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Applying for Willamette's Early Career & Career Change (Full-Time) MBA Program

Ready to take the first step? We’re excited to hear your story.

The path to launching your professional career starts with choosing the right MBA program. Willamette’s full-time MBA for Early Career and Career Change is designed to prepare you for success in business, government, or nonprofit sectors. Through hands-on learning and real-world experience, this program is perfect for students looking to start their careers, switch fields, or take the next step toward leadership.

We welcome applicants from across the U.S. and around the globe. Our admissions process looks beyond the numbers—we evaluate your academic performance, leadership potential, unique experiences, and how you’ll contribute to our dynamic, collaborative community.

No prior work experience? No problem. Willamette’s MBA program builds your professional skills through client projects, internships, an innovative curriculum, and career services that set you up for success in today’s competitive job market.

Best of all? There’s no application fee, so you can explore the Willamette MBA risk-free to see if it’s the right fit for you.

At Atkinson, we don’t see you as just a collection of test scores and grades. Sure, graduate exam scores and transcripts are important, but they’re only part of your story. We take a holistic approach, reviewing each candidate to ensure you’re ready to thrive in a program that emphasizes experiential learning, teamwork, and leadership development.

Our students come from all walks of life—from big cities and small towns, with backgrounds ranging from liberal arts to engineering and business. The average age is 21-23, and many are recent college grads looking to fast-track their careers. Others are seeking to pivot into new fields.

Willamette MBA students support and challenge each other, both in and out of the classroom, and build lifelong friendships. Whether your goal is to lead in business, government, or the nonprofit world, you’ll find a community here that’s ready to help you make a difference.

And with our commitment to the Willamette motto, "Not unto ourselves alone are we born," you’ll be part of a program dedicated to bettering the world through personal and professional growth.

Application Requirements

All applicants to the Willamette MBA must have:

  • A baccalaureate degree from a college/university accredited by the appropriate U.S. regional institutional agency, or an equivalent degree from another country, completed prior to the first semester of enrollment in the MBA program.

Applicants must submit all of the application documents listed below.

International Applicant Information

Complete the free Willamette MBA application. You will use the online application to submit general information about yourself, essay, and names of references as described below. You do not need to complete all of your application information at once. You may save your work and return to your application later.

You may upload unofficial transcripts of all academic coursework when submitting your application. These will be used for the initial admission decision. Once admitted, official transcripts are required and must be sent directly from each institution.

Official transcripts can be emailed to mba-admission@willamette.edu or mailed to:
Willamette University
Atkinson Graduate School of Management
900 State Street
Salem, OR 97301

To qualify as official, transcripts from U.S. institutions must meet one of the following criteria:

  1. Sent electronically or mailed directly from the issuing institution to Willamette University.
  2. Delivered in person, sealed in an unopened envelope, signed or stamped by the institution.

For international institutions, transcripts must be in English or accompanied by an official English translation.

Provide the names and contact information for two individuals who are familiar with your work performance, professional or leadership experience, and character. Recommendations from family members will not be accepted. Your recommenders will receive a hyperlink by which they will provide their recommendation.

Your resume should detail your work experience, if any, and include achievements and awards earned in school, co-curriculars, community involvement, or on the job.

The personal statement helps the admission committee understand your motivations for seeking an MBA and how we can help you achieve your desired goals.

Test scores are optional. You may choose to submit scores if you think they add helpful academic context to your application. If your undergraduate GPA is below 3.0, consider submitting a test score to strengthen your application. The GMAT code for Willamette MBA is 3MZ-PZ-27. The GRE code is 1181. Read more about preparing for the GMAT or GRE. 

Applicants may submit supplemental information electronically, via email at mba-admission@willamette.edu, or by mail to: 

Willamette University 
Atkinson Graduate School of Management
900 State Street 
Salem, OR 97301

Deadlines

We are currently reviewing applications. Applicants are encouraged to apply by the Early Action deadline for maximum consideration for admission and scholarship assistance.

Early Career and Career Change MBA (also known as our Full-Time MBA) application deadlines:

  • Application Opens: Sept. 1
  • Early Action Deadline and Decision Release: Dec. 15/Jan. 15
  • Priority 1 Deadline and Decision Release: Feb. 15/March 15
  • Priority 2 Deadline and Decision Release: April 15/May 15
  • Final Deadline and Decision Release: May 15/June 15

After May 15, we accept applications on a rolling basis as space is available.

Consumer Information

For information on safety, student right-to-know and equal opportunity on campus and other disclosures, please visit our consumer information page.

All application materials and documents submitted as part of the application process become property of Willamette University MBA and cannot be returned. 

The Mudd Building, home of Willamette's MBA program in Salem.

Contact

MBA Admissions

Your admission team is here to help you through the process. Please contact us directly with your questions and information needs.

MBA Admissions Team

Willamette University

Atkinson Graduate School of Management