Admission

Students wishing to apply to the master's program must fulfill the following requirements for consideration:

• Students must hold a baccalaureate degree from a recognized university or college.
• Undergraduate G.P.A. must be at least 3.0 or equivalent.
• Students must have adequate study in communication and show potential to undertake advanced study and research as evidenced by academic performance and experience.

If you fail to meet minimum requirements, but demonstrate potential for successful graduate study, you may be admitted as a provisional or conditional student. Students who demonstrate ability to succeed in graduate study may apply for full graduate standing after no more than 12 credits of work have been completed.
 

Application Requirements

Applications must include:

• Three letters of recommendation
• GRE scores
  In light of ongoing pandemic conditions in many parts of the world, we make an alternative to the GRE available as an option for applicants for whom taking the GRE would create an economic or logistical barrier to application. If you cannot take the GRE, please upload an academic writing sample with your online application, and email Dr. Justin Walden with the subject line "GRE alternative" to inform us that you are using this alternative option for your application. The writing sample should allow us to assess your ability to write, and your ability to make a cogent argument in an academic context/about an academic topic based on some form of underlying evidence (data you've collected for a project, a literature review you've done as part of your undergraduate studies, a paper based on theories from the field of communication, etc.).
• TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for international applicants who do not meet the Graduate School's conditions for a waiver described here. TOEFL/IELTS scores cannot be waived for applicants who do not meet these Graduate School requirements.

The department's TOEFL score minimum must total at least 600 paper-based, 250 computer-based, or 100 internet-based.

The department has set a March 15 deadline for applications, although we will consider late submissions as well. Priority for graduate assistantships will be given to applicants who submit by the above deadlines. Applications are processed through the NDSU Graduate School, and inquiries about document submission, application fees, and transcripts should be directed to the NDSU Graduate School.

Applications must be submitted directly through the NDSU Graduate School application portal.