last modified:2009-10-26 10:17:15
How To Apply
| Current Students | Prospective Students |
Masters and Ph.D. Programs
Reading the Graduate Handbook is the first place to start your application to our program. It has a complete outline of the program requirements (for both Masters and Ph.D. students), as well as additional essential information you will need before you choose to apply.
How to Apply
The application process involves the following TWO steps:
STEP 1:
By December 15th* you must submit the following materials directly to the University of Utah's Admission Department:
1. An application for admission to the University of Utah's Graduate School.
2. The application fee ($55.00 for domestic students, $65.00 for international students).
3. Official transcripts from all previous universities or colleges you have attended.
Please note: The April 1st Admissions Department deadline does not apply to the Department of Communication and applications are only accepted Fall Semester admissions.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS should submit all of the above materials as well as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score and an International Financial Certification Statement before November 15th*. Please do not submit any other materials to the Admissions Department - all other required application materials must come directly to the Department of Communication. Please consult the University of Utah's International Admissions website for complete instructions. You will also find the International Center at the University of Utah extremely helpful with application requirements.
Once these materials have been received by the Admission Department, they will send copies to the department. Without these copies we cannot review your application so you must make sure all materials are sent to them in a timely manner.
The Admissions Department address is:
University of Utah
Admissions Office
201 South 1460 East, Room 250 S
Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9057
*Please note: if you miss the December 15th deadline (or the November 15th deadline for International Students), you can still apply if your transcripts will arrive in the admissions office with enough time to have them processed and then sent to the Communication Department by January 15th.
STEP 2:
By January 15th, The materials listed below should be submitted to the Department of Communication at the following address:
Graduate Student Advisor
Department of Communication
255 South Central Campus Drive, LNCO 2400
Salt Lake City, UT84112
1. The results of your Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
A. When sending your scores from the General GRE exam (not the subject GRE test) to the Department of Communication, please use one of the following codes to ensure your scores reach us: 4506 for areas within Speech Communication, or 4503 for areas within Mass Communication. If you don't know which area you fall into, use 4599. Please be aware that these codes do not claim an interest area for you. They merely ensure your GRE scores come to the right department.
2. Three letters of recommendation (typically from academic sources).
3. A sample of your scholaraly writing, such as a term paper, thesis chapter (for PhD applicants), or creative writing sample (i.e. published newspaper articles).
4. A thousand-word statement of your personal and professional goals.
5. The Areas of Emphasis Checklist (.pdf file).
6. The Application for Funding (.pdf file) This form is necessary ONLY if you desire to apply for funding (see the application for more details).
7. A Curriculum Vitae or Resumé .
Once all these materials are received, your application will be marked as complete and the graduate committee will review your file. Typically, we begin notifiying applicants if they have been accepted in late February or early March.
Additional Information:
1. We are frequently asked how many people apply to the program each year. Generally speaking, our graduate program receives over 120 applications per year, and our acceptance rates for both PhDs and Masters students is roughly 10%-15%.
2. The Department of Communication abides by the University of Utah Graduate School's minimum required GPA of 3.0 for admittance into our program, but we do not have a minimum score requirement for the GRE. However, most of our successful applicants receive a combined score well over 1100 between the verbal and quantitative setions of the GRE and have GPAs over 3.5.
3. The Department of Communication's Masters and PhD programs are not designed as "Night Programs." In other words, you cannot complete any of our degrees by taking classes only in the evening. Although a number of our gradaute level classes are offered after 5:00 pm, most classes are taught during the day. At this time, we do not offer online programs, or low-residency programs.
Need more information? Please contact the department's Graduate Student Advisor, Corrinne Lewis, at 801-581-5862, or via email at corrinne.lewis@utah.edu.