Table of Contents
Prerequisites
We, as well as the Graduate School, have high standards for applicants seeking admission. While the Graduate School admits largely upon the Department's recommendation, it will enforce the standards below, even if that means not accepting the Department's recommendation.
Prior Education
For the master's degree, a bachelor's degree from an accredited college is required. A master's degree is required for admission to the doctoral program. All applicants who have not already completed their M.A. will only be admitted to the Ph.D. contingent upon their completing all work for their M.A., including their thesis or its equivalent, by the end of their first semester of residence as a Ph.D. student at the University of Minnesota. For instance, applicants who enter the Ph.D. program in September* must have all M.A. work completed by December 21, 2008. They must provide an official transcript, or a letter to the DGS from their adviser certifying that they have completed all substantive work for their M.A. by that time.
Teaching assistantships will not be extended beyond the end of the first semester of residence in the Ph.D. program unless the M.A. has been completed.
GPA
As a rule-of-thumb, an undergraduate average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) is considered necessary for applicants, though the actual average of those who are recommended for admission is much higher. An average of 3.5 in the Master's is necessary for admission to the doctoral program. Undergraduate grades are looked at carefully. The pattern of preparation, grades across time and across fields are considered. Grades in the major field and in the junior/senior years are given special attention.
GRE
We require all applicants to take the Graduate Record Examination, General Test, which assesses verbal, quantitative, and analytical abilities. Applicants whose native language is not English also must take the TOEFL and score at least 550 (paper version) or 213 (computer version). For all applicants these scores are interpreted in light of all the information they furnish and especially in light of their past academic records, letters of recommendation, and short examples of academic writing authored solely by the applicant.
Individual applicants have different specialized interests, and consequently require different abilities. Thus rhetoric requires very high verbal and analytic abilities, but since potential Ph.D. students in communication theory must anticipate taking extensive course work in statistics, they must have high quantitative abilities. For additional information on testing dates, persons in the region might call the University Testing Center at 612-624-9853 or inquire of their local college or university.
The official GRE score report should be sent to the Graduate School, but to hasten the process, students may also send a copy of their score results to the Department.
English Language
All applicants whose native language is not English or who have not previously completed a degree in English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and must score at least 550 (paper version) or 213 (computer version). They should also provide a short example of their academic writing in English authored solely by themselves.
Change of Degree
Students who wish to change their degree objective during their graduate work at Minnesota (i.e., change from the MA to the Ph.D. program) must request this change on the Change of Status Form (PDF), available at the Graduate School, 309 Johnston Hall. Persons requesting change of degree objective must go through the departmental review of application procedures used for all graduate applicants, including submitting a new statement of academic and career objectives.
Applying for Admission
For the master's degree, a bachelor's degree from an accredited college is required. A master's degree is required for admission to the doctoral program.
As a rule-of-thumb, an undergraduate average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) is considered necessary for applicants. An average of 3.5 in the Master's is necessary for admission to the doctoral program.
We require all applications to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), General Test, which assesses verbal, quantitative, and analytical abilities.
To complete an application
- Complete the Graduate Schools Application for Admission and pay the application fee. You can download a hard copy of the application form, or complete the application online.
- Arrange to have academic transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate work taken to date sent to:
The Graduate School
University of Minnesota
309 Johnston Hall
101 Pleasant St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0421 - Be sure to have the GRE Testing Services send an official copy of your scores to the Graduate School. Also, send a photocopy of your scores to the Department:
Graduate Application
Department of Communication Studies
Ford Hall 225
University of Minnesota
224 Church St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0427 - Have three letters of recommendations sent to the Department, not the Graduate School. These should be from individuals, preferably faculty, who can make an assessment of academic ability and the likelihood of success in a graduate program.
- Send a writing sample of about 10 typewritten pages to the Department, not the Graduate School. We prefer term papers.
- If you are interested in applying for Financial Aid, such a Teaching Assistantship or Fellowship, you also need to complete a Departmental Application form. These are available online as a PDF download or you can request a copy from the Department.
Deadline: For fall admission have your file completed by December 31.
For more information visit the Department of Communication Studies website, or contact the Graduate Coordinator Bea Dehler at 612-624-5800 or dehle001@umn.edu.