Wayland Baptist University

wayland baptist university accreditation

Wayland Baptist University Degrees and Programs

Wayland Baptist University appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Master’s in Theology Degree Programs Online.

Programs and majors at Wayland Baptist University are available online, at the university’s main campus in Plainview, Texas, and at many regional centers throughout the world. Programs are housed within nine schools within the university that include the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences, the School of Business, the School of Education, and the School of Christian Studies.

Additional programs are offered by the School of Fine Arts, the School of Languages and Literature, the School of Nursing, the School of Music, and the School of Math and Science. The university’s student-to-faculty ratio is 8:1, and a significant 84.5 percent of classes have fewer than 20 students. Around half of the students enrolled as first-time college students at Wayland Baptist University return for a second year of study.

A sampling of the degrees offered by the university includes the Bachelor of Business Administration, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, and the Bachelor of Science. Within each major, students can enroll in one of several approved majors in areas like applied science, human services, religion, justice administration, and business administration. Each major has required core courses, as well as several courses within the student’s chosen major.

Wayland Baptist University has a partnership with local schools that allows high school students to enroll in college classes that offer dual credit for their high school curriculum and a future college degree. One such partnership is between Plainview High School and the university. The program is designed to allow students to complete as many college courses as they can in advance of their high school graduation and enrollment in college.

One of the helpful features of the program is that students don’t need to pay for textbooks because the state of Texas pays for textbooks used by students in concurrent enrollment programs. Students who want to participate in the dual enrollment program must formally apply to the university and are eligible to continue their studies at the school after they complete high school and receive a high school diploma.

About Wayland Baptist University

Wayland Baptist University was established in 1908 through a charter by the state of Texas. Located in Plainview, Texas, the university also operates several campuses around Texas, the United States, and in Kenya and American Samoa. The university was once called the Wayland Literary and Technical Institute and was initially funded by a donation from local citizens who were part of the Staked Plains Baptist Association.

Today, the university has more than 5,000 students attending its campuses, with around 1,200 of those students enrolled for graduate-level study. The university is still affiliated with the Baptist Convention of Texas. The school’s official colors are gold and blue, and the university’s main campus covers 155 acres in a suburban neighborhood. Students enrolled in sports play as the Flying Queens and the Pioneers, and their mascot is named Pioneer Pete. The university has been recognized as an institution with highly affordable tuition.

Wayland Baptist University Accreditation Details

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges has accredited Wayland Baptist University, which allows the school to award college degrees and certificates. Students with questions about the university’s accreditation can speak to the Commission on Colleges, which is located in Decatur, Georgia. The university is also part of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and also has some programs accredited by different agencies.

For example, the university’s teacher certification programs are accredited by the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Board of Nursing also accredits programs from the university. The university’s bachelor’s degree programs in nursing are also accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. The university is accredited and an institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.

Wayland Baptist University Application Requirements

Students who want to attend Wayland Baptist University will enroll as degree-seeking or non-degree seeking students and may need to enroll under different admission standards if they are from a location outside the United States. The university has immunization requirements for admission, and also provides a recommended list of immunizations that students should receive, as well as a list of acceptable documents that may be used for admission requirements.

For degree-seeking students, the application process includes a completed application for admission and the application fee of $35. Students will also submit official test scores from the ACT or SAT, as well as have official transcripts sent from an accredited high school. Some first-time applicants may receive conditional admission before they graduate from high school. Students in the top 50 percent of their graduating class should strive for a minimum of 18 on the ACT or an 850 on the SAT I.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition and fees for the Plainview campus are charged at $712.00 per credit hour for a total of $8,544 for a course load of 12 credits. Books are estimated at $500 per term, and students will also pay an estimated $649 in fees and $1,000 in transportation. Students who live on campus will pay a median price of $1,274 for their room and a median price of $2,427 for their meal plan. The total estimated costs for a year at Wayland Baptist University are $31,044.

Students who choose to attend the university as online students will pay $414 per semester hour for undergraduate classes and $488 for online graduate courses. Some programs may cost a different amount based on the type of program and the location where a student enrolls. For example, external campus undergraduate students pay $307, and external campus graduate students pay $392 per semester hour.

Students may receive grants, loans, scholarships, or offers of student employment as part of their financial aid package at Wayland Baptist University. The university participates in the Federal Direct Loan Program, so students can qualify for financial aid when they attend the university with student loans and federal grants. To receive financial aid through the federal program, students must complete Loan Entrance Counseling and also sign a Master Promissory Note before funds will be dispersed by the university.

Students can qualify for several types of financial aid that don’t need to be repaid after the student graduates. For example, high achieving students may receive academic scholarships, and students that have been referred to Wayland Baptist University by alumni may receive an alumni scholarship.