Do you have Fall and Spring Admission?
No. The Department of Communication only has fall admission.
Do you need a degree to be admitted to the program?
In order to be admitted into the M.A. program you must have a baccalaureate degree. In order to be admitted to the Ph.D. program you must have a baccalaureate degree and you may have (though you are not required to have) a Master's degree.
What is the deadline for admission?
Applications for those students wanting funding must be submitted by January 5. Applications for those students who do not want funding must be submitted by April 5.
What are the areas of study within the Department of Communication?
Students in the PhD program will choose one of the following three concentrations
- Interpersonal Communication
- Media Communication
- Political Communication
Students in the MA program do not need to declare a concentration and may take classes in any of the three areas above as well as courses in public relations.
What am I required to submit with my application?
An application must include the completed online application form, transcripts from all previous institutions (baccalaureate and masters), GRE scores or other evidence of quantitative ability (such as good grades in statistics or advanced math courses), three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, a writing sample, a resume or curriculum vita, a one minute application video, and (for international students only) TOEFL (or IELTS) scores.
Where do I find the online application?
University of Delaware online application
What should my GRE scores be?
If you opt to take the GRE, applicants with the best chance of admission have a combined score of 300 for the verbal and quantitative reasoning sections. Also expected is a minimum score of 4.5 for the analytical writing portion. If you do not take the GRE, you must provide other evidence of quantitative ability (such as good grades in statistics or advanced math courses), and evidence of academic writing potential (through your writing sample).
Do all three letters of recommendation have to come from previous professors?
Your letters of recommendation should come from a professor, employer, and/or other professional source that can address your potential to succeed in our graduate program. Recommendations from former professors or academic advisers are preferred, but other sources will be accepted.
How do I submit letters of recommendation?
All application materials are submitted entirely online. Your recommenders will receive an e-mail stating how to upload their letter into the application system. If you or a recommender has any technical issues while uploading the necessary information for your application or have any questions about submitting your application you should contact Graduate Admissions directly, via e-mail, at gradadmissions@udel.edu.
What should be in the personal statement?
A written statement of goals and objectives (the personal statement) that addresses the following questions: (a) What specific area of Communication are you interested in exploring and which of our faculty member(s) do you consider most appropriate to mentor you in your academic work and why?, (b) What is one Communication-related question or concept that keeps you up at night with curiosity?, and (c) Are you interested in studying Communication from a quantitative, social-scientific perspective (as opposed to a more critical cultural or interpretive perspective)?
What are you looking for in a writing sample?
The writing sample may be an essay, a research project manuscript, or other piece of writing the applicant believes is a good example of their writing. The sample should be no longer than 25 double spaced pages, and should show evidence of academic writing potential.
What should I include in my application video?
Your video, not to exceed one minute, should answer the following question, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years and how do you see this program assisting you in achieving that goal?"
What should my GPA be as an undergraduate student?
An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher as well as a within major minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. If the applicant has earned a master's degree, a minimum GPA of 3.5 is required for that degree.
Should I apply if I don't meet one of the application standards?
If you believe the UD Communication Department graduate programs are the best fit for you and your goals then you should apply. Those that meet standard minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other strengths and skills. Admission decisions are made based upon a holistic review of the applicant, not on any specific element of the application.
When are admission decisions made?
Offer letters for funded students are typically sent before the end of February. Between February and the May 1 final application deadline, admission decisions are made on a rolling basis as applications are received.
What does a funding package offer?
If you receive a teaching or research assistantship from the Department of Communication then you will receive a stipend. The amount of the stipend is determined by the graduate college each year. You may also receive a tuition scholarship, however all students are required to pay the student fees.
How long does it take to complete the program?
It typically takes 2 years to complete the M.A. program for a full time student. A Ph.D. student who is admitted with a completed Master’s degree will take 4 years to completion; a Ph.D. student admitted with only a baccalaureate degree will take 5-6 years to completion.
Is there a financial penalty for not finishing the degree on time?
If a student finishes all coursework but it takes them longer to finish a master's thesis or a doctoral dissertation there is no financial penalty. Once a student is in the thesis or dissertation writing phase they may remain an active student at the University of Delaware by enrolling for credits as a sustaining student. Sustaining fees are a fraction of full tuition rates.
Do you offer a long distance learning / online graduate program?
Our research-based graduate programs are only offered in person. But we offer an online M.A. in Strategic Communication which teaches you to drive tactical communications initiatives with concentration in Public Relations and Digital and Social Media.
Do you have a part-time program?
We do offer part-time options. If a student is interested in a part-time course load, it is recommended that they contact the Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Jennifer Lambe (jlambe@udel.edu), for more information.
Do you have to be accepted into the program to take courses?
No. You can take up to nine credits through the Office of Professional and Continuing Studies that can then be transferred into the program after you apply and get accepted.
How much does the degree cost per credit hour?
Please check tuition and per credit rates on the University’s Student Financial Services website.
Do you have an accelerated Masters program allowing undergraduate students to take graduate classes that also count toward the MA degree?
For our research based programs we do not have an accelerated or 4+1 program in the Department of Communication at this time.
We do however offer the 4+1 program for the professional M.A. in Strategic Communication.
