Graduate Admissions

The University of Houston - Victoria complies with all federal and state statues pertaining to the admission of graduate students, including Texas H.G. 1641, regarding admissions policies for graduate programs.

Graduate education at UHV is designed to build upon the foundations provided in the baccalaureate program. Programs at the graduate-level provide students with opportunities to develop advanced knowledge and skills in their chosen fields. Through their graduate programs, students are expected to demonstrate and increasingly develop independent and critical thinking and to progressively increase their ability to integrate theory, practice, and research in scholarly and professional pursuits.

These admissions requirements are based on the University of Houston - Victoria’s Admissions Standards Policy. Colleges and departments may have additional or more stringent requirements. Graduate degree programs are housed in academic departments. Each department establishes its requirements for admission. Graduate program requirements are in addition to the minimum requirements established for admission by Enrollment Management at the university.

Every graduate student must gain admission to a specific graduate program. Should a graduate student wish to apply to a different program, they must complete a new application, pay the non-refundable application fee, and provide any supplementary documents requested by the new program. All submitted documents become the property of UHV and will not be returned. Application documents will remain on file for at least one year if the applicant does not attend the university.

Admissions Requirements

Admissions as either a degree-seeking or a non-degree seeking student is recommended by the College and granted by the Office of Admissions Processing. Only students who have submitted completed admissions packets will generally be considered for admissions to UHV.

A complete admissions packet consists of the following:

• Application: Submitted online by the appropriate deadline. If a program application deadline is before the general graduate admissions deadline, the program application deadline will be followed. The application is available on the ATA website.
• Application fee (non-refundable)
• Official Transcripts: Submit official transcript from the college or university that shows the highest degree earned (Except UHV) and date(s) awarded. The degree granting/issuing institution must be an accredited institution by a CHEA-recognized accreditation agency in the United States or the foreign equivalent. It is recommended official transcripts are submitted from each college or university attended for further review.

Electronics transcripts are preferred and should be sent to Admissions@uhv.edu.

UHV will accept official transcripts from the appropriate regional association of schools and colleges and regionally accredited colleges and universities recognized by The Council on Higher Education (CHEA) and the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) for admission purposes. A transcript is considered official when it bears the institution’s seal, is signed by the issuing authority, and is sent directly by the issuing institution or delivered in an envelope sealed by the issuing institution. For more detail regarding international transcript requirements please view the international admissions requirements.

UHV prefers the use of EDI/SPEEDE transcript submission. However, if this option is not available, official paper transcripts must be unopened and bear the seal of the sending institution. If sending your official transcripts by a 3rd party service, please use the admissions@uhv.edu email address.

PDF transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing company and directly to the admissions@uhv.edu email address to be considered official.

If the student is sending hard copy transcripts, the student is advised to request the issuing institution to send transcript(s) directly to the Office of Admissions Processing at the following address:

Transcripts may be hand delivered, however the transcript must be in the issuing institution’s sealed envelope. If the seal is broken, the transcript is not considered official.

Students with discrepancies in applications, withholding transcript information, or submitting fraudulent information regarding enrollment at another accredited institution will result in a resubmission of official transcripts or their application to UHV may be rescinded, and they may be administratively withdrawn from classes without a refund of fees paid.

If you are unsure as to whether or not your electronic transcripts will be considered official at UHV, please contact the Office of Admissions Processing via email at admissions@uhv.edu  before you request or send your electronic transcripts.

*International Transcripts/Records: See more information in the International Program Office.

Credit earned before an institution receiving accreditation/recognition is not accepted for admission or transfer.

• Officially reported standardized test scores: Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Official Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score as required by the desired program. Applicants should consult with the program or college to determine the specific test requirements. To be considered official, GRE/GMAT scores must be mailed directly to UHV Office of Admissions processing from the Educational Testing Service. GMAT Waiver Information: Please see the College of Business section of the catalog for information regarding the GMAT waiver policy.

Graduate Record Examinations, Educational Testing Service

Address:          P.O. Box 6000

                         Princeton, NJ 08541-6000

Phone:             (609) 771-7670

Web:                GRE Contact Information (For Test Takers) (ets.org)

The institutional code number for UHV is 6917 for the GRE.

Graduate Management Admission Test

Address:          P.O. Box 6103

                          Princeton, NJ 08541-6103

Phone:             (609) 771-7330

Web:                Contact Us | Corporate Information | The Princeton Review

The GMAT program codes for University of Houston-Victoria are:

• 30K-2W-88 The UHV MBA (Including Bridge)

Miller Analogies Test

            Address:          The Psychological Corporation

                                      555 Academic Court

                                      San Antonio, TX 78204-2956

            Phone:             (800) 622-3231

            Web:                Contact Us (pearsonassessments.com)

• Additional Documents: Each graduate program establishes its own admission standards and may require that additional documents be submitted with the online application.  A student should contact a graduate admissions counselor for further details regarding specific program requirements. Such documentation may include, but is not limited to:
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Personal resume or curriculum vita
  • Personal statement
  • Background check
  • Interview

A student transferring from another graduate program within UHV, must submit a new application along with admissions packet materials including a non-refundable application fee for the desired program. A student must have a 3.0 (A=4.0) grade point average on all completed graduate work attempted.

Admission Reviews and Decisions

Each program at UHV sets its own application deadlines and review processes. Admissions policies and procedures across all programs and colleges adopt a holistic approach, ensuring that no single criterion will solely determine acceptance or denial into any graduate program.

Many academic programs, departments, and colleges have additional admissions requirements. Applicants should consult the specific programs, departments, or colleges to obtain this information. For detailed information on specific college and department admission requirements, procedures, regulations, and deadlines, please contact the relevant academic program.

If an applicant is found to have presented fraudulent or misleading information during the admissions process, the offer of admission may be rescinded. Appeals of a rescinded admission offer should be sent to the Vice President of Academic Affairs, whose decision is final.

The appropriate college will determine the applicant’s admissibility into the graduate program.

Admission Categories

Unconditional Admissions

Students unconditionally admitted to the university are granted full status in a graduate program.

Conditional Admissions

Conditional admission status is sometimes granted to students who fail to meet all admissions requirements. These students will have specific requirements to meet within the first on or two terms in the graduate program. Assuming all requirements are met, the student is awarded an unconditional admissions status.

Graduate Certificate

To be classified as non-degree certificate seeking graduate student at UHV, the student must:

1. Be officially admitted by a college as a non-degree-seeking (NDO) student to take a limited number of graduate classes (4) to further their education.
2. Possess a baccalaureate degree by a CHEA-recognized accreditation agency (or the equivalent). Students must provide proof of these credentials by submitting official transcript(s) include the degree(s) earned and date(s) awarded.

Upon completion of a Certificate Program, a student wishing to pursue a graduate program must complete a new admissions application for the desired programs at UHV will still need to meet the general and program admissions requirements.

Transfer Admission

Transfer students must meet regular admission requirements. See the catalog section on Transfer Credit for details regarding the transfer of graduate credit.

Former Graduate Students

Former UHV graduate students are required to submit:

• Graduate Application on ApplyTexas
• Application fee (non-refundable)
• Official transcripts from all institutions attended since last enrollment at UHV (if applicable)

Former students are considered anyone:

• who has not enrolled at UHV for 13 uninterrupted months (3 consecutive terms) from their initial semester
• with an application that has been discontinued for non-enrollment
• who has earned a bachelor’s or graduate degree

If inconsistencies exist between student’s applications regarding attendance at prior institutions, a new official transcript will be necessary to proceed with the new application.

Visiting Graduate Transient Student

A visiting graduate transient student is a student who is enrolled in one college or university (their home institution) and takes courses temporarily at UHV (their host institution) but without the intent of pursuing a degree from UHV. Students interested in attending UHV as a transient student should first discuss the option with their advisor or other appropriate official at their home institution to ensure the transfer credit will be accepted.

Visiting graduate transient students are not eligible for financial aid, as funds are only available for degree-seeking students.

Visiting graduate transient students are approved and admitted for one academic year (one fall, spring, and summer) or take up to 9 semester credit hours, whichever comes first. Students who wish to continue their transient enrollment after the initial year must re-apply and pay the application fee again.

Students seeking transient admission must:

• Visit ApplyTexas
  • Apply to Four-year College/University and Graduate Schools
  • Select Institution: University of Houston-Victoria.
  • Application Type: US Grad
  • Semester: Choose the semester you want to take courses
  • Major: Select the College that matches as close as possible to your home institution with Transient/Visiting Student as major
• Non-refundable application fee. This can be paid in person at the Victoria campus only, or electronically here. Transient students are not eligible for Fee Waivers. Applications will not be processed without the application fee.
• Complete the Visiting Transient Form
• Submit Bacterial Meningitis Records. Online-only students may complete the Online Classes ONLY Immunization Waiver.
• Submit official transcripts. To meet admission requirements, students must have a 3.0 GPA, an undergraduate degree, and be in good standing at their home institution.
  • If the transcript service used is requesting an email address to deliver your document to UHV, please have it sent to Admissions@uhv.edu.

Mailing Address:

Admitted transient students are immediately subject to UHV’s academic regulations.

Students considering transient enrollment should be aware that transient admission does not guarantee course availability. In addition, visiting transient students are required to meet pre-requisites for the course or courses they wish to take at UHV. Transfer coursework is only evaluated for degree-seeking students. Review UHV’s Class Schedule to see if the course you are interested in taking requires pre-requisites. If so, contact the appropriate academic department to get permission to enroll.

If a current or prior transient student wishes to update their admissions status to a degree-seeking student at UHV, they must apply to the university as a graduate applicant and meet all applicable admissions criteria.

The admission deadlines for transient students are the same as for all graduate students.

Post-Baccalaureate Status

The post-baccalaureate status is designed for applicants who have earned one or more degrees at an accredited institution and seek another undergraduate degree, wish to enter a non-degree undergraduate program, or wish to further their education by taking undergraduate courses in varying fields of study.

Students who would like more information on post-baccalaureate status should consult the post-baccalaureate information in this catalog.

(Note: All grades in courses applicable to the degree, count when a student gains admission to a graduate program.)

International students must also meet the requirements for international admission as outlined in this catalog and the International Student Brochure.

Keep on Roarin’: Auto-Admit Graduate Program

The Keep on Roarin’ Auto-Admit Graduate Program is designed to offer an opportunity for our top-performing undergraduate and graduate students who have graduated from UHV. The Keep on Roarin’ (KOR) program offers automatic admission into a selection of master’s programs at UHV. The key advantages of KOR are:

• No application fees
• No letter of intent
• No letter(s) of recommendation
• No GRE/GMAT scores.
• Eligibility requirements: To be considered, undergraduate and graduate students must have graduated with a 3.0 GPA or above. Please note that some participating master’s degree programs may have additional criteria for eligibility.

If you have questions about the KOR program, please contact Admissions Processing, for more information.

• Complete your UHV undergraduate degree (meeting KOR eligibility)
• Select a participating degree program
• Apply. Submit graduate application via ApplyTexas ($35 application fee waived)
• Meet with your Graduate Advisor to enroll in courses

NOTE: Scholarships have limited availability, click to apply UHV Alumni Scholarship

Available Programs:

List is subject to change and more programs may be added.

Administration and Supervision MEd

Adult and Higher Education - Higher Education MEd

Biomedical Sciences MS

Computer Information Systems MS

Computer Science MS

Creative Writing MFA

Criminal Justice MA

Curriculum and Instruction MEd

Educational Technology MEd

Interdisciplinary Studies MA

Master of Accountancy, MACY

Master of Science in Data Science

Publishing MS

Special Education MEd

Sport Management MS

Strategic MBA