Gardner-Webb University

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HR Degree Programs at Gardner-Webb University

Gardner-Webb University is featured in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Human Resource MBA Degree Programs.

Human resources (HR) professionals work for large and small companies and organizations. They help run the company and are responsible for many aspects of the hiring process. Not only do they advertise for open positions, but they also interview and hire workers as well as train new employees. Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina is home to the Godbold School of Business, which offers various degree programs for those who want to work in HR.

The Broyhill School of Management within the School of Business created several programs for undergrads. A Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) program is the best for students who want to work in HR. This program looks at how different areas of business connect. Students learn how the finances of a company can impact the people who work there and how management principles can help them lead those workers. Students will take general education courses and 21 credits of business administration classes. Any undergrad majoring in business must also complete the 36 credit business core. Other majors that may appeal to future HR professionals include healthcare management, sports management, and international business administration.


A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is available as a 10-month program that lets students graduate in less than a year. There are 10 courses in the program, including International Business, Business Law and Ethics, and Production Research and Operations Management. A traditional MBA program is also available, but this program takes longer to complete. Students can also get a graduate degree in international business management from the university. Gardner-Webb University offers dual programs in business and either divinity or nursing too. There is also an MBA Plus program, which awards students a certificate and allows them to study business subjects beyond the graduate level. Any of these programs can help students succeed in the HR field.

About Gardner-Webb University

Gardner-Webb University is a private university affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Established in 1905 as Boiling Springs High School, it received a charter after Baptist associations in two counties came together to build a new school. As other public and private high schools opened around the city, enrollment at the school dropped. It decided to become a junior college, which allowed it to offer opportunities for older students, in the late 1920s. The school chose the name Gardner-Webb Junior College to pay homage to Max Gardner, the then Governor of North Carolina, who helped the college during its early years. It would later become Gardner-Webb University.

Now called GWU for short, the university added the Tucker Student Center after receiving a $5 million donation. This center provides places for students to study and work with their peers and to relax with their friends. The campus also offers resources for students in the form of libraries, a student health center, and an athletic complex. GWU also established the GOAL program for undergrads who have at least 60 college credits. This program makes it easier for students to enroll in college and complete their degrees.

Gardner-Webb University Accreditation Details

GWU has accreditation for its business and HR programs from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). This accreditation shows students that they will gain the training and the skills needed to work in an HR department. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) also awarded GWU regional accreditation. Regional accreditation is what lets students get their degrees and any financial aid they need and to transfer their credits when needed.

Gardner-Webb University Application Requirements

GWU accepts students who prepared for college in high school and those who submit transcripts to show the curriculum they followed. It looks for those who took at least two years of math, foreign language, social science and natural science classes and four years of English classes. Incoming students scored an average of 22 on the ACT or 1015 on the SAT and had a GPA of 3.72, but the university will accept those with lower scores and grades. Students will use the GWU application and pay the $40 application fee and then submit both their ACT/SAT scores and transcripts.

The requirements for graduate students are a little more complex. While those students will still apply via the online application and pay a $40 fee, they must also upload a resume that shows any professional business experience they have and two letters of recommendation. The university asks that students print recommendation forms and give them to their references. Those references must then complete the forms and send them back to the university in a sealed and signed envelope. Students who have a graduate degree can apply without providing a test score. The university does not require scores of those who have a bachelor’s degree from a school with regional accreditation and a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Those with a GPA of 2.5 to 3.0 do not need to submit a test score if they have at least three years of experience. All other students will provide GWU with an official test score.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Part-time undergrads attending GWU pay $496 per credit hour. This is the same amount that full-time students pay if they take more than 18 semester hours. If they take at least 12 hours, they are full-time students who pay $15,610 per semester. Room and board will add at least $7,300 to their costs each semester, though this amount can vary based on the number of meals that students want and the dorm rooms they select. Students can also purchase health insurance from GWU. Graduate students pay $455 per credit hour for most of the university’s traditional programs, though some programs cost more.

Financial aid packages provide students with the financial support that they need. GWU packages go to students who are in need and those who have merit. It bases those packages on the applications it receives and the FAFSA information provided by students. Scholarships, grants, and loans are just some of the options available. Loans can include PLUS and subsidized and unsubsidized loans from the federal government and alternative loans from private banks and lenders. Students who want to study HR at Gardner-Webb University can use financial aid to pay for tuition and some of their other expenses.