Graduate Application

GRE scores are optional, but they are an excellent way to demonstrate quantitative proficiency (see section above on this topic).  

As they are optional, we do not have any minimum GRE scores. However, the majority of students admitted to our graduate program who take the GRE have scores at or above 156 on Verbal, 146 on Quantitative, and 4.5 on Analytical Writing subtests.  

Application Deadline is December 1st for entry the subsequent August. We do not accept applications for entry in the Spring semester.

Yes. In addition to aid available from the University office of Financial Aid, we offer paid teaching assistantships to almost all students admitted into our MA and PhD programs. Teaching assistantships come with a tuition waiver, health/accident insurance, and an annual stipend. Research assistantships, merit-based fellowships, and scholarships are also available. Of the graduate students in the department, more than 95% receive some form of financial support.

Most students complete the MA degree in 2 years (4 semesters). Most PhD students finish their degree in approximately 4 years beyond the MA degree. An MA is a prerequisite for entry to the PhD.

Students with just a BA should apply for the MA program first; they can apply for the PhD while completing the MA.

Students holding (or currently finishing) a research-emphasis MA degree in Communication (or a closely related social science field) in which they have written a thesis should apply for the PhD program.  

Students holding (or currently finishing) an MA degree that did not require a thesis or that emphasizes professional communication, journalism, digital audience analysis, online communications skills (web design and the like), or similar should contact the graduate director in the department for guidance. In most cases this background will make admission to our program challenging. 

Those with an MA degree in a discipline other than Communication should also contact the graduate director before deciding which program to apply for.  

No. You may take courses in any of our specialization areas. Your coursework is proposed to your guidance committee who approves it based on its appropriateness to your particular interests and educational needs. You are, however, expected to specialize in the course of your program: that's what graduate school is all about. 

No. The "mass media" component of our graduate program is focused on the social scientific study of media messages, their effects and media use. Students seeking a graduate degree in broadcast media or media production should contact the University's departments of Media Arts or Journalism.

There are approximately 25 students in the graduate program at any given point in time. These numbers fluctuate with the size of the faculty. The Department is committed to keeping the ratio of graduate students to faculty at a reasonable level so as to allow for considerable individual attention for all students in the program.

For people with an MA degree in Communication, there are a number of career options in the private and public sector. Some students have gone on to careers in personnel, human resources, marketing, advertising, public relations, and education (often at community colleges). People seeking a PhD are usually pursuing a research or teaching career. Since a PhD is a research degree, and the University of Arizona is in the top tier of America's research universities, students often come to this graduate program seeking quality training and education in how to design and conduct research with a significant social impact. Usually such students take positions with universities after completing their degree.

The committee considers the following: a. the applicant's undergraduate GPA, and graduate GPA (if applicable),  b. GRE scores submitted by the applicant (or other relevant information about quantitative competency), c. three letters of recommendation, d. the quality of the applicant's writing sample, e. the statement of purpose written by the applicant; is there a good fit between the applicant's educational interests and what the program has to offer in coursework and faculty expertise? Fit is a very important component of our decision -- you are admitted to work directly with a specific faculty member, so that fit needs to be good.

Ideally at least two would come from professors - people who were your instructor in class and can speak to your educational skills and performance. People with knowledge of your research skills or potential are ideal. If you have a graduate degree, you should have a letter from an instructor/advisor in that program. Letters from employers and supervisors are also acceptable (but in most cases no more than one of your letters should be from this sort of person).

Our statement of purpose asks you to discuss your fit with the department and identify one or two faculty members who you would hope to work with when you are here, but you do not need to “secure” an advisor – i.e., you don’t need to get an advisor to commit to working with you before you apply. Fit between your interests and our faculty is an important part of the evaluation process.  Be sure to check the faculty member's information on our website to check whether they are admitting new students. It is not a good use of your time to apply to work with a professor who will not be accepting new students. This information is shown here: https://comm.arizona.edu/core-faculty 

Application fee waivers are not available under any circumstance. 

Before emailing, make sure that your question isn't answered somewhere on this page or elsewhere on the website. Once you have checked that, you should email our Graduate Program Coordinator with questions about the application process. You should email the Director of Graduate Studies with general questions about the department or the graduate program. Before sending those emails, consider whether other questions might arise - it's better to send one email with three questions than three emails with one question. Don't email the same question to multiple people in the department.  

Should you email other faculty in the department? If you have a specific research interest you want to pursue in your graduate career, it is fine to email a faculty member with closely related expertise to understand their potential level of interest in your ideas. It is typically a bad idea to email multiple faculty members expressing your interest in their work; faculty talk to each other and will notice if you are saying you have different interest areas in different emails. 

Whoever you are emailing, make sure your questions are clear and that your email is as brief as possible. Avoid emailing repeatedly: Graduate school is an activity in which you will need to demonstrate independent thought and initiative. Needing support in every step of the application process does not demonstrate those capabilities in a way that will be helpful to your ultimate application.