If you are a current undergraduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, submatriculation provides a way to begin the Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences (MBDS) program while completing your undergraduate program. Please note that undergraduates in online programs are not eligible for this option. Once accepted to the MBDS program, up to two courses may double-count towards your graduate and undergraduate programs (see below).
Admission requirements
- Applicants must have a minimum 3.7 GPA.
- If you are interested in submatriculating, you should meet with your undergraduate academic advisor and the MBDS program team as early as possible. They can help you determine whether this program is a good fit for you, confirm your eligibility and determine whether additional forms should be completed.
- You must apply to the MBDS program using the standard application portal for the program, noting in your personal statement that you are applying to submatriculate.
- In order to continue in the MBDS program, submatriculant grades in courses may not be less than an A-. This is a condition of final admission.
Application deadlines
You may apply as early as the first semester of your junior year. Apply by June 1 to start taking courses in the fall semester of your senior year. Students entering the last semester of their undergraduate careers at Penn are not eligible for submatriculation but may apply for regular admission to the Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences.
Prerequisites
The program has two prerequisite courses:
- Introductory statistics
- Microeconomics or game theory
Prerequisites do not count toward the nine credit units that make up the master.
Double-counting courses
Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences submatriculates may have two courses double-counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate programs. These courses must be core MBDS courses. All double-counted courses must be approved by both your undergraduate and graduate academic advisors.
