mathematics M.S. - CUGS.  Note:  You must apply and be admitted during your undergraduate LSA degree. 
   
   
4. Next, the applicant must meet with the Master’s Committee Chair to finish completing the CUGS Election Form. Appointments may be made by emailing Professor Virginia Young at vryoung@umich.edu.
   
   
5. The applicant must turn in the Letter of Approval and completed CUGS Election Form to the Mathematics Graduate Office (math-grad-office@umich.edu) for submission to Rackham. The CUGS Election Form must be signed and approved by both Hanna Bennett and Virginia Young.

Enrollment and Double Counting Information 

• CUGS students must be enrolled in the Rackham graduate school for at least two semesters or for 24 credit hours. 

• The Mathematics Master's Degree requires 24 credits of coursework. Students may double count and/or transfer up to 12 credits. The other 12 credits must be registered in Rackham, and only count toward the graduate degree. 

• Students must be admitted to Rackham graduate school in order to double count courses. Students completing courses they would like to double-count while enrolled in Rackham only must request a transfer of credits back to the undergraduate program after the course(s) have been completed. 

•  Students may transfer credits from courses taken prior to being enrolled in Rackham as long as those courses were not used for the undergraduate degree requirements. The student must request to transfer credits from LSA to Rackham using this Rackham Transfer Request system.