Flexible, Affordable Hispanic-Serving Education at UTPB
The University of Texas at the Permian Basin appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Great College Deals: Master of Public Administration Online.
The University of Texas at the Permian Basin offers:
- 41 bachelor’s programs
- 20 master’s programs
- 29 online programs on Canvas in seven- or 16-week semester formats.
The university is divided into five colleges. It has a faculty/student ratio of 27:1.
The 120-credit Drama BFA prepares creative actors for productions at the 1,800-seat Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center. The Criminology and Criminal Justice BS uniquely follows a 63-credit 2+2 transfer track online. It has a Peace Officer Tuition Exemption for courses like Juvenile Delinquency.
Since Fall 2018, the Computer Science MS has integrated the five-course Cyber Security Certification and ACM membership into its 36 credits. Median graduate pay is $85,210. The Special Education MA starts its 36-credit, CAEP-accredited plan six times yearly. It has a built-in Autism Certificate and capstone internship, such as Midland Independent School District.
Other opportunities include:
- the Accountancy BBA
- Clinical Laboratory Science BS
- Humanities BA
- Industrial Technology BAAS
- Leadership Studies BA
- Mathematics BS
- Petroleum Engineering BS
- Spanish BA
- Counseling MA
- Kinesiology MS
- Geology MS
- online Public Administration MPA.
About the University of Texas at the Permian Basin
The University of Texas at the Permian Basin originated in 1969. The Texas Legislature passed legislation funding oil magnate Bill and Ellen Witwer Noel’s request for an upper-level Odessa campus. Initially blocked by a lawsuit, it was given the go-ahead by the Supreme Court in Spring 1972.
On September 4, 1973, President Armstead welcomed an inaugural class of 1,011 to its temporary property. By August 1991, Permian Basin was authorized for lower-division freshmen and sophomores too. In 2000, UTPB’s 19-building Ector County campus took shape with J. Conrad Dunagan Library and a Stonehenge replica.
The 70,000-square-foot Science & Technology Complex was erected in 2008. Another Midland location was built in 2009 with the Center for Energy & Economic Diversification. Budgeting $98.1 million, the University of Texas at the Permian Basin now teaches 7,628 students from 107 countries. It has 40+ clubs like the American Nuclear Society. The U.S. News & World Report ranked UTPB the West’s 88th top college with the national ranking of:
- 144th best engineering
- 150th top online MBA
- 234th best online bachelor’s degrees.
The University of Texas at the Permian Basin Accreditation Details
The University of Texas at the Permian Basin is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees. The Academic Affairs Office also lists the following accreditations:
- Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- National Association of Schools of Music
- Council on Social Work Education
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design
- Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
University of Texas at the Permian Basin Application Requirements
Picking the University of Texas at the Permian Basin is classified “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s since 768 of the 940 Fall 2017 applicants were accepted. This is an 82 percent acceptance rate. First-year students should culminate the Texas Distinguished High School Graduation Plan or its out-of-state equivalent. Four credits of English, Math, and Science are encouraged.
Ranking in the top 10th percentile makes admission test-optional. Otherwise, freshmen need a minimum 2.0 GPA, 980 SAT, and 19 ACT mark. Online programs like the Psychology BA require 24-90 accredited transfer credits graded “C” or better. The Nursing BSN ups the cumulative GPA to 2.5 with passing NCLEX-RN licensing exam scores.
School of Graduate Studies entrants typically need GPAs above 3.0 in upper-level bachelor’s coursework. The Online MBA uses an index that must equal 1000 after multiplying GPA by 200 and adding GMAT marks. Cumulative averages of at least 3.25 qualify for testing waivers. The Public Administration MPA seeks three years of relevant full-time experience or 295+ GRE General Test scores. Educational Leadership MA hopefuls need Texas certification and 12 months of teaching practice. The Biology MS has prerequisites in:
- Calculus
- Chemistry
- Microbiology
- Genetics.
The University of Texas at the Permian Basin has a priority freshmen deadline of March 1st. Domestic and non-U.S. undergrads apply until July 15th for Fall or November 15th for Spring though. The School of Graduate Studies currently has general deadlines of:
- March 7th
- May 2nd
- June 27th
- August 22nd
Accordingly, use the ApplyTexas portal to submit the UTPB Application electronically with a $40 non-refundable fee. Official transcripts are mailed to 4901 East University Avenue in Odessa, TX 79762. Select institutional codes 0448 (SAT) or 4225 (ACT) for test reporting. Supplemental items could include:
- the TSI Assessment
- GMAT waiver
- professional résumé
- two recommendation letters
- one-page essay
- English exams
Only online students are exempt from the Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination form. Please contact (866) 552-8872 or admissions@utpb.edu with further inquiries.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2018-19, the University of Texas at the Permian Basin has charged in-state full-time undergrads $3,867 per term or $7,734 annually. Non-resident undergrads pay $4,287 by semester or $8,574 each year. Tuition totals include:
- the $116 technology fee
- $75 library fee
- $318 athletics fee
- $245 services fee
- $150 Student Union fee
Insurance premiums are $1,036 each term unless waived. Living at the Odessa campus’ dorms like Falcon’s Nest adds $3,038 to $5,650. Meal plans are $4,906 extra. Annual bachelor’s attendance equals $21,394 in-state and $22,234 out-of-state. Online undergrad programs cost $303 per credit or $911 by course. The School of Graduate Studies raises rates to $326 per credit and $980 each course. Campus-based master’s education averages $4,529 to $5,369.
According to the NCES College Navigator, the Office of Financial Aid gifts $18.27 million combined in average $6,737 packages for 47 percent of UTPB students. University funds include:
- the Freshman Achievement Scholarship
- Falcon 500 Scholarship
- Transfer Excellence Scholarship
- Activity Scholarship
- Athletic Scholarship
- Earn-in Scholarship
- Brian Craig Memorial Scholarship
- Gary Watkins Memorial Scholarship
- Osadchuk Music Scholarship
- Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Scholarship
- Edwin Kurtz Scholarship
- Cathryn Smith Social Work Scholarship
The Presidential Plus Scholars Program awards $40,900 over four years for freshmen in the top 5th percentile. Families earning $45,000 or less qualify for free tuition under The Falcon Promise. FAFSA applications coded 009930 considers:
- Federal Pell Grant
- SEOG Grant
- Work-Study
- Direct Loan eligibility
The Toward Excellence, Access & Success Grant lasts for up to 150 credits with GPAs over 2.5. Texans also pursue:
- the Public Educational Grant
- Fifth Year Accounting Scholarship
- Armed Services Scholarship.
Learn more about the University of Texas at the Permian Basin at the Academic Affairs Office website.