When should I apply to be admitted to the program?
What are the requirements for an application to be considered?
Is the GRE required for admission to the Graduate Program in Communication?
I’m interested in a teaching assistantship or other sources of funding. How does that work?
Are there special requirements for international students?
Do I need to include an official transcript when I apply?
To get admitted to the PhD program, do I need to have an MA in Communication?
To be admitted to the MA program, do I need to have an undergraduate degree in Communication?
Prospective applicants who are new to the academic study of communication are strongly advised to read Chapters 1 and 2 of the National Communication Association’s Getting the Most from Your Graduate Education in Communication: A Student’s Handbook.
Q: When should I apply to be admitted to the program?
A: Admissions to the MA program are done twice a year, in fall and spring semesters. Fall applications must be completed by May 1, and spring applications must be completed by September 1. Applicants who wish to be considered for graduate teaching assistantships should apply by the fall priority deadline of December 1 of the previous year. Applications completed by this deadline will be considered in the first round of assistantship decisions.
Admissions to the PhD program are done once annually, and all PhD students start during the fall semester. To be considered for admission to the PhD program, all materials must be submitted by December 1st.
Q: What are the requirements for an application to be considered?
A: All individuals who wish to be considered for admission should apply through the UWM Graduate School’s Graduate application system, found here: https://uwm.edu/applygrad/
When selecting a department, be sure to choose the Department of Communication.
Applications must include the application form, application fees, transcripts, a reason statement, an academic writing sample, resume and/or curriculum vitae, three letters of reference, and other materials as specified in the graduate application system. Incomplete applications will not be considered. For both the MA and PhD program, admission decisions are made on a holistic basis that considers the entirety of the application file.
The reason statement should explain your reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in communication at UWM and your qualifications for doing so. Strong reason statements articulate clear and specific goals, detail the educational or professional experiences that have prepared the candidate for graduate work, and demonstrate how the candidate will fit into and contribute to our graduate programs.
The writing sample should provide clear evidence of the candidate’s writing and research abilities, so that the admissions committee can evaluate their preparation for graduate-level work in communication. The best sources for writing samples include publications, chapters from a senior capstone or M.A. thesis, strong class papers, and papers accepted or presented at conferences. Writing samples should be no more than 30 pages double-spaced, excluding references.
Letters of reference should attest to the candidate’s potential to succeed in a graduate program in communication. The strongest letters demonstrate knowledge of the applicant and provide specific evidence of their qualifications. At least two of the letters should come from academic sources (e.g. professors, course directors, research advisors).
Q: Is the GRE required for admission to the Graduate Program in Communication?
A: No. The program does not consider GRE scores in admission decisions.
Q: I’m interested in a teaching assistantship or other sources of funding. How does that work?
A: There are assistantships available to some qualified graduate applicants. The selection process is competitive and uses the same criteria we evaluate for admission, although decisions and notifications about admission and assistantships are made separately. New TAs are typically assigned to introductory courses in the Communication program or the Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies (JAMS) program. Individuals who are employed as teaching assistants receive tuition remission, a stipend, and a benefits package. Pending budgetary approvals, MA students who are awarded an assistantship will receive 2 years of funding and PhD students receive 4 years of funding. Information about teaching assistantships, including current stipend levels, can be found on the Graduate School website. The Graduate School website also includes information about other forms of funding.
To apply for a teaching assistantship, you can complete an item on the admission application that will ask you about your interest in an assistantship.
Q: Are there special requirements for international students?
A: Beyond the requirements set forth by the university and graduate school, we do not have any special requirements for international students. We would want to be sure to mention that UWM has excellent support for students from around the globe. Our Center for International Education provides information about admissions for international students who are planning to study at UWM. Please contact them for additional information ( isss@uwm.edu). The application portion of the website is here: https://uwm.edu/cie/international-admissions/
Q: Do I need to include an official transcript when I apply?
A: During the application process, you can include a copy of your unofficial transcript. You will need to provide authorization indicating that the information is accurate. After recommendations for admission are submitted by the department to the Graduate School, the Graduate School staff will follow up with you to request an official transcript. The official transcript is needed in order to be officially admitted and enrolled. But, for the application process, an unofficial transcript will suffice.
Q: To get admitted to the PhD program, do I need to have an MA in Communication?
A: The BA or BS (for MA admission) and MA or MS (for PhD admission) should typically be from Communication or a related discipline, but a lack of a Communication degree does not preclude one from being admitted. In cases where the degree is not from Communication, but is from a related area, it will be necessary to articulate (in the reasons statement provided during application) how the non communication degree(s) prepared the student for advanced study in Communication. In general, students with degrees in other social sciences (e.g., Psychology, Sociology) and humanities areas (e.g., English, History) would require additional coursework to qualify for admission. Ultimately, admission decisions are at the discretion of the faculty, so it may be beneficial to speak with specific faculty members to learn more about their research and teaching interests to make sure that a non-Communication degree would allow sufficient preparation to succeed in the program.
Q: To be admitted to the MA program, do I need to have an undergraduate degree in Communication?
A: For admission to the MA program, students must have an undergraduate degree with a major in communication, speech communication, or related areas. In general, students with degrees in other social science (e.g., Psychology, Sociology) and humanities areas (e.g., English, History) would require additional coursework to qualify for admission.