9 Best Masters Programs In Dallas, TX (2022 Updated)

While the overall expertise and spirit of collegiality at GIAL is remarkable, prospective students should be aware of three GIAL administrative policies that are out of step with mainstream expectations for institutions of higher education in the United States. 1- GIAL does not provide students with access to Federal Student Aid (i.e. FAFSA) due in part because GIAL would then have to comply with federal non-discrimination policies (see 2 and 3 below). 2- All GIAL employees are required to agree to a statement of faith. While graduate students are not required to agree to this statement of faith, they cannot participate in certain paid research and career options at GIAL without signing it. 3- Members of the LGBTQ community are liable to face harassment or expulsion at the hands of GIAL administration. According to the 2016-2017 Student Handbook, “GIAL community members are to… [abstain] from homosexual behavior…and from advocating any such behaviors.” For instance, in addition to discriminatory actions leveled against me, I have witnessed the GIAL administration forbid a gay graduate student from respectfully advocating for the rights and needs of the LGBTQ community, ban him from researching how various course topics intersected with elements of queer culture that can be found internationally, and manipulatively silence him from publicly speaking about the discriminatory actions they had taken against him. In August 2014 I enrolled in GIAL’s MA in Language and Culture Studies, planning to go into a career in humanitarian work. The 2014-2015 GIAL Student Handbook gave me no indication that the GIAL administration would be concerned with my sexual orientation, but I knew that GIAL was a conservative institution, so I did my best to respect the majority values at GIAL, which wasn’t too difficult as I myself was a religious and social conservative at that time. When I enrolled, I was excited about the emphasis that GIAL places on academic participation with ethnic and linguistic minorities and on training professionals for service to such communities. Since I am a member of an underprivileged minority community (i.e. the LGBTQ community), I find myself uniquely positioned to empathize with the experiences and needs of ethnic and linguistic minorities. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that the GIAL administration does not value the perspectives that LGBTQ students can bring to GIAL. Instead, I witnessed the GIAL administration enforce the discriminatory actions that I’ve already mentioned (see 3 above) and was informed that those prohibitions also applied to me. Furthermore, I was put on behavioral probation because I was alleged to have been seen hugging another man on campus. As part of the probation, my words and actions were monitored with the threat of immediate expulsion if it were deemed that I had again transgressed GIAL's vague policy that "the conduct of…students…should honor Christ in all activities on and off the campus.” Along with the probation, the Dean of Academic Affairs told me the following: that I knew better than to claim that I had not "dishonored Christ”; that he knew that I knew that I had committed immorality; and that if I were thinking clearly, I would agree that I needed GIAL to punish and monitor my behavior for my own good. These statements were untrue and demeaning. While my expectation had been that GIAL would be a place where I could complete my graduate studies in peace, I felt stigmatized, unwelcomed, and unjustly scrutinized on a daily basis there. I withdrew from GIAL in January 2015 when discrimination based on sexual orientation was declared as official GIAL policy for students (see 3 above). I think discrimination based on faith and sexual orientation hurts GIAL’s mission, reputation, and academic goals, and I hope that at some point in the future, GIAL will recognize their mistake and welcome a more diverse student body, faculty, and staff.Viktor Detwiler

You know that you are in a good place when you are doing research for a sociolinguistic class and see your professor being cited by other experts in the field or when the same professor pulls out a map of a region where she had done extensive field work, gives us infrastructure and historical details, and asks us what we would think of the language vitality for several languages given that knowledge. For most of my time here, I was studying at the Center for Excellence in World Arts. I greatly appreciated the discussions on ethics when doing research. The topic was not presented as “What can we get away with in our quest for knowledge?” but rather focused on the question of “Are we actually benefiting the people we are learning from?” This non-parasitic role of an anthropologist who is there to learn and record not only for other academics but for the indigenous experts who have passed these traditions for who knows how many generations was greatly inspiring to me. As an artist myself, I was thrilled to interact with people from cultural backgrounds very different from my own while having that connection of creativity. The faculty greatly challenged my priorities and thought processes. When you study Anthropology, it will truly open your mind if you let it. You will find yourself wrong on many things, but that can actually be very exciting and rewarding. My only two regrets are not being able to continue due to life circumstances, and that I had to give up Hula when my ankle gave out. Yep, there was a class here where I got to find someone to train me in an art form, and there is a great Hālau in the area.Gabe Shennum

Volunteered here in high school. I found them to be discriminatory of anything different towards me and their students (race, ideas, lgbtq). While other students (of a lighter shade) were allowed library or office work, my sister and I were given bathroom and cleaning duties. We were also not allowed lunch breaks during our volunteering. We were often being talked to in a condescending way. I can never stand by an institution that can be so cruel. How I wish I could go back and tell myself to find something else for volunteer credit. I hope the local high schools have gotten rid of the volunteering requirement because they do not deserve the help. God help anyone that steps through their doors not knowing who they really are because he is not in their hearts.Jasmine Martinez

3 stars because I’m trying to be fair, I’d say that JSOM as a whole does want to help you on your journey and specific staff members will go above and beyond for you. However, that ends at specific staff members. I’ve been attending ut dallas for four years and have had countless bad experiences with Undergraduate and advisors and the people at the desk. I’ve been misinformed, sent in the wrong direction, disrespected, and hung up on on as many occasions as I had good experiences. There’s not a clear direction to contacting supervisors or expecting any accountability either. I really hope that jsom steps it up, an advisor can really make or break a college experience especially when we’re talking about a freshmen for example.Sachin John

Amazing infrastructure. The University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management is the largest of UT Dallas’ eight schools, with a fall 2018 enrollment of about 9,257, about half of whom are graduate students. The Business School – among the top ranking business schools in the US – provides outstanding tuition value, a wide variety of classes on campus and online, flexible scheduling and a convenient location.Muhammad Abbas

Dont even know where to start. This school is absolutely amazing, with high quality professors and a diverse student population. The campus itself is almost brand new and everything looks amazing. The only reason I gave it four stars is because tuition, I feel, is so unnecessarily high, and unless you spend a small fortune on just parking, you have to park wayyy in the back. But this school is very high quality.Jman Money

The University of Dallas is a private Catholic university that offers its students a top notch liberal arts education. The Catholic identity at UD is very strong. With about 80% of the student population being Catholic, it’s a great place for devout Catholics to spend four years learning and strengthening their faith. That’s not to say that it’s only good for Catholics. I find quite the opposite to be true. One of my best friends at UD is a protestant, and she has never felt unwelcome or stifled at UD as a result of the Catholic identify. UD students are eager to embrace people of all sorts and engage in intellectual conversations about different points of view. No matter what denomination a student is or what beliefs they hold, they benefit immensely from a UD education because in their classes they learn fundamental truths about the human condition. All students are required to complete a core curriculum of classes that study texts that are fundamental to Western civilization, including works by Homer, the Greek playwrights, Dante, and Milton. UD also has a campus in Italy, just outside of Rome where students can spend an entire semester. The Rome semester is a perfect complement to the core curriculum, and the students get to travel both as a class and individually. I went to Germany, Spain, Ireland, France, Hungary, Greece, and different parts of Italy in the span of a semester. So students leave UD as well-educated, worldly people. These are the kinds of people you will find at UD. The social scene is not the same as one you would find at a huge public university. It’s a different atmosphere because the school is small, but there are tons of opportunities to have fun. UD has some awesome traditions and there’s live music on campus almost weekly. It’s not the place for everyone. The university is quick to admit that. Students at UD are dedicated to learning and thinking critically, along with enjoying life along the way. If that doesn’t sound like something you want to do, then UD is probably not for you. For students that want that, UD is a great place to be.Amanda Kitten

To say that the University of Dallas was just another college experience severely understates the plethora of opportunities and unforgettable moments that shared during my four years of undergraduate study. UD is an excellent Catholic liberal arts school in the heart of the DFW area. Each student has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge while also possessing a propensity for building fellowship, both academic and social. The full time faculty are required to obtain the highest degree in their field (most often PhD), thus ensuring the rigorous academic standards of which UD is so often known. While studying, I was blessed with the opportunity to study abroad in both Rome and Costa Rica, both expanded my intellectual horizons as well as fostered my personal growth as a young man. My fellow classmates helped push me to be the best version, intellectually and spiritually. The community here is something that lasts long after your four years. If you meet another Alumnus from the University of Dallas, you have met a friend for life.Tom Pierick

Though University of Dallas's student body is 80% Catholic, I have never regretted going here as a non-Catholic student. Contrary to what some of the reviewers below have written, professors and students for the most part are open to other ideas and beliefs. The professors here are excellent for the most part, though often difficult. UD's Rome program is rightly ranked one of the best in the nation, combining challenging and relevant academics with lots of travel time and great class trips in Italy and Greece. Camping in Ireland and Wales over Ten Day (spring break) with some of my buddies was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had as were our trips to Greece, Pompeii, and Poland among others. Overall I would say UD is great place for anyone who wants a thorough and excellent education in the liberal arts and who wants to get to see the world in one of the most fun contexts possible.Alex Macdonald

I see a lot of reviews saying this school has a beautiful campus and amazing reputation, which it does. Also, the professors are amazing and the students are very bright. However, the administration and politics within this university is abysmal. Little to no information was given regarding registration for after being accepted into the university for graduate students. When I called and emailed the school, I was transferred numerous times to numerous departments because nobody knew how to answer my question or who could answer it. There seems to be little to no communication between departments. Parking doesn’t exist between 10am-3pm. With how much the cost of Parking, housing, and tuition has increased over the years, I expected improvements in the facilities and organization within this university. I have seen little to no change. Student life is also quite mundane. The university clearly does not strive to encourage an active and engaged student body. The university’s events such as weeks of welcome and guest speakers pale in comparison to every other university in Texas. This includes universities such as UT San Antonio and Texas State, which are significantly cheaper and smaller. Considering UTD’s notoriety for having the 4th most unhappy student body among universities in the country, I’m surprised the administration can turn a blind eye to student engagement. I feel like I’m just a dollar sign to this university after 4 years as an undergrad and 1 year as a masters student. I would not encourage anyone to come here.Ann Ma

Absolute terrible staff. Attended this school for 1 day. Went to the office and dropped the ONE class i had the FIRST day for financial reasons. I get a bill 6 months later for $800+. Apparently the one class was $4000+ and i was responsible for a percentage of it because according to their records i waited over 3 weeks to drop? This place is a scam and if you need anything done like this be sure to keep your paperwork and names of people you talk to. They will try to get all the money they can out of you in whatever way possible.Tyler McCarty

Great University in a great location. If you are thinking about applying here, go do it. Its a relatively young school, so the facilities are still very clean and at night, the campus almost looks like a block off of a futuristic city. There are lots of events happening on campus, and lots of networking opportunities. Just warning you, this is not a school where you can expect to get laid and party every night and pass. If you plan to go into a serious major such as engineering, science, or business, you will have to focus.Gun Dae

UNT Dallas is a hotspot of optimism, representing a major effort by the State of Texas, the City of Dallas and the larger community to grow the local economy and bring quality education to (primarily) local residents. Every university is a work-in-progress. UNTD is no exception. Being new, small and quickly-expanding, UNTD is not as predictable as older institutions. For example, students may need to be patient/persistent to resolve administrative details. The place is not the same today as it was 3 years ago, and it will be a lot different 3 years from now. It is really quite amazing to watch UNTD find its place in the world, building traditions and reputation along the way. President Bob Mong is an energetic leader with vision and passion. Prospective students, parents and other stakeholders should pay attention to what he is doing and saying in his role as president. He has a good sense for how UNTD can serve students, and serve its community.Benjamin Wright

I did my first two years at SFA and then did my last two years here when it was still apart of UNT Denton and you could do classes through both. I really like this school, because it was cheaper then most and I had great professors. If your fresh out of high school and looking for that party college life then this is not it. This school is smaller and much more intimate. I lived the party life at SFA, and I wasn't doing good at all with my grades. Once coming here I was more mature and I blossomed into A honor roll student. I was on the dean and presidents list. If your looking to go back to school and not paying a arm and a leg then this is definitely a good option. If your past the immature part of your life and focused on education, this school is for you. UNT ALUMNI "14"Doniqua Portley

Yes it’s new and growing very fast, which means it’s fulfilling a need and it’s only going to get bigger. Yes it can be frustrating dealing with growing pains of a new university. That’s why you don’t see many new non for profit state universities. Don’t compare it to the larger more established universities, if you did then you would be the one in the wrong. That’s why it’s substantially cheaper than any state university I know of and it’s close to one of the strongest and wealthiest economies in the country. This place is a great opportunity for anyone wanting a degree in a small classroom environment for half the price of anything comparable. If you don’t like it go spend more time and money with larger class sizes at UTD or UNT Denton. UNTDALLAS is on the up and up.Chaunce Dickerson

Went to this stadium on a sold out day. Worst entry experience I have ever seen. The lines to get in were crazy long. We were late to get into the game because of it. Concessions are at least a 30 minute wait. You would think when they know it’s going to be sold out that they would prepare ahead of time. Absolutely no preparation took place to prepare for this many people and it shows. Bathrooms are disgusting. Seats are basically all bleachers. Hate so much when we have to play here. Upgrades are needed badly.Allie Weber

Great school! The grounds are always well kept and the school has stayed as original as possible. Very large campus, several places nearby to grab a bite and a Starbucks on campus. Lots of events to go to here!Kassandra Acuña

First game since my son graduated last year! Always a good time on The Hilltop, security a bit lax, not like the previous 4 years. Stay on top of that!Tami Bell

My experience so far has been tremendous. Since Bakke was launched officially in Guyana, I enrolled as student in the MBA programme. I actually switched from another on-line university in which I was enrolled to pursue my MBA. However, in that university there was something missing. I was doing well in the class work, readings but I was unable to comfortably share my faith experiences. When I transferred to Bakke, it was where I needed to be. The faculty, support staff, are all amazing and supportive. In the first session, the orientation, I knew I was in the right place. I was experiencing some difficulty with my internet and connection and the BGU Staff based in Jamaica was so patient and helpful, I was never treated in this manner before and I did not even start a class as yet. Each faculty bring their unique presence to the classroom, each class as well contributes to my life first then to the wider community. The love, respect and comradeliness felt among faculty is also translated to students. I am currently enjoying my journey at Bakke, it does not even feel like I am in school. It more feels like I am among a group of friends learning.Celicia Paruag

Bakke is a Christian university which provides a theological solution to urban problems in a manner that is applicable in a religious, government, business and civil environment. It provides an academic approach to Christianity as it relates to God and His plans for the transformation of the world from suffering, wars, chaos and death to a state of perfect peace and gives each student the opportunity to become aware of his/her role in God's plan. The online classes are great and are complemented by the face to face City Immersion courses which allows the student to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to study a city in details and present God's solution which may include a combination of a spiritual, social, and economic approach. The experience is transformational.Marlene Hines

I finished the Doctor of Transformational Leadership degree program in cultural transformation. I have been an educator for 18 years, and have completed a couple of different degrees using modular and innovative programs, including Liberty University. This program has surpassed the others in content and quality, and I will be proud to say I am a BGU graduate. The DTL program was a perfect fit for me. It was clearly an intersection of business, theology and leadership- a great toolbox for me as a clinical marriage and family therapist who is also a business manger with a heart for ministry.Richard Nongard

The best Executive MBA program in the nation at the best school on the planet. Run by the best team and best professors on the planet!!!Jim Turner