Lamar University

About Lamar University

Lamar University is located in Beaumont, Texas, just 90 miles east of Houston and 25 miles west of Louisiana. It offers online, on-campus, and hybrid graduate programs to students in the U.S. and beyond. During the fall 2016 semester, 15,001 total students called Lamar University home, 5,693 of whom were graduate students. Seventy-six percent of all graduate students that semester earned their degrees entirely online, and six percent were enrolled in at least some online courses.

Type of Institution

4 yr

Public

Tuition Range

$0-$15K

Student-to-Faculty Ratio

18:1

Financial Aid Percent

60%

Graduation Rate

34%

Accreditation Status

Accredited

Tuition

Range shown below is based on In-state tuition and does not include any external costs such as housing, books, etc.

Estimate Tuition Range

$$$$.................................. $0 - $15,000
$$$$.................................. $15,001 - $25,000
$$$$.................................. $25,001 - $35,000
$$$$.................................. $35,001 or above

Financial Aid Percent

Includes students receiving Federal work study aid as well as aid from pell grants,federal grants, scholarships, and other sources of financial aid.

Why Consider Lamar University?

Lamar University offers a large array of online, on-campus, and hybrid graduate programs at the master’s and doctorate degree levels. This enables students near and far to find programs that meet their personal and professional needs and to pursue their education through a format they prefer. As part of the Texas State University System, the school is well established and part of a larger system but still offers relatively small class sizes and student-to-faculty ratio. Here are some other great reasons to consider Lamar University:

Lamar University Online

Lamar University online offers multiple graduate degrees in each of these four areas: Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, and Counseling. It also offers a management master’s degree through the Lamar University engineering program and a master’s degree in public health. Within the Arts and Sciences, students can study nursing and criminal justice, and within the business school, students can earn an online MBA in one of many concentrations (such as healthcare, construction, or criminal justice management). In education, students can study leadership in a variety of areas of education, and in counseling, students can specialize their counseling technique toward school or mental health settings and needs. In the realm of professional preparation, graduate students can pursue a Principal Certification or Superintendent Certification online.

Lamar University’s Campus

The Lamar University Beaumont campus has 292-acres that serve more than 15,000 students. While the campus is part of a midsized town, Houston is just 90 miles away, offering graduate students access to a smaller-town feel and the vibrancy of a big city. The Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center and more than 100 campus clubs and organizations offer students opportunities to connect socially, culturally, professionally, and religiously. Graduate students who attend classes on campus can also enjoy more than a dozen Lamar University men and women’s NCAA Division I sports teams.

Lamar University Ranking

In 2018, U.S. News ranked Lamar University #31 (tie) in Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs, #111 (tie) in Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs, #115 (tie) in Best Online Graduate Education Programs, and #196 (tie) in Best Online MBA Programs. These rankings are out of more than 1200 schools ranked by U.S. News that year.ii

Lamar University’s Commitment to Diversity

Lamar University is committed to diversity. During the fall 2017 semester, 506 of Lamar’s 617 international students were graduate students from more than 10 countries; and there was a nearly balanced blend of first-generation, non-traditional (25 years or older), and part-time students.iii Various offices and programs helps support these and other communities at the school:

International Student Programs and Services
Disability Resource Center
Global Diversity and Inclusiveness Excellence
Veteran Affairs
McNair Scholars Program (to support first-generation and low-income students in entering graduate programs)
UNIDAD Scholars Program (to help students in STEM fields network)

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Mission Statement:

Lamar University dedicates itself to student success. It engages students and empowers them with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in their personal lives and chosen professional fields. Lamar University strives to be internationally recognized as a doctoral-granting school for its rigorous academics, innovative curricula, leading-edge scholarly activities, student diversity, accessibility, and student success. As an institution, Lamar University contributes to the transformation of the communities of Southeast Texas and beyond.

Admissions:

At Lamar University, graduate program admissions vary by program. Therefore, prior to applying, you should review the requirements specific to your academic program. Some potential documents you may have to submit include a GMAT or GRE score, a resume, a statement of purpose, TESOL scores, and letters of recommendation. There are also some Lamar University admissions requirements that apply to all graduate applicants, no matter their intended program. They include:

Submitting an online application
Submitting official transcripts for each school attended
Submitting an application fee

Graduate admissions deadlines happen each summer, typically in July and August.

Enrollment, Attendance, Retention Rates and Graduation

Lamar University has a total graduate enrollment of 6759

Graduate attendance rate of 91% part-time and 9% full-time

For the years 2018-2019 Lamar University awarded: 1662 bachelor's degrees, 2088 master's degrees, 8 doctor's degrees - professional practice, 81 doctor's degrees - research/scholarship

Financial Aid

Graduate students at Lamar University can apply for state, federal, and private grants, loans, and scholarships. Certain students may also qualify for work study, exemptions, and waivers. The following state and federal grants and loans are available to qualified graduate students at Lamar University:

The Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG)
The TEACH Grant
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
Federal Graduate PLUS Loan
Federal Perkins Loan (for students with exceptional need)

Certain students may also qualify for work study, exemptions, and waivers.

Accreditation:

Lamar University has regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges. Regional accreditation is conducted by one of seven accrediting agencies in the U.S. Each one oversees public, private, and non-profit schools, colleges, and universities within its region to ensure they meet acceptable levels of quality. For students who intend to transfer to other schools or use their degrees to pursue professional certification, having attended a regionally accredited school is typically a requirement. In addition to its regional accreditation at the institutional level, Lamar University has programmatic accreditation at the program level from the following agencies:

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
The National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
The National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation

Note that programmatic accreditation is very specific and applies to specific programs, so while a programmatic accreditation might apply to a bachelor’s degree program, for example, it may not apply to a master’s degree program in the same subject. This is typical across schools and means that not all programs are accredited at the programmatic level (though they are still accredited more broadly through Lamar’s institutional accreditation). Also note that not all programs require programmatic accreditation for students to be able to transfer credits or pursue certification or licensure.

Campus Locations

Lamar University offers 36 master’s degree programs and five doctoral degree programs in business, engineering, the arts and sciences, and education and human development. While some graduate programs are offered entirely on campus, others are offered entirely online to enable working professionals the flexibility they need to pursue an advanced degree.

Lamar University Program Highlights: Educational Administration

For educators interested in leadership roles, the Lamar University M.Ed. in Educational Administration could be a great fit. Offered entirely online, on campus, or through a hybrid format, the program is designed to help students learn how to lead effectively, design and implement successful academic programs, and build community support. Students who earn this degree might pursue positions as principal, superintendents, or other leaders in education. In their program, students learn about:

Organizational leadership and decision-making
Building community and parent support and involvement
Human resource development
Organizational operations and management
Designing and implementing instruction for student achievement

For Lamar University admissions to this program, applicants must have:

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
A strong GPA
A strong GRE score
A valid teaching license
Two years teaching experience
Employed by an approved school
A reference from a current principal

In addition, applicants will pay a $25 application fee and submit standard application materials plus a personal essay. This degree is the biggest Lamar University online master’s degree program. During the 2016-2017 school year, 707 students graduated with this degree. The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership was the most popular of the Lamar University PhD Programs that same year.i