Frequently Asked Admissions Questions

To find out if your school is regionally accredited, just type your school in the CHEA website—it’s usually easy to check. In the U.S., regional accreditation is overseen by these recognized accrediting bodies:

• Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• New England Association of Schools & Colleges
• Higher Learning Commission
• Northwest Commission on Colleges & Universities
• Southern Association of Colleges & Schools
• Western Association of Schools & Colleges

Evaluation reports for institutions outside of the US will make note on the report if the institution is equivalent to having regional accreditation. This report will also make note if the program is equivalent to a US 4-year bachelor’s degree.

The GMAT is a standardized test that measures your skills in math, verbal reasoning, and analytical writing. It helps schools understand how well you can study, interpret questions, and arrive at the correct answers when asked specific questions.

Good news—if you've already shown strong academic abilities or professional growth on your resume, you may be eligible for a GMAT waiver. You can be waived if you meet any of the following:

• You have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a completed bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited school
• You earned a 3.0 GPA in your last 60 credit hours of coursework from a regionally accredited school
• You’ve completed a master’s or doctoral degree from a regionally accredited school
• You have 10+ years of progressive professional experience after earning your bachelor’s degree

Some exceptions for the waiver are given on a case-by-case basis regarding a combination of transcripts, institution attended, degree earned, and work history.

If you don’t meet one of these waiver options, you’ll need to submit a GMAT score of 500 or higher to be considered for admission. You can designate your GMAT score online.

If you’ve taken the GRE, we can convert your score to the GMAT equivalent to see if it meets the admissions requirements. If the converted score is equivalent to a 500+ GMAT score and GMAT would not be required for admissions.

The application fee is managed by the Graduate School for domestic applicants and by the Office of Admissions-International for international applicants. Right now, neither office offers a fee waiver outside of students in the McNair Scholars Program.

If you’ve already paid the application fee and decide to switch programs, no worries—your fee will be transferred to your new application.

If you’re a returning student who was previously admitted, you won’t need to pay the application fee again when you submit your returning student application.

Your resume/CV should be a professional version that you would submit as if you were applying for a job.

It must include the following information:

• Full legal name, and preferred name if applicable
• Contact information
• Work experience with most recent experience listed first, company name, employment dates, job title and job duties for each position
• Education history
• Skills including programming languages if applicable
• Certifications
• Research and publications

You will use this chance to make a strong impression during the application process by sharing more about yourself and your interest in the program. Your essay will play a crucial role in the admissions decision, so be sure to highlight your academic and professional goals. Composition must be 250-500 word PDF (ideal) or WORD document, and must not have a heading, greeting, signature, or footer.

The non-degree seeking program is ideal for those only lacking a few graduate courses needed for a specific purpose and do not necessarily need a full graduate degree for their goals. Examples include:

• 2 courses needed to sit for CPA licensure
• 1 course needed to have 18 hours in AACSB accredited finance courses
• 18 hours needed to teach dual credit economics courses

You will use this chance to make a strong impression during the application process by sharing more about yourself and why you wish to be non-degree seeking rather than applying to a graduate program. Tell us about your professional and academic history, career goals in 250-500 words. You must also list the course(s) you wish to take as a non-degree seeking student.

You may find it helpful to utilize our Syllabi Search to start looking through the classes to get an idea of the course structure, learning materials, grading structure, and timelines. You may also find our Graduate Course Schedule/Videos link helpful as well.

You only need two! On the recommendations tab of your application portal, you’ll enter the email addresses of two recommenders. They’ll each get a link to complete a short form with specific questions.

Your recommenders should be people who can speak to your maturity and how well you work with others. At least one must be a professional reference, and recommendations from family members aren’t accepted.

If you sit out for a year or longer, you’ll need to submit a returning student application to reactivate your student account. Skipping summer courses? No problem—you won’t need to submit anything to return.

To reapply to the Graduate School, just log in to the WTAMU Applicant Portal. If you submitted your last application in 2021 or later, you’ll use the same login and password.

Can’t remember your password? No worries—just click the “Reset Password” link to get back in.

If the last submitted application was prior to 2021, you will need to create a username and password before you can submit a returning student application.

1. Login to your application portal
2. Go to “Application History”
3. “Create New”. This will auto populate information into the new app.
4. Move through the pages and provide the information in the red boxes. You may skip the other boxes. Do not feel pressure to get the exact dates of attendance correct. This is a piece in the system that we cannot remove.
5. Please be sure to add Buff ID number to the new application so that our system does not create a duplicate record.

When you get to the payment page, you won’t need to pay the application fee as a returning student.

You also won’t need to resubmit any admissions materials for our office. However, the Graduate School may have updated some of their policies since your last application and could request new materials that weren’t required before. Be sure to keep a close eye on your application portal for any updates.

Once everything is submitted, it usually takes about 6 to 10 business days to receive confirmation that you’ve been readmitted.

To get readmitted quickly, just submit the re-entry application. You won’t need to submit any new admissions materials—it’s a simple process!

The Master of Business Administration program ranges from 31 to 46 credit hours, (11 and 14 classes), depending on your academic background. The total hours can change based on whether you need leveling courses like financial accounting, business finance (including time-value of money calculations), and statistics. The total hours can also vary if you choose to pursue an MBA with a focused area of study within the MBA. 

• General- 31 - 39 hours
• Computer Information Systems- 37 - 46 hours
• Healthcare Management- 37 - 46 hours
• Management- 37 - 46 hours
• Marketing- 37 - 46 hours
• Procurement Management- 37 - 46 hours

The Master of Science in Finance and Economics program ranges from 36 and 45 hours, (12 and 15 classes), The hours vary based on the need for leveling course work in financial accounting, finance that covers time-value of money calculation, and statistics.

The Master of Accounting program is 36 hours, (12 classes). To be eligible for this program, you must have a four-year bachelor degree from a regionally accredited university with 6 hours in foundational accounting and 18 hours in upper level accounting in US accounting systems with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better:

Foundational Accounting Courses

• Financial Accounting
• Managerial Accounting

Upper Level Accounting Core Courses

• Cost Accounting
• Intermediate Accounting I
• Intermediate Accounting II
• Federal Tax Accounting
• Auditing
• Accounting systems

The Master of Science in Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics program varies between 33 and 36 hours, (11 and 12 classes). The hours vary on the need for leveling course work in statistics. This program is only ideal for those that are working for a career in hard programming. If your career goals only include a small part of programming, the MBA in Computer Information Systems is the program that will be a better fit to help you with that goal.

The Master of Science in Strategic Human Resources Management program varies between 31 and 34 hours, (11 and 12 classes). The hours vary based on the need for leveling course work in financial accounting for one of the finance course options. Students may choose another finance option that does not require accounting leveling.

It is possible to transfer 3 to 4 classes that are a minimum of 3 hours of credit each, depending on the program persued with us. Our catalog states that 2/3 of a graduate program must be completed with us to be conferred.

• General MBA- maximum of 3 courses
• MBA with a specialization- maximum of 4 courses
• MAcc- maximum of 4 courses
• MSFE- maximum of 4 courses
• MSCISBA- maximum of 3 courses
• MS-SHRM- maximum of 3 courses

The following criteria must be met to have courses considered for transfer credit:

• Course must have been completed in the last 5 years
• Course must come from a regionally accredited university
• Course must be for 3+ hours of credit
• Course must have a grade of B or better

To start the evaluation process, you will first need a preadmission degree plan. Once you have this plan you will align the classes we offer with the courses you have taken, and make the request for transfer credit.

Leveling courses can be completed alongside core courses. For example, in the MBA program, you can take ACCT 6300 and a course in the Management core in the first semester. Most students complete their leveling courses within their first few semesters to make their registration smoother throughout the rest of their program.

Yes! You can level courses through any regionally accredited institution. Once the course(s) are complete you will need to submit an unofficial copy of the transcripts with the course hours and grades to COBGrad@wtamu.edu. The courses must meet the following criteria:

• Financial Accounting/Principles of Accounting I-3 hours with a grade of C or better
• Principles of Finance- 3 hours with a grade of C or better and must cover time value of money calculation
• Statistics-3 hours with a grade of C or better, can come from any discipline

Yes! You can utilize CLEP/DSST exams to demonstrate mastery of foundational course work in accounting, finance that covers time-value of money, and/or statistics. Passing scores must be submitted to COBGrad@wtamu.edu.

Financial Accounting CLEP

Principles of Finance DSST

Principles of Statistics DSST

All of our graduate programs are fully online and asynchronous, which means you’ll never have to come to campus or be online at a specific time. That said, you’re always welcome to visit campus and join the College of Business graduation reception and commencement ceremony when you finish your program.

Most online classes aren’t self-paced—there are usually set deadlines for assignments and activities. If you want a sneak peek at course details, check out past syllabi on our Syllabi Search page. There, you’ll find info on course content, learning materials, delivery methods, grading, and timelines. Courses can include lectures, audio, podcasts, videos, readings, and discussion boards—professors use whichever methods fit the material and their teaching style best.

You’ll have up to 6 years to complete your program, no matter if you are online or on campus. Many of our students are working full-time and choose to enroll part-time, finishing in about 2 to 2.5 years. If you enroll full-time or overtime, you might be able to finish in as little as 12 to 18 months.

If you need to take time off from your program, that’s okay—you won’t be penalized and don’t have to enroll every semester. Just keep in mind, if you skip a fall or spring semester, you’ll need to submit a returning student application (which is free) before you can continue.

If you’re looking for an accelerated program, we might not be the best fit for you. Our graduate programs are designed to be thorough and rigorous, giving you the chance to really grow your knowledge and skills while connecting with faculty and classmates—even in the online format with our traditional academic format.

Many students appreciate our approach because it lets them balance classwork with their busy lives. You won’t have to spend all your free time on school, so you can still enjoy time with family and friends and pursue your hobbies while working toward your degree.

Each semester begins and ends on specific dates found in the Registrar’s Academic Calendar:

Fall and Spring Semesters - 14 to 16 weeks:

• Fall runs from the last week of August to the end of November for 6000 level courses
• Fall runs until the second week of December for 5000 level courses
• Spring runs from the second week of January to the end of April for 6000 level courses
• Spring runs until the second week fo May for 5000 level courses

Summer 1 and Summer 2 Semesters - 6 weeks

• Summer 1 runs from the first week of June to the second week of July
• Summer 2 runs from the second week of July to the middle of August
• These are accelerated, bonus semesters. You do not have to take summer classes if you don't have enough time or want to take a break. 

Of course! Once you are are admitted your new advisor will be in contact via email with all the things you need to know as a new graduate student. Your advisor will be available for zoom meetings and via email throughout the year as an in-residence advisor. They will guide you through your program any time you have questions or concerns.

Since we don’t admit students by cohort, you’ll be able to work through your program at a pace that fits your schedule, balancing work, family, and classes.

You can take any semester off without penalty. If you sit out a full semester, you’ll just need to submit a returning student application (with no fee) to reactivate your account. And don’t worry—you won’t have to resubmit any admissions materials you’ve already provided.

To be successful in your online courses, you’ll need a stable internet connection and a laptop or desktop computer. Chromebooks and iPads aren’t compatible with the systems used for online classes. Courses are delivered through Canvas, our learning management system.

Even though your classes are online, you may need physical materials like textbooks, or digital access to textbooks or software websites depending on the program you are pursuing. Once you are admitted you will receive training on how to locate your course materials prior to classes starting. You can purchase everything you need through the University Bookstore, or in some cases you can use a 3^rd party vendor of your choosing.

Syllabi are often posted up to 5 days before classes start, but faculty aren’t required to make them available until the first day of class in Canvas. You can look at past courses to get an idea of what has been required for each class with our Syllabi Search webpage.

At this time the Engler College of Business does not require exam proctors.

However, some faculty may require the use of a lockdown browser for exams. This browser prevents you from navigating away from the exam screen—if you do, it will automatically close your test. To avoid issues, we recommend turning off background updates during exams, as these can trigger the browser to think you’ve navigated away from the test screen.

Whether you’re studying on campus or online, we encourage you to connect with your faculty and classmates so you can get more out of your experience here at WT.

• Participating in student organizations and honor societies
• Study Abroad opportunities
• On campus commencement ceremonies
• Students and alumni have access to all services provided by the Office of Career and Professional Development

Nope! We don’t differentiate between whether you completed your program online or in person. Our online courses are taught by the same PhD faculty who teach our on-campus courses. These professors are right here on campus, handling all their own course preparation, teaching, and grading for both class formats.

Our Program Cost page provides information specific to Engler College of Business graduate students for the four residency status: Texas resident, 100 Mile Radius Border State, (NM, CO, OK, KS), Out of State, and International. If you have any questions regarding your legal residency, you will complete the Core Residency Questioniare to officially establish your legal residency for billing purposes.

There are some stipulations for billing depending on visa types. Some visa types may be eligible for out of state or in state billing versus international billing. International applicants can use the following resources:

• WT residency information
• My Texas Future
• Texas Administrative Code: Determination of Resident Status

There are some costs. Our faculty have worked hard to keep the cost of learning materials low without sacrificing the quality and rigor of your courses. You can expect to budget around $100 per class for materials. Some courses might require you to rent or buy textbooks, (physical or digital), access publisher websites, or use other learning tools with a fee depending on the subject. Other courses will provide all the materials you need and there will be no cost to you.

Please remember that learning materials are reportable on your taxes for educational tax credit, so you will need to keep those receipts!

The WTAMU Accounting and Business Office offers payment plans each semester which allows you to break up the payments across the semester so that they are manageable.

We also recommend checking with your employer to see if they offer tuition assistance or tuition reimbursement.

You may also use Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan, (TGTP) or Texas Tuition Promise Fund (TTPF) if you have remaining credits after you’ve completed your bachelor’s program.

If these are an option for you, please see the Sponsored Billing webpage for more information on how to utilize these options.

The Engler College of Business awards over $1.5 million in more than 800 scholarships each year to both graduate and undergraduate students. In addition to college-specific awards, the university and Graduate School also offer general scholarships, which are given on a first-come, first-served basis.

The priority deadline to apply for scholarships for the next academic year (Fall through Spring, and some summer awards) is February 1st. Even if that deadline has passed, we still encourage you to apply—you won’t be considered if you don’t submit an application, and you never know what funds might still be available.

Most scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement or financial need, though there are a few that don’t require either. To be considered for need-based scholarships, make sure you also complete your FAFSA.

You’ll be able to submit a scholarship application once you’ve applied to the Graduate School and received your university ID (Buff ID), which you’ll find on the home screen of your application portal. For more details and the application link, visit the Scholarship Services website.

We don’t currently have  TA, GA, or assistantship positions available for students. This is one of the ways we help keep the overall cost of the program more affordable—by not adding extra expenses through paid assistantships.

However, you can still find on-campus jobs through the Office of Career and Professional Development. There are a variety of positions available, from administrative roles to helping faculty as needed.

Absolutely yes! If you have remaining benefits in Chapter 31, 33 or Hazlewood, you can use them toward your graduate business degree.

If you are active duty, you can use your tuition assistance for your graduate business degree.

Our Mililtary and Veteran Services Office will help with all of these options.