Life as a BAM Student

Life as a BAM Student

By Anthony Vu | Friday, April 4th, 2025

Do you want to advance your career in a shorter amount of time? Consider applying to the Bachelors-to-Accelerated-Masters (BAM) program at George Mason! The BAM Program is great for students who want to go further into their studies in academia, obtain higher credentials in their career, or develop more of their experience and expertise in a specific industry. As a BAM student, you’ll be able to take graduate-level courses and have it count toward your undergraduate and graduate degree. For me, I am finishing my final semester as an undergraduate student in mathematics, as well as completing coursework which would earn me a Virginia teaching license along with my Masters in Education.

The coursework that you’re expected to complete in graduate school differs by discipline/college. Some common opportunities and projects you’ll experience in BAM programs include:

• More advanced coursework, which can delve both into theory and practicum.
• Long-term, independent projects, such as research papers or theses.
• Internships or assistantships.
• Networking with industries, alumni, professors, and other connections related to your field.

If you’re interested in becoming a BAM student and experiencing these opportunities, the first thing you’d want to do is reach out to your academic advisor! This can be done by scheduling an appointment on Navigate. You should also reach out to other graduate students in your program, if possible, and ask them about their experiences. Some opportunities to learn alongside graduate students include: research opportunities in your department, job fairs or networking events, and becoming a Learning Assistant in a course with a Teaching Assistant (for STEM disciplines).

Compared to undergraduate courses, graduate-level courses require much more time for readings, projects, and assignments. For handling undergraduate- and graduate-level coursework, I heavily recommend a planner or a calendar. Personally, I use a Google Calendar to track both my events, my deadlines, and my daily tasks. You should also consider what goals you want to complete by the end of the week. This allows you to break down long-term projects into smaller tasks that you can complete on a day-by-day basis. Finally, be comfortable with asking a lot of questions, whether that be to your professors, your peers, or to industry connections. Curiosity is what will drive your motivation to complete your undergraduate and graduate degree!

If you want more advice, be sure to schedule a one-on-one appointment with a Peer Academic Coach. We help both undergraduate and graduate students, including graduate-level reading and note-taking, workshops for academic success, and more!

Written by Anthony Vu
Edited by Justin Dodgion and Aixa Alemán-Díaz, PhD

 

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