Admission Information for the MA in Communication

Minimum Requirements for Admission

Completion of a bachelor's degree or master's degree from an accredited college or university

A score near 500 on the verbal component of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or a score near 150 on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above

Deadlines for Application

April 1 for fall semester start

October 1 for spring semester start

Application Procedures for U. S. Citizens

Applicants to EITHER PROGRAM must submit the following materials:

• Letter of application explaining career plans and reason for interest in the degree
• "Admission Application Part 1 and 2": Submit either the Online Application or complete and return the Written Application
• Two official transcripts from every college or university attended
• Resume or vita
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores (call 1-800-537-3160 or visit www.gre.org ) or Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores
• $50 application fee (non-refundable)

Additional materials required:

Three (3) letters of recommendation, preferably from university faculty (those writing the recommendations may use the "Request for Recommendation" form or their own letterhead stationery)

Writing sample: Academic in nature (not something written on the job)

All application materials should be sent to:

Sally Thee
Program Assistant
Department of Communication
P.O. Box 173364
Campus Box 176
University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO 80217-3364.

Students are notified by mail of the graduate admission committee’s decision concerning their admission.

Application Procedures for International Students

Students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States should begin the process of application by contacting the Office of International Admissions at UCD. Potential students work with staff in International Admissions to compile their application materials, which then are submitted to the Communication Department. International students should not apply to the Communication Department directly; their applications must go through the International Admissions Office.

Non-Degree Status

Earning credits before degree admission

Up to 9 credit hours of courses taken as a non-degree student may be applied toward a master's degree.  If students apply and are accepted to the MA program after completing these credits, they will be counted toward the degree total.  There is only one allowable exception to this 9 credit hour limit: if you complete a graduate certificate offered by the Communication Department that requires 12 credit hours (such as the Graduate Certificate in Public Relations), then these 12 credit hours may also be counted toward the degree total (see “Earning a graduate certificate,” below).  Additional non-degree graduate credits earned beyond those explicitly required for a graduate certificate may not be counted toward the MA degree. For example, if a student completes 12 credit hours required for a 12 credit hour graduate certificate and then also completes an additional three credits while still in non-degree status (bringing the non-degree credit total to 15), only the 12 credits earned for the certificate may later count toward an MA degree.  Students who want to pursue non-degree status in order to decide whether or not to apply for a degree should talk with the appropriate graduate advisor about the best courses to sample. Students must complete an "Application for Non-Degree Admission" to take these courses.

Earning a graduate certificate

Students may complete graduate certificate programs as non-degree students; those who decide to enroll in the MA program following completion of a certificate may transfer up to those twelve hours of credits to their master's degree. Additional non-degree graduate credits earned beyond those explicitly required for a graduate certificate may not be counted toward the MA degree.  For students already enrolled in the master's program, the certificates can be completed as part of, or in addition to, the coursework required for the degree. Use the Application for Non-Degree Admission to become eligible to enroll in courses for a certificate program.