Admissions

Graduate Admission

Within the limits of its facilities and its obligations as a state university, William & Mary offers the possibility of admission to all qualified students without regard to age, sex/gender, race, color, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, disability, protected veteran status and other protected classifications.

All students admitted to graduate programs at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business must have a conferred bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution prior to matriculation.

For additional admissions information go to https://mason.wm.edu/graduate and select a specific Program.

Admission to Online Programs

To be considered for admission to the Online Programs, applicants must submit a completed online programs application, a 300-word personal statement, one professional reference, professional resume, and an undergrad transcript with numeric GPA. The interview requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. International applicants and those with a transcript from an international university may also need to submit a transcript evaluation and/or an English proficiency examination score as a part of their application.

  1. Holistic Admissions Review
    1. All applicants are evaluated based on a holistic review of their academic and professional credentials, regardless of transcript format.
    2. Admissions decisions consider a composite of qualitative and quantitative factors, including but not limited to academic records, letter(s) of recommendation, personal statements, and relevant experience.
  2. Transcript Requirements and Evaluation
    1. Applicants must submit transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.
    2. Transcripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
    3. If a transcript lacks a GPA or letter grades (e.g., uses narrative evaluations, pass/fail systems, or other non-traditional formats), the student must submit an official document from the conferring institution’s Registrar’s Office detailing the equivalent letter grade for courses and grade point average.
  3. Equity and Consistency
    1. All applicants are subject to the same admissions procedures to ensure fairness and consistency.
    2. No applicant will be disadvantaged solely due to the absence of a GPA or letter grades, provided sufficient evidence of academic readiness is presented.
    3. Admissions decisions will not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.
  4. Continuous Review
    1. This policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure alignment with best practices and institutional goals.
Transition of Program Modality: Residential to Online
Students seeking to transfer from another Mason School graduate program into an online degree program may be subject to the following requirements and restrictions:
 
1. Requirement Within the Program of Study - Students must complete at least 51% of the total credit hours required for their current degree within their chosen program. As a result, students may transfer into an online program only if they have completed fewer than the following credit thresholds in their current program:
 
Online MBA 25+ credits
Online MSBA 17+ credits
Online MS in Finance 17+ credits
Online MS in Marketing 17+ credits
Online Masters in Accounting 17+ credits
 
2. Students with Extensive Completed Coursework: Students who have completed more than 51% of their credits toward their current degree program generally will not be eligible to transfer into an online program. Such students should remain in their current program and consult with Academic Administration regarding available instructional modalities for any remaining degree requirements.
 
3. Course Equivalencies and Transferability: Not all courses offered in Mason School residential programs have direct equivalents within the online degree programs. Approved course equivalencies are available for selected programs. Students should consult with the Admissions Office or Academic Administration for information regarding applicable equivalencies and transfer credit considerations.
 
4. Time-to-Degree Considerations: Students transferring from a full-time residential program to an online program should anticipate that their time to degree completion may increase. Enrollment in multiple courses beyond the standard progression plan for the purpose of accelerating degree completion is generally not permitted and may be approved only under exceptional circumstances. 
 
This policy is subject to review and may be modified at the discretion of the Mason School of Business.

Enrollment in Multiple Programs

Students can be enrolled in only one graduate program at W&M unless the two programs are listed in this catalog as a combined degree program offered by the Raymond A. Mason School of Business. Students are also permitted to be enrolled in both a certificate and graduate degree program if both programs are offered by the Raymond A. Mason School of Business. 

Enrollment Reactivation and Readmission

Enrollment Reactivation

Students who do not maintain continuous enrollment should contact their respective Graduate Program Office for information and approval to return. Once program approval has been obtained, the Office of Academic Administration will reactivate the student status and issue a time ticket, required for self-registration. 

Readmission

Students who are in good academic standing with the university but have not been enrolled for 3 or more consecutive semesters (including summer) must reapply for admission into their respective Graduate Program. Students with orders for military deployment may be considered for additional semesters of inactivity before readmission is required and should consult with their Program Team. A domicile application must also be submitted to the University Registrar upon re-admittance. Please visit the In-State Residency website to complete the domicile application. Any questions about domicile eligibility should be directed to the University Registrar’s Office in Blow Memorial Hall.

Online Programs Readmission and Deferral
  • Students requesting readmission or deferral must submit a new application for the desired term through the application portal. 
  • Applicants who reapply within one calendar year of their initial application may reuse the personal statement and references previously submitted. Applications submitted more than one calendar year after the initial application require a new personal statement and new references.
  • Students who completed an interview as part of their initial application are not required to interview again unless mitigating circumstances warrant a new interview.