skip to main content
Patterson School of Accountancy
University of Mississippi

Master’s Program Admission Requirements

Requirements for full standing admission:

  • Minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA
  • Minimum 445 GMAT Focus score or 450 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 GMAT Focus scores and traditional GMAT scores. The traditional GMAT was discontinued in January 2024. Scores for both versions 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:

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.