General Information

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Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements

Writing sample (honors thesis, class paper, or similar evidence of scholarly writing)

 3 letters of recommendation addressing the applicant’s academic and intellectual qualifications

 Statement of Purpose (1500-2000 words) should be broken into the following sections: (a) your scholarly and research interests in the field of communication, (b) why you wish to pursue graduate study in the Department of Communication at the University of Arizona (including explicit connections between your research interests and our faculty's areas of expertise), and (c) your plans following completion of your graduate degree.

GPA:  3.25 minimum

TRANSCRIPTS:  For purposes of evlauation, we will accept unofficial transcripts of credits earned from ALL colleges and universities attended, uploaded where indicated on application. If applicant accepts offer of admission, we will require official transcripts sent to the Communication Dept at the University of Arizona.

GRE General Tests:  See GRE test scores info below.

For International students: English Proficiency Test is required.  Please refer to the graduate college webpage shown here for types of tests accepted, as well as required scores: https://grad.arizona.edu/admissions/requirements/international-applicants#english-proficiency. ; Please note: because all of our graduate students are also hired as Graduate Teaching Assistants/Associates, applicants must achieve the higher test scores listed under "Special requirements for students who will be acting as Graduate Teaching assistants".

 

 

Standardized Tests

GRE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA CODE: 4832  DEPT GRE CODE: 4507

Required test(s):  GRE General Tests:  Verbal, Quantitative, Analytical Writing Subtests. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS also required to take take English Proficiency test (TOEFL preferred).

 Minimum GRE Verbal:  156 
Minimum GRE Quantitative:  146 
Minumum GRE Written:  4.5

Minimum TOEFL:  80 IBT, 550 PBT     or     IELTS  composite score of 7, with no subject area below 6

 

Funding Opportunities

Graduate Teaching and Research Assistantships, Tuition  Scholarships, Graduate College fellowship funding, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences scholarship and fellowship funding

 

Admissions Deadlines

For Domestic and International Applicants:

• Fall Admission:Deadlines: January 10
• The Department of Communication graduate program does NOT accept applications for entry in Spring or Summer semesters.

 

 

International Conditional Admission

International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.

Other Information

The GRE Institution Code for The University of Arizona is 4832

ETS Major Field Code(s) for this program: 4507

Completion Requirements

Minimum Credit Units

34 

Core Coursework Requirements

Major: All students must successfully complete a minimum of 34 units in the major including: core courses, theory courses, and electives. In addition, students are expected to fulfill their research team and thesis or comprehensive exam requirement. Courses with grades of 'C' or lower will not count toward the degree.  

Core Courses (9 units): All students must complete 500, 561, and 571 with a grade of B or better in each.

• COMM 500 Intro to Graduate Studies in Communication (3 units)
• COMM 561 Research Methodologies I (3 units)
• COMM 571 Research Methodologies II (3 units)

Required Theory Seminars (6 units): All students must complete at least two of the required theory seminars from the theory seminar rotation: 609, 610, 620, 669.

• COMM 609 Advanced Mass Communication Theory (3 units)
• COMM 610 Interpersonal Theory (3 units)
• COMM 620 Theories of Social Influence (3 units)
• COMM 669 Health Communication Theory (3 units)

 

Elective Coursework

Communication Electives, by Option

12 units in Comm electives plus 3 thesis units for thesis option

15 units in Comm electives plus comprehensive exams for non-thesis option

• COMM 501 Lifespan Communication (3 units)
• COMM 502 Communication and Music (3 units)
• COMM 503 Theory of Small Group Communication (3 units)
• COMM 505 Mass Communication and Children (3 units)
• COMM 507 Family Communication (3 units)
• COMM 509 Theories of Mass Communication (3 units)
• COMM 510 Struggle for the Presidency (3 units)
• COMM 511 Communication and Conflict Management (3 units)
• COMM 514 Verbal Communication (3 units)
• COMM 515 Nonverbal Communication (3 units)
• COMM 517 Relational Communication (3 units)
• COMM 517A Relational Communication: Close Relations (3 units)
• COMM 517B Relational Communication: Work + Professional Relations (3 units)
• COMM 519 Mass Media Policy and Regulation (3 units)
• COMM 520 Communication and the Legal Process (3 units)
• COMM 521 Political Communication (3 units)
• COMM 526 Public Opinion and Communication (3 units)
• COMM 550 Communication and Cognition (3 units)
• COMM 599 Independent Study (1-3 units)
• COMM 640 Research Methodologies III (3 units)
• COMM 696A Nonverbal Communication Seminar (3 units)
• COMM 696E Mass Media Seminar (3 units)
• COMM 696H Communication and Health Messages Seminar (3 units)
• COMM 696I Interpersonal Communication Seminar (3 units)
• COMM 696O Organizational Communication Theory Seminar (3 units)
• COMM 696P Political Communication Seminar (3 units)
• COMM 696R Advanced Communication Research Methods Seminar (3 units)
• COMM 696T Comm and New Technology Seminar (3 units)
• COMM 699 Independent Study (1-3 units)

Students choose from currently offered graduate courses in Communication.  Courses from outside of the Communication Department may be used with pre-approval from advisor.

 

Additional Requirements

Thesis option students must register for COMM 910 Thesis (3 units) and write a thesis under the supervision of a faculty advisor.

Non-Thesis option students must complete Comprehensive Exams.

In both cases, 4 semesters of COMM 900 Research team (1 unit each) is required for both options.

 

 

Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.

 

Program StatisticsInformation about these numbers

Program-level Information
Application Acceptance Rate	33.33%
Avg. Time-to-degree (years)	1.47
Department-level Information
Enrollment Percent Male	28%
Enrollment Percent Female	72%
Enrollment Percent International	40%
Enrollment Percent URM	16%

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