Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can a student without an undergraduate degree in accounting or business be admitted into the M.S. PA program?

    Yes. The program admits students with diverse backgrounds. While a majority of M.S. PA students have an undergraduate degree in accounting or business, a number of students have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in areas other than business.

    Students admitted without the necessary undergraduate coursework in accounting and/or business will be required to take prerequisite courses in those areas before enrolling for graduate accounting or business courses.

     

  • Do Lamar students who graduate from the M.S. PA program meet the TSBPA educational requirements to sit for the CPA exam in the state of Texas?
    Yes, the Lamar M.S. PA degree can satisfy all educational requirements adopted by the TSBPA to sit the CPA exam in the state of Texas.
  • How many credits do I need to complete the Lamar M.S. PA program?

    Students holding an undergraduate accounting degree from an accredited business program can complete the degree in as few as 34 credit hours.

    Students entering the program with an undergraduate degree in business from an accredited business school will likely have satisfied the business leveling course requirements and may complete the degree in as little as 49 credit hours.

    Students without any previous undergraduate study in business may complete the M.S. PA degree in as few as 67 credit hours.

  • How long does it take to earn the M.S. PA degree?
    From 16-35 months depending on leveling courses required.
  • How many credit hours/courses can I take per semester?
    Full time is nine hours (three courses). Students can take up to 12 hours (four courses) each semester.
  • When are M.S. PA classes held?
    Classes are held during the fall, spring and summer semesters. Courses vary as to whether they are held during daytime or nighttime hours and are offered Monday-Friday. No courses are offered on Saturday or Sunday.
  • Are M.S. PA courses offered online?
    Various business course electives are currently offered online. None of the required accounting courses are offered online.
  • When can a student be admitted into the M.S. PA program?
    Applications are accepted throughout the year. Students are admitted in the fall, spring and summer terms.
  • What is the application deadline?

    Domestic students: Prospective domestic graduate students should submit all application materials at least 30 days prior to the start of the semester in which they wish to begin studies. Please refer to our page for graduate admissions

    International students: Applications should submit materials as soon as possible to allow time for visa interview appointments at the U.S. embassy or consulate, which may have wait times of days or weeks. To find specific dates please refer to our page for international admissions

  • Can I transfer graduate hours from another graduate program to the Lamar M.S. PA program?
    Up to six hours of elective courses can be transferred into the Lamar M.S. PA program if the courses are from an AACSB institution and meet the program requirements.
  • Can I submit a GRE score instead of the GMAT?
    No, the Lamar M.S. PA program will only accept the GMAT (no exceptions are made).
  • Can the GMAT score requirement be waived?

    The GMAT score cannot be waived unless the applicant meets one of the following:

    • Applicant has a Ph.D., J.D., M.D. or other terminal degree
    • Applicant earned an undergraduate accounting degree from an accredited domestic university with a minimum accounting GPA of 3.0 and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
    • Applicant earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in accounting leveling courses taken at Lamar University as a post baccalaureate student
    • Student successfully completed the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting from Lamar University
  • What is the average cost of tuition and fees for nine hours (full time) per semester?
    Look at our cost calculator to determine the accurate cost per hour for on campus students. Online students should refer to degree.lamar.edu
  • How does grade replacement work in the M.S. PA program?
    Students may replace a graduate course grade by repeating a course for up to three graduate-level courses (nine semester hours). However, nine hours with initial or replacement grades of "C," "D," or "F" will result in student's dismissal from the M.S. PA program. If a student repeats a course, the last grade recorded will be considered the official grade and used in calculating the GPA, although all grades remain on the student's transcript.
  • What is the Lamar Dual M.S. PA/M.B.A. program?
    The Dual M.S. PA/M.B.A. is a dual degree plan for those students already earning a M.S. PA with at least six hours of electives from the M.B.A. An additional 18 hours of M.B.A. core courses (including MGMT 5380) are required. Applications must be submitted for each program individually.
  • Can a Lamar student be dual-enrolled in both the B.B.A. and M.S. PA programs?
    Yes. The TSBPA requires 150 college credit hours to sit the Uniform CPA Examination in the state of Texas. To help students meet with this requirement, the graduate school provides for dual enrollment in the B.B.A./M.S. PA through our integrated M.S. PA program. This enables a timely completion of internships which offers greater opportunities for initial employment and career success. Those seeking an integrated B.B.A./M.S. PA may apply and be admitted to the M.S. PA program after successfully completing ACCT 3320 and prior to completing a bachelor degree.
  • Are scholarships available for M.S. PA students?
    Yes. Scholarships are available for domestic and international M.S. PA students who earned a minimum GPA of 3.0 for their first baccalaureate degree and a minimum GMAT score of 450. For students with an undergraduate degree in accounting who received a GMAT waiver, scholarships are available for those students with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.25. Students may apply for additional scholarships each spring semester.
  • What are the required documents for applying to the M.S. PA program?

    Domestic students: Please refer to our page for graduate admissions for university requirements

    International students: Please refer to our page for international admissions for university requirements. Requirements include an application fee, official transcripts, proof of English language proficiency and official GMAT score.

  • What other graduate programs are offered through the business school at Lamar University?
    Other than the M.S. PA, the College of Businesses offers a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Science in Management Information Systems as well as certificate programs in professional accounting, enterprise resource planning (online) and leadership.