College of Business and Economics

Selections

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Application Requirements

Application

MSIR students proceed through the program as a class. Students who do not have preparation in business foundation classes in accounting, economics, finance, marketing or management begin the program in early July in the second summer session. In this summer session students take two classes in these basic business disciplines. Students with business foundation knowledge begin the program in the fall semester to complete the full class of students for that year. The class will complete the MSIR program the following August. Decisions on admissions both for students beginning in July and for those who begin in August will be made in April. Application for admission should be completed by March 1.

GMAT/GRE

MSIR applicants are required to take either the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Candidates must have official scores reported directly to West Virginia University. Applications will not be considered without a test score; early test taking is strongly encouraged.


Admission

The MSIR program is interdisciplinary in nature and no specific undergraduate major is required. Course work in computer science, labor economics, statistics, and business disciplines is helpful. To gain admission into the Master of Science in Industrial Relations program, an applicant must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. Overall grade point average is considered with additional attention given to the grade point average achieved in the last sixty hours of course work.

Either the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. No action is taken on an application for admission until a GMAT or GRE score is submitted. International students must also submit a satisfactory TOEFL score. Admission to the program is competitive.

Transcripts

All applications for admission to the MSIR program and official transcripts of all prior academic work should be submitted to the WVU Office of Admissions and Records as early as possible. This will also allow these materials to reach the Business and Economics Office of Graduate Programs in sufficient time for an admission decision. Applicants who have attended institutions other than WVU must request the registrar or records office of those institutions to forward a complete official transcript directly to the WVU Office of Admissions and Records.

Supporting Materials Required

A resume, two (or three) letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose are required. The letters of recommendation should include two from professors familiar with the applicant's academic work. The writer should address the student's educational performance and potential for success in graduate school and profession. If the applicant has work experience, one letter of reference should come from an individual familiar with the applicant's job performance.

Each reference letter should be sealed with the signature of the reference writer across the evelope flap. The statement of purpose should address the applicant's interest in the MSIR program relative to life goals and discuss the applicant's unique qualifications for entry into this competitive admission program. Other supporting materials may be added to the application (such as writing samples) at the applicant's discretion.