Graduate Admissions

Admission Procedures - Doctoral Level Degrees

Applicants desiring to enter a doctoral program must complete the following admission requirements:

1. Complete the online application and pay the application fee.
2. Provide official transcripts for all conferred master’s degrees, and any post graduate work, including doctoral work. (No action required from student if degrees were earned solely from WBU.)
3. Submit current resume.
4. Applicants must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or better on master’s degree work. Applicants who earned a master’s degree with a cumulative GPA less than 3.00 will not be considered for admission to any doctoral program.
5. Applicants to the Doctor of Strategic Leadership program with a master’s GPA of 3.00-3.39 will participate in a personal interview with a DSL faculty member for consideration.

Non-Degree Post-Graduate

Students desiring to enter the Doctoral Level Certificate program through the School of Business must follow the admissions procedures outlined in those sections.

Admission Procedures - Master’s Level Degrees

Students desiring to enter the master’s level graduate program must submit the following:

1. A completed graduate application for admission.
2. An application fee of $50 (non-refundable). Any student who previously paid an application fee for undergraduate or graduate degree seeking status is exempt from this fee.
3. An official copy of their most recent transcript with the baccalaureate degree posted, as well as any transcript(s) that include graduate credit for which the applicant would like credit considered for transfer, which can be no more than seven years old.
   1. A transcript is official if received by the Office of Graduate Studies or the external campus office directly from the issuing institution. It must bear the college seal, date, and appropriate signature. Hand-carried transcripts are considered official only if they are presented to Wayland in a sealed letterhead envelope from the issuing institution. If the bachelor’s degree has not been conferred at the time the transcript is sent, an official transcript indicating the completion of the baccalaureate degree must be forwarded prior to registration for the second session of graduate enrollment.
   2. Wayland will consider for admission those students with transcript(s) reflecting earned degrees from institutions accredited by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. Students with earned degrees from verified international institutions will also be considered for admission. (See Additional Requirements for International Students below.)

A student who desires to enroll in graduate courses may be admitted to graduate study under one of the following categories.

Degree-Seeking

For degree programs other than the Master of Divinity, the Master of Science in the School of Business, and the Master of Education related to Teacher Certification, the degree-seeking category is available for any student who wishes to pursue a graduate degree, has completed the graduate application process, and meets all admission requirements. A student in this category is eligible to enroll in all graduate courses for which he or she has completed the necessary prerequisites. Application for admission to a specific degree program is made concurrently with application to the Graduate Program. A student who holds a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and meets one of the following conditions is eligible for admission as a degree seeking student in degree programs other than those noted above. (See Degree-Seeking - Master of Divinity, Degree-Seeking - Master of Science in Business, and Degree-Seeking - Master of Education-Teacher Certification below.)

Full Admission without Conditions:

Full Admission is for students who may be fully admitted without further stipulations. These students have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or higher on the cumulative or last 60 graded hours earned GPA.

Provisional Admission with Conditions:

Provisional Admission is for students whose GPA on the cumulative or last 60 graded hours GPA is below a 3.00. Students admitted provisionally must meet the following stipulations, and must fulfill the conditions of this status in order to continue in the program past the first term of enrollment.

Students admitted under Provisional Admission will be granted Full Admission upon successful completion of six (6) credit hours and fulfillment of the conditions of their admission.

1. Applicants whose grade point average falls between 2.50 and 2.99 must enroll in ENGL 5300 - Academic Writing for Graduate Students  or may elect to take a writing sample. If the student elects to take the writing sample, the student must pass the writing sample with a score of 4 or higher. After two failed attempts at the writing sample, the student will be required to enroll in ENGL 5300 - Academic Writing for Graduate Students  during the first session of enrollment. Students applying to School of Business degree programs must enroll in MGMT 5320 - Research Methods  the first term of enrollment rather than ENGL 5300 .
   1. Some courses or programs do not award letter grades. For those students who do not have a cumulative grade point average (or last 60 graded hours) reflected on their transcript, additional requirements such as a writing sample from the department or letters of recommendation will be required.
2. Applicants whose grade point average falls between 2.00 and 2.49 at the time of application must submit additional requirements. The applicant must submit a Statement of Purpose essay including their goals and an explanation of what they hope to gain from and contribute to the program. Applicants must also submit at least one letter of recommendation from an individual able to judge the candidate’s potential for success in the master’s degree program. The letter can be academic or professional but cannot be from a relative or friend. Applicants must enroll in ENGL 5300 - Academic Writing for Graduate Students  or may elect to take a writing sample. If the student elects to take the writing sample, the student must pass the writing sample with a score of 4 or higher. After two failed attempts at the writing sample, the student will be required to enroll in ENGL 5300 - Academic Writing for Graduate Students  during the first session of enrollment. Students applying to School of Business degree programs must enroll in MGMT 5320 - Research Methods  the first term of enrollment rather than ENGL 5300 . Additionally, students in this category must maintain a B average (3.0) or better in six or more graduate hours during the first term of enrollment

Degree-Seeking - Master of Science Professional Programs in the School of Business

A student applying to either the Master of Science in Business Analytics or the Master of Science in Information Technology is eligible to enroll in all graduate courses for which he or she has completed the necessary prerequisites. Application for admission to a specific degree program is made concurrently with application to the Graduate Program. A student who holds a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and meets one of the following conditions is eligible for admission as a degree-seeking student in professional programs leading to a Master of Science degree (not to include the Master of Science in Nursing program).

Full Admission without Conditions:
Applicants will be admitted without further stipulations when they meet the following requirements:

1. Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution.
2. Grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or higher on the cumulative or last 60 graded hours earned GPA.

Provisional Admission with Conditions:
Applicants who do not meet the requirements stated above may be admitted provisionally or under probation if they meet the following requirements:

1. Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution.
2. Cumulative or last 60 graded hours GPA is between 2.00-2.99.
3. Graduate transfer students on academic suspension from another institution must have a graduate GPA of 2.50 or higher.

Applicants who do meet the above requirements may be admitted provisionally or under academic probation with the following additional stipulations:

1. New graduate students (those with no previous graduate credit) admitted provisionally may attempt no more than six (6) credit hours their first term of enrollment and must successfully complete that term with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
2. Transfer students admitted provisionally are restricted to six (6) credit hours of enrollment in the first term of attendance and must complete their first term with a minimum term GPA of 3.0.
3. Transfer students admitted while on academic suspension at a previous institution will enter the university on academic probation, are restricted to six (6) credit hours of enrollment in the first term of attendance, and must complete their first term with a minimum term GPA of 3.0.

Applicants admitted under Provisional Admission must fulfill the conditions of this status in order to continue in the program past the first term of enrollment. Students who do not fulfill the above conditions of Provisional Admission during the first term of enrollment will be immediately suspended; there is no appeal for this academic suspension.

Students admitted under Provisional Admission will be granted Full Admission and academic probation will be removed upon successful completion of the conditions of their admission.

Degree-Seeking - Master of Education in cases of Teacher Certification

A student applying to Master of Education programs that can lead to initial teacher certification will find requirements outlined by the Don A. Williams School of Education .

Degree-Seeking - Master of Divinity

The Degree-Seeking - Master of Divinity category is available for students who wish to pursue the Master of Divinity, who have completed the graduate application process, and who meet all admission requirements outlined below. Application for admission to the Master of Divinity degree program is made concurrently with application to the Graduate Program. Applicants for the Master of Divinity must have the following:

1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
2. 2.0 or better GPA on all undergraduate and graduate hours earned at the time of application. 
3. Letter of endorsement from a Christian congregation in which the applicant is actively involved.
4. Two personal letters of recommendation.

Conditional Degree-Seeking

The conditional category exists for students who wish to pursue a graduate degree but have not met all the admission requirements. Candidates admitted under this category must have applied for degree-seeking status. To be granted conditional degree-seeking status, the applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, submit a completed application for degree-seeking students, pay the related application fee and arrange for official transcripts to be sent to the Graduate Studies Office.

Undergraduate senior students in the last regular term or session of undergraduate work at Wayland may also be eligible for conditional enrollment. These students may enroll in up to six credit hours of graduate work, provided the student has completed an application to the graduate program. With approval from the academic advisor, the student may apply credit for graduate course work to either the undergraduate or graduate degree during the term or session taken; however, in no instance may credit for course work be applied to both degrees. On external campuses, the advisor must notify the correct administrative office in writing of the appropriate application of credit.

If the graduate course work is to satisfy undergraduate degree requirements, the student shall be governed by the existing catalog of record. If the graduate course work is to be applied to Wayland graduate degree requirements, the student shall be governed by the catalog at the time of initial enrollment in graduate course work. A student will not be allowed to enroll in any more graduate courses until admitted to the graduate program and the baccalaureate degree has been posted. Courses taken to be used toward a graduate program may have financial implications. For clarification of financial aid contact the campus financial aid representative.

Enrollment beyond the first 8-week session of attendance, the applicant must be admitted as a degree-seeking candidate prior to the beginning of the next 8-week session. Students in this category may not take more than six credit hours of graduate work and must earn a grade of B or better (‘C’ for Master of Divinity students) in each course attempted. Students will not be allowed to enroll in graduate classes unless all the prerequisites required for the class have been met. If it is discovered during the course of the first session of conditional enrollment that the student does not meet graduate requirements, he or she may be asked to withdraw from graduate classes.

Non-Degree Post-Baccalaureate

The non-degree post-baccalaureate category is available to any student who already holds a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and who desires post-baccalaureate work for the purpose of licensure, certification, or personal goals but who does not wish to apply this work toward a graduate degree. International students holding an F-1 student visa are not admitted under this category.

A non-degree post-baccalaureate applicant must meet all the criteria for admissions. Requirements for admission are as follows:

1. To be admitted, non-degree seeking students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher for the last 60 hours of courses completed at the time of application.
2. A non-refundable fee of $50 is required. Any student who previously paid a WBU application fee is exempt from this fee.
3. A completed application for admission. 
4. Applicants must submit an official copy of the transcript with the baccalaureate or higher degree posted, as well as any transcript(s) that include graduate credit for which the applicant would like credit considered for transfer. For graduate credit to be considered for transfer, it can be no more than seven years old.
5. These documents must be submitted prior to the beginning of the next regular 8-week session.

Non-degree seeking students whose documents are not completed prior to enrollment will not be allowed to take more than six credit hours of graduate courses in the first session. Students in this category will not be allowed to enroll in graduate classes for which they have not met the prerequisites. If it is discovered that a student is enrolled without meeting the requirements for a non-degree seeking student, the student will be withdrawn from classes.

Admission to a non-degree program is not a guarantee of admission to a graduate degree program at a later date, nor does it guarantee that credits earned in a non-degree program will count toward a graduate degree.

The graduate admissions committee must approve the application of non-degree hours to a graduate degree. Leveling work completed by a non-degree student must have a grade not lower than C to satisfy graduate degree requirements. A student may change degree status by filling out the appropriate application and meeting all the requirements for that category.

Three categories of non-degree admissions are available.Some groups of international visa holders including F-1 visa holders, may not be eligible for non-degree seeking status:

1. Certificate Programs - students who desire to enroll in courses for certificate programs should contact each individual academic school for additional requirements. Students should contact the Financial Aid office for additional information on the availability of financial assistance for certificates.
2. Post-Baccalaureate/Post-Graduate - this category exists for students who have earned an undergraduate or a graduate degree and desire to take only courses for personal goals/interests or continuing professional enrichment development.
3. Transient - students who need to take a graduate course at Wayland to transfer back to another graduate program. Financial aid is not available for non-degree students in this category.

Students seeking post baccalaureate or post graduate certifications in a field of education should consult the Don A. Williams School of Education section of the graduate catalog.

Accelerated Degree Programs

Wayland Baptist University’s accelerated degree programs allow high-achieving, motivated students to combine undergraduate and graduate, or graduate and doctoral, coursework toward completion of an academically rigorous yet efficient and cost-effective program of study. Wayland’s accelerated programs reduce time to degree completion through an integrated curriculum that avoids duplicated courses and maximizes academic coursework and learning.

(For information related to Wayland’s Accelerated Bachelor’s to Ph.D. in Management), please consult the section of the academic catalog related to School of Business - Graduate Programs.)

Admission to the university does not guarantee acceptance to an accelerated degree program. Students must apply to a specific accelerated degree program in order to be considered for that program.

Steps to Pursuing an Accelerated Degree Program
Students who wish to pursue a specific accelerated degree must first complete a Request for Degree Plan (RDP) with the appropriate Academic Records office. This accelerated degree plan will assist the student in selecting the undergraduate and graduate coursework necessary for successful completion of the chosen accelerated degree. Each accelerated program, undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral, maintains distinctive requirements that students must meet to be admitted into and complete the specified accelerated program.

Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Degree General Requirements
Students may transition to shared graduate coursework for their accelerated graduate program after meeting the following criteria:

• Successfully completing the required undergraduate coursework for program entry. Students should refer to the appropriate section of the catalog to determine the number of undergraduate credit hours needed (often, but not always, 70 credit hours).
• Achieve a grade of C or better in all major coursework.
• Graduate Course Requirements:
  • C or better in the 35 hours for any Accelerated MDiv program
  • B or better for all other Accelerated programs
• Maintain a cumulative GPA:
  • 3.0 for most accelerated programs
  • 2.0 for MDiv accelerated programs

The advisor and the appropriate Academic Records office will review the student’s file to confirm that all requirements for continuing with graduate coursework have been met.  Students may enroll in a maximum of six hours of non-shared graduate-level coursework in their final undergraduate term.

At the completion of the undergraduate degree requirements or 124 credit hours (whichever comes first), including the shared hours, the student is no longer eligibile for undergraduate scholarships and undergraduate tuition rates.  Students should communication with the Office of Financial Aid before enrolling in graduate courses to determine eligibility for funding.

Accelerated Program Transition to Undergraduate-Only Degree

If a student chooses not to complete the accelerated degree program, or if the student does not meet the academic requirements to remain in good standing, they will transition back to the undergraduate degree track. In such cases, the following steps apply:

• The student must complete a Request for Degree Plan and work with an undergraduate advisor to outline the remaining degree requirements for the selected undergraduate program.
• Any graduate-level courses previously completed as part of the accelerated program that were designated as shared courses may still count toward the undergraduate degree requirements.
• Graduate courses that were not shared will not be applicable to the undergraduate degree.
• Students must adhere to all undergraduate degree requirements as outlined in the updated degree plan.

Graduation
To ensure successful graduation from an approved accelerated program, students must:

• Maintain and graduate with undergraduate GPA requirements noted in the academic catalog for that degree and major.
• Meet the residency requirements for both undergraduate and graduate degrees in the accelerated program. Shared courses at the graduate level will count toward the undergraduate residency requirement as requirements for upper-level credit hours.
• Submit the Application for Graduation by the deadline noted in the academic calendar.
• The undergraduate degree will be conferred once the undergraduate requirements are met, separate from the master’s degree portion.

Graduation Ceremony Participation

• Students have the option to participate in a graduation ceremony for each degree separately.
• If a student chooses to participate in a ceremony upon completing the bachelor’s degree, they will be recognized only for the bachelor’s degree.
  • The student will be required to pay the bachelor’s graduation fee and submit an application for graduation.
  • Undergraduate honors will be recognized at this time.
• If the student participates in a later ceremony upon completing the master’s degree, the student will be recognized as an accelerated degree student.
  • Undergraduate honors will not be recognized at this time.
  • The student will be required to pay the accelerated graduation fee and submit an application for graduation.

Additional Requirements for International Students

In addition to the admission requirements stated above, an international student (a student attending Wayland on an F-1 student visa issued by the United States government) must also submit the following to the Admissions Office:

1. Visa Authorization Form 
2. All applicable transcripts - A student must have completed a program equivalent to the baccalaureate degree in the United States. Applicants must submit an official copy of their most recent transcript with the baccalaureate degree posted, as well as any transcript(s) that include graduate credit for which the applicant would like credit considered for transfer.
3. It is the responsibility of the applicant to have all required transcripts, certificates, or diplomas from institutions outside the United States sent to a credentials evaluation agency for evaluation. A list of agencies may be obtained from the Office of Admissions. This evaluation determines the authenticity of the documents, provides appropriate subject identification, and a GPA calculation (in many instances, this will be termed a “detailed” report). A copy of the results must be sent directly to Wayland from the evaluation service.
4. Language Entrance Exam: International students whose first or home language is not English are required to take an English-language competency exam to demonstrate proficiency at a level necessary for success in college. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is the preferred test. Students pursuing teacher certification must take the TOEFL. On the TOEFL, a minimum of 61 on the Internet-based test, 173 on the computer-based, or 500 on
   the paper-based test is required for unconditional admission. The TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service. A registration form and a “Bulletin of Information for Candidates” may be obtained by contacting ETS through their Web site at https://www.ets.org, or writing to TOEFL Registration Office, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6151, USA.
   When a TOEFL score is not readily available, scores on the following exams will be considered for students not pursuing teacher certification:
   • the Duolingo English Test (minimum score of 100)
   • the International English Languages Testing System (IELTS Academic)
   • the Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) (minimum score of 50)
5. Financial Support Statement: All international students must certify to Wayland and the U.S. Citizenship Immigration Service that the student has sufficient funds available to cover the first two terms of study while in the United States. A completed Financial Statement form is required for the student file. This form is available on the Wayland web site at https://www.wbu.edu or by contacting the international admissions representative.

Appeal of Admission Decision

An applicant may appeal an admission decision to the graduate council. The appeal should be routed through the external campus executive director/dean or through the vice president of academic affairs.

Admission to Candidacy

In order to continue beyond one session of attendance of graduate work, a degree-seeking student must be admitted to candidacy. Candidacy will be based upon the student’s demonstrated competency and compliance with University requirements. To be admitted to candidacy by the
Office of Graduate Studies, the student must:

1. Have on file all required admissions documents and be admitted to the Graduate Program. 
2. Have on file an official degree plan approved by the office of graduate studies. 
3. Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (2.0 for Master of Divinity students) in all graduate courses attempted at Wayland.
4. Have no grade lower than C (D for Master of Divinity students) in all graduate courses attempted at Wayland.