West Virginia University

Six WVU Degrees for Finance and Accounting

West Virginia University is also featured in our ranking of the Top 15 Online Master’s in Forensic Accounting.

Adjacent to Woodburn Hall, the John Chambers College of Business & Economics led by Dr. Javier Reyes grants a 120-credit B.S. Finance for West Virginia University Mountaineers to manage a $250,000 Investment Fund, visit Wall Street, compete with DECA, and choose a Financial Planning Emphasis. Directed by Dr. Scott Fleming, the B.S. Accounting builds a 120-credit, AACSB-accredited curriculum by the Baker Tilly Playbook with opportunities to intern at Deloitte, pledge Beta Alpha Psi, earn CMA certification, and travel to G20 countries. The M.S. Finance is an 38-credit, two-year Morgantown program outlined by Dr. Naomi Boyd that lets post-grads declare the Energy Emphasis, pursue a Dual MBA, engage in the Center for Financial Literacy, and attend the Finance Seminar Series.

Online via Blackboard, the M.S. Forensic & Fraud Examination offers a 30-credit, 1.5-year CFE certification plan chaired by Dr. Richard Riley that meets National Institute of Justice guidelines with two Morgantown residencies, Institute for Fraud Prevention practice, and a Moot Court capstone. Headed by Dr. Christian Schaupp, the Master of Accountancy integrates the Becker CPA Review into its 30-credit curriculum with a Tax Track or Assurance Track for a 62.5 percent first-time pass rate. The Ph.D. Business Administration provides assistantships with $23,000 yearly stipends under Dr. Kip Holderness for intensive 72-credit Finance and Accounting options requiring dissertation work in the Bureau of Business & Economic Research. Note there’s also a 12-credit Forensic Accounting Certificate.

About West Virginia University

West Virginia University originated in 1866 when Senator William Price introduced a bill to acquire the former Monongalia Academy for a state-funded institution. On February 7, 1867, it was established as the Agricultural College of West Virginia. One year later, President Alexander Martin adopted the West Virginia University name. In 1878, the College of Law became its first professional school. Coeducational since 1889, WVU added the Agricultural Experiment farm to its sprawling 2,800 acres in Morgantown. In 1904, Charles Frederick Tucker Brooke become WVU’s earliest Rhodes Scholar. By 1951, the College of Commerce was formed for business education. Accredited in 1954, the College started its Ph.D. Program in 1965. On November 9, 2018, its College of Business & Economics was renamed to honor the Cisco Systems CEO.

Endowed for $574.1 million, West Virginia University now employs 1,870 faculty teaching 29,959 from 118 nations at a 16:1 ratio online and at three campuses with 450+ clubs like Phi Beta Lambda. In 2018, the College of Business & Economics received the WVHTA Excellence in Tourism Education Award. In 2012, John Chambers himself won the Franklin Institute’s Bower Award for Business Leadership. Nineteen West Virginia faculty have earned the Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year Award too. The U.S. News & World Report ranked WVU the 147th best business school and 26th best online graduate business program. On Niche, WVU boasts America’s 216th best finance and accounting degrees. The Wall Street Journal placed West Virginia University among the top 600 overall. Bloomberg BusinessWeek declared WVU the 90th best for undergrads.

West Virginia University Accreditation Details

On August 8, 2018, West Virginia University submitted the Fifth-Year Periodic Review Report to the Higher Learning Commission on North Central Association (HLC-NCA) Institutional Actions Council to continue the Level VI accreditation through the 2023 evaluation under Provost Joyce McConnell, JD, who received the WVAJ Public Servant of the Year Award. Located 528 miles west via Interstate 80 in Chicago, Illinois, this mega 19-state Midwest Region accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to check WVU’s 13 associate, 121 baccalaureate, 94 master’s, and 53 doctoral offerings. Specifically, John Chambers College was reaccredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) on April 8, 2010. The B.S. Finance is also registered with the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board of Standards.

West Virginia University Application Requirements

Admission to West Virginia University is classified “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s because only 14,807 of the 20,597 Fall 2017 applicants were victorious for 72 percent acceptance. First-year Mountaineers seeking the B.S. Accounting or B.S. Finance must finish high school with four units of English, three units of Math, and four units of Social Studies. West Virginians need a minimum 2.0 GPA, 19 ACT, and 990 SAT mark. Non-residents are held to 2.5 GPAs plus a 21 ACT or 1060 SAT score. The John Chambers College of Business & Economics mandates a 3.0 GPA or better for direct major admission though. Graduate programs require 120 credits of relevant bachelor’s majors at minimum 3.0 GPAs. The Master of Accountancy has nine prerequisite courses, such as Auditing, Microeconomics, and Tax Accounting. The M.S. Finance requires a “C” or better in Statistics and Calculus. Scoring at least 500 on the GMAT is often necessary. Waivers are available for current CPAs, second master’s students, and execs with 2+ years of experience. GRE scores above 150 Verbal and 150 Quantitative would count too.

West Virginia University conveniently lets B.S. Accounting and Finance majors apply on a rolling basis through August 1st or December 1st. Only international students exceeding the 500 TOEFL pBT requirement need to apply by June 1st for Fall or October 1st for Spring. The John Chambers College of Business & Economics has M.S. deadlines of August 1st, December 15th, and May 1st. Ph.D. Business Administration cohorts must file before February 1st. Accordingly, utilize the WVU Application portal online to submit the $50 ($60 if graduate) form. Official academic records go to 1601 University Avenue in Morgantown, WV 26506. Select SAT/GRE code 5904, GMAT code C2S-6D-80, or ACT code 4540. Supplemental program materials include the experience résumé, statement of purpose, testing waiver, 1-3 recommendations, and research writing sample. Inquire further by contacting (304) 293-4959 or beadvisor@mail.wvu.edu.

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2018-19, West Virginia University charged in-state B.S. Accounting and Finance majors $3,768 per term. Non-resident undergrad tuition was $11,820 each semester full-time. Taking under 12 credits cost $314 or $985 apiece respectively. Mandatory university fees were $660 by term. John Chambers College program fees were $636 each semester. Residing at the Monongalia County campus’ dorms like Lincoln Hall added $2,527 to $4,614 for term rent. Gold meal plans for Cafe Evansdale were $2,640 extra. WVU budgeted $1,000 for texts and $2,620 for miscellaneous. Annual bachelor’s attendance equaled $23,294 in-state and $39,388 out-of-state. Graduate campus programs were priced $525 for West Virginians and $1,432 for non-residents per credit. Online M.S. Forensic & Fraud Examination cohorts spent $1,023 per credit or $30,690 total.

According to the NCES College Navigator, the Financial Aid Office on Evansdale Crossing Center’s 2nd Floor gets 93 percent of new WVU Mountaineers median assistance of $8,964 for $36.28 million combined. Business funds include the BrickStreet Scholarship, Brian Douglas Brick Memorial Scholarship, Chester Hatfield Curry Jr. Scholarship, Beta Gamma Sigma Scholarship, Adalbert Leadership Scholarship, Carlyle Farnsworth Ethics Scholarship, Ronald Hayhurst Scholarship, David & Nancy Hamstead Accounting Scholarship, William McLaughlin Scholarship for Banking, and PriceWaterhouseCoopers Accounting Award. The Bucklew Scholarship gifts $10,000 annually for freshmen meeting the 1390 SAT or 31 ACT minimum. The Promise Scholarship Program has a March 1st deadline for West Virginia residents with GPAs above 3.0 to earn $4,750 each year. Other state aid like the Higher Education Grant, WV Invests Grant, Adult Part-Time Student Grant, and Horatio Alger Scholarship help. Filing FAFSA forms coded 003827 also provide federal resources, such as the Pell Grant, Work-Study Award, and Stafford Loan.

Learn more about West Virginia University at the John Chambers College of Business & Economics website.