Graduate

Doctoral Program Admission Requirements

Admission to the program is competitive. Applications are generally considered after the regular January 5 deadline for admission the following fall. Applicants must have earned either a bachelor's or master's degree and must present evidence of scholarly writing (e.g., an undergraduate honors thesis, a master's thesis, or their equivalent).

All applicants should be knowledgeable in the basic principles of both qualitative and quantitative methods of research, social statistics and communication theory. 

In addition to meeting the minimum Graduate College admission requirements, the applicant's scholastic and professional record must indicate special interest in and aptitude for systematic research in communication. All applicants must submit the following:

1. A completed Graduate College application and official undergraduate and graduate transcripts 


2. A formal curriculum vitae.


3. A statement of career goals and the relevance of this degree program to those goals.


4. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (verbal, quantitative, analytical) taken within the past five years, plus other relevant test data volunteered by the applicant. Our institution code is 4007 (no department code is needed).


5. Three letters of recommendation prepared within the preceding 12 months.


6. A sample of writing (e.g., master's thesis, course paper).


7. A minimum score of 83 on the internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for international applicants. The Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK) test will be administered on campus to all graduate associates whose native language is not English.


8. An application for graduate research/teaching assistantship if you would like to be considered for funding.

All application materials must be received no later than January 5. Please follow the Doctoral Application Checklist to ensure that all information is submitted correctly.