West Texas A&M University is part of the larger school system known as the Texas A&M System. Founded as the West Texas State Normal College in 1910, it offered training programs and courses that provided students with the tools and skills needed to work as teachers. Following a fire that burned down a significant portion of its campus, it rebuilt and added more courses to its catalog. By the beginning of the 1920s, the college gained the right to grant degrees to its students instead of the certificates that it did in the past. Though it later became a state teaching college, then a state college and finally a public university, it didn't adopt its current name until becoming part of the Texas A&M System in the 1990s. While it is a smaller branch of that system, it still has an enrollment nearing 10,000 students.
More than 80% of students come from Texas, and the university has a slightly higher percentage of female students as males. West Texas A&M University also has a small number of online students. Though it started out with a more traditional distance learning program, it later switched to an online system. This system lets students take several courses online but also boasts five degree programs well. Its online MBA program ranks as one of the most affordable MBA programs in the entire country and allows students to complete all requirements over the Internet.
West Texas A & M University Accreditation Details
Many students hear the word accreditation and don't give much thought to what it means or even the types of accreditation out there. The most common and most important type is regional accreditation. West Texas A&M knows that students may need help paying for college and that they can only get certain types of aid when attending a school with regional accreditation, which is why the university obtained regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The university also obtained specialty accreditation for a handful of its programs like is mechanical engineering and computer information systems programs, which have accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology, Inc. (ABET). West Texas A&M also has specialty accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, American Speech Language Hearing Association, Council on Social Work Education Office of Social Work Accreditation, Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, National Association of Schools of Music and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
West Texas A & M University Application Requirements
No matter what they want to study or where they want to study, West Texas A&M requires that students complete the online application. Freshmen are students who have up to 12 credits of college work and a high school diploma. Those students must use the Apply Texas Web Application and submit an online application through that system. New freshmen students must also submit a high school transcript, the score obtained on a standardized test offered by the state if living in Texas and either a score from the ACT or a score from the SAT. Different requirements are in place for those who completed a home school program and those who have a GED.
Completion of the Texas Common Application is a requirement for all students hoping to enroll in the West Texas A&M graduate school. Students also have the right to contact the university and request a copy of its paper application instead of using the online application. Keep in mind that filing the paper version of the application may increase the amount of time it takes to receive a response. Grad students must also submit an official score from the GMAT or the GRE and an official college transcript. The requirements are the same for students hoping to enroll in one of the university's online programs.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The average tuition rate for students attending West Texas A&M University is around $7,700 a year. This includes the cost of miscellaneous fees and tuition but does not include the costs of living on campus such as a meal plan or room in a residence hall. Called one of the country's most affordable colleges by several publications, West Texas A&M charges a low rate for all students who live in Texas. Those from other states pay just $30 more per credit hour. The university offers its own cost estimator on its website that lets students find out exactly how much it will cost them per year or per semester. The cost per year for graduate students is around $6,700 a year.
Though West Texas A&M does offer financial aid, it only awards packages to students who complete and file the FAFSA prior to the start of the new school year. The university recommends filing that form during the spring semester before enrolling. College students may receive grants and loans from the federal government, and the government has loan programs available for parents of enrolled students too. Graduate students may have access to some of the same financial aid packages, but grad students can also apply for private loans as well.
Online Programs Available
The online system maintained by West Texas A&M is unique because it offers a large number of classes but a much smaller number of degree programs. Those programs include an online MBA, Business Administration (BBA) degree, RN to BSN degree completion program and a degree in curriculum and instruction at the graduate level. The BBA degree prepares students by helping them develop a strong background in business courses. This accredited program includes courses on the principles of financial accounting, business and economics statistics, employment law and supply chain management. Those who have a nursing degree and an RN license can enroll in the RN to BSN program to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree while still working full time.
10 Most Affordable Top Ranked Online MBA Information Systems
Its online MBA received recognition as one of the best and most affordable MBA programs in the United States. Students can choose a concentration in computer information systems, health care, marketing or management. Each MBA program requires that students take 28 hours of graduate level courses like strategic management, accounting theory and data and information management. They will also take some foundation classes and up to nine hours of work within their concentration. The West Texas A&M University online MBA allows students to do all work online without completing any type of residency requirement.