How can I get more information about applying to the Department of Communication Studies Graduate Program? All of our program information, including a link to the online application, is available online here. Questions About the Application Process Am I required to have an undergraduate degree in Communication Studies? No. Admission and assistantship decisions are based on a holistic examination of credentials presented, including previous academic performance (transcripts), three letters of recommendation, a writing sample, and statement of objectives. Ideally we admit students who have strong credentials in all of these areas. However, a deficiency in one are does not eliminate an applicant from consideration. Where can I get an application? Apply Here What is the application deadline? All applications are due in our office by December 15 of the year you are applying. All components of the application must be received by this date. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed or considered. How do I check the status of my application? You should have received an email from Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) with information on creating your MyID within a few business days after submitting the online application and fee. Please follow the instructions in this email and keep the email for future reference. You will need the MyID to access the Grad Status portal to check your application status. If you do not receive an email from EITS within 5 business days, please contact the EITS Help Desk directly at helpdesk@uga.edu or 706-542-3106. Questions About Transcripts Do I need a transcript from every school I attended? Yes. The Graduate School requires an unofficial transcript from all institutions attended as part of the online application. Do I need to submit official transcripts as part of the application? No. Official transcripts are not required during the review process and will only be required for applicants who are offered admission. Do not submit official transcripts until offered admission. Academic Records For International Applicants Applicants should submit unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended as part of the online application. Unofficial transcripts not submitted as part of the online applicaiton can be emailed to gradadm@uga.edu. If offered admission, applicants must submit one official (certified) copy of academic records from each institution of higher education that the applicanted has attended to the Graduate School. Official documents must bear an original certification of the appropriate school official or office. Photocopies of certified documents are not acceptalbe. Coursework completed at one institution but listed on the record of a second institution is not acceptable. A separate copy of the record from the first institution is required. More information about these requirements can be found here. Questions about Letters of Recommendation How many letters of recommendation should I submit? You must submit three (3) letters of recommendation. How do I submit letters of recommendation? As part of the UGA Graduate School's online application, you will need to submit the names and emails of your recommenders in the online application. Recommendation writers should upload their letters via the Graduate School's online application system. An email request with a secure link will be sent to each recommender. Once the recommender complete the recommendation form, it will attach to your application for admission. What are the minimum GPA required for admission? MA Program Admission: To be admitted to the MA program we look for undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 as well as strong letters of recommendation and an excellent writing sample. PhD Program Admission: To be admitted to our PhD program we look for graduate GPAs of at least 3.5 as well as exceptionally strong letters of recommendation and an excellent writing sample. Are GRE scores required? The GRE is not required for admission to any of our Graduate Programs. Are TOEFL/IELTS scores required? TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for non-native English speakers unless you meet one of the following: You do not need to provide proof of English language proficiency if you meet one of the following criteria: You are from a recognized English-speaking country (as determined by the graduate school). You have completed a four-year undergraduate degree at an accredited institution in a recognized English-speaking country no more than four years prior to beginning your degree at UGA. Do I need to secure a faculty advisor prior to applying? No. At UGA, students need to apply to the graduate program first before identifying a particular professor as supervisor. Can I start in the spring or summer? No, we only accept new student to being in the fall. Funding Questions What types of funding is available? Teaching assistantships, research assistantships, debate program assistantships. More information about funding your Graduate Degree can be found on our Assistantship page or on the Graduate School Funding page. How do I apply for funding? As part of the departmental application you will have the opportunity to indicate what assistantships you would like to be considered for. Do you admit students without funding? Yes. What is included Admission Questions How many students typically apply? The number of applicants varies from year to year. We expect between 50 - 100 applicants in any given year. What is your acceptance rate? We generally admit between 2 - 6 MA students and 2 - 8 PhD students a year. It varies year to year depending on the fit of a given student to the program as well as available assistantship. When and how are admissions decisions communicated? The Graduate School will notify you of your admission or rejection by April 15th. If you do not receive notice of admission or rejection, that is because your file was incomplete by the December deadline and was not reviewed by the graduate admission committee. What happens after I am admitted? You will have until April 15th to let us know if you plan to enroll. We hold a visitation for all admitted students in early spring (typically in mid-February or early-March). During this visit you will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with faculty members, tour campus, meet with current graduate students, and learn more about the department. Should you decide to enroll, our office will contact you with information about course selection, orientation, assistantship information, and other important information. May I defer my admission, if necessary? Yes, you may defer for one year. To do so, first contact the department Graduate Program Administrator (csgcord@uga.edu) to notify us of you intentions. Then, prior to the start of the original semester of matriculation, submit a one-time request to the Office of Graduate Admissions (gradadm@uga.edu). If I am not accepted, can I reapply? Yes. You will need to submit a new application with the Graduate School and notify the Graduate Program Administrator (csgcord@uga.edu) if you would like to reuse any of your old documents in your new application file. Do you admit part-time students? At this time, no. Do you offer evening or online classes? At this time, no.
