Master’s Program Admission Requirements
Requirements for full-standing admission:
- Minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA
- Minimum 445 GMAT score if you do not qualify for a GMAT waiver
- Completion of the required undergraduate courses, with minimum grades where applicable
- For international students: minimum required English language proficiency exam score(s) if you did not earn your undergraduate degree in the U.S. (Citizens of countries on the exemption list and students who graduated from institutions in those countries are not required to submit scores.)
You may apply prior to completing the required undergraduate courses. Any remaining course requirements will be noted in the terms of master’s program admission.
If the GMAT is waived for your admission but you plan to take it for PSOA graduate assistantship consideration, you can have your score sent when you apply or have it sent so that we receive it by one of the priority application deadlines.
Students who do not meet the minimum requirements for full standing admission may be considered for admission in another category. Admission in a category other than full standing requires fulfilling specified grade and/or course requirements and limits financial aid eligibility.
Additional information for international students is available on the Office of International Student and Scholar Services website.
Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
We accept scores for the current and previous versions of the GMAT. Scores are valid for five years.
The GMAT requirement is waived for:
- PSOA accounting majors with an overall or resident GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Undergraduate accounting majors with an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher from other AACSB-accredited institutions.
The GMAT is required for all students who wish to be considered for a Patterson School of Accountancy (PSOA) graduate assistantship.
We ask students who are not eligible for a GMAT waiver to make up to three attempts if needed and send us all GMAT scores received.
When to Take the GMAT
Starting your master’s program in summer or fall: take the GMAT in summer or fall of the year prior (and no later than the end of December)
Starting your master’s program in winter intersession or spring semester:
- take the GMAT by the end of summer of the year prior (and no later than the end of October) for admission
- take the GMAT in summer or fall of the year prior (and no later than the end of December) to be considered for a PSOA graduate assistantship for the fall semester that you’re enrolled
- take the GMAT in summer or fall two years prior (and no later than the end of December) to be considered for a PSOA graduate assistantship for the spring semester that you’re enrolled (note that we rarely have openings for spring semester)
Be sure to consider application deadlines and the timeframe for receiving your score (up to 20 business days) when scheduling the GMAT.
Required Undergraduate Courses
University of Mississippi accounting majors: minimum grades of C in ACCY 401: Auditing and ACCY 405: Income Taxes I
Accounting majors from other institutions with separate accounting accreditation by AACSB International: minimum grades of C in undergraduate auditing and tax courses that are equivalent to ACCY 401: Auditing and ACCY 405: Income Taxes I
Accounting majors in programs without separate accounting accreditation by AACSB and applicants who majored in a field of study other than accounting:
- ACCY 201: Introduction to Accounting Principles I or approved equivalent course – minimum grade of B required
- ACCY 202: Introduction to Accounting Principles II or approved equivalent course – minimum grade of B required (prerequisite: ACCY 201)
- ACCY 303: Financial Accounting I or approved equivalent course – minimum grade of C required (prerequisites: ACCY 201, ACCY 202)
- ACCY 304: Financial Accounting II or approved equivalent course – minimum grade of C required (prerequisite: ACCY 303)
- ACCY 309: Cost Control or approved equivalent course (prerequisite: ACCY 202)
- ACCY 401: Auditing or approved equivalent course – minimum grade of C required (prerequisite: ACCY 304)
- ACCY 405: Income Taxes I or approved equivalent course – minimum grade of C required (prerequisite: ACCY 202)
- ACCY 411: Business Law or 300-level or above business law course from another institution (prerequisite: BUS 250)
- ECON 202: Principles of Microeconomics or approved equivalent course – minimum grade of C required
- ECON 203: Principles of Macroeconomics or approved equivalent course – minimum grade of C required (prerequisite: ECON 202)
- ECON 230: Economic Statistics I/BUS 230: Economic Statistics I or approved equivalent course – minimum grade of C required (prerequisite: MATH 261, 267, or 271)
- ECON 302: Economic Statistics II/BUS 302: Business Statistics II or approved equivalent course (prerequisite: ECON/BUS 230)
- FIN 331: Business Finance I or approved equivalent course (see course catalog for list of prerequisites)
- MATH 267: Calculus for Business, Economics, & Accountancy I or approved equivalent course – minimum grade of C required (see course catalog for list of prerequisite options)
- MGMT 371: Principles of Management or approved equivalent course (see course catalog for list of prerequisites)
- MKTG 351: Marketing Principles or approved equivalent course (see course catalog for list of prerequisites)
If a required course is not available at your undergraduate institution, you can take it at the University of Mississippi.
Complete the Master’s Program Information Request Form to receive information via email and postal mail.
Questions about admission requirements? Please contact Dr. Jennifer McClure, Director of Master’s Programs, at mcclure@olemiss.edu or (662) 915-1675.