Completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
Statement of purpose (aka letter of application or cover letter). The statement should be 2-3 double spaced typed pages and should highlight your past experience and your specific interest in the program. You can view a sample letter from a successful appliant -- note that the specific details in this letter demonstrate that this applicant has thoroughly researched the program and has clearly explained how it will help them achieve specific interests and goals. Your letter should include the following:
(a) Describe your academic experience and interests in the field of Communication. If applicable, also describe your professional experience in Communication.
(b) Explain your career plans and how an MA in Communication would help you achieve those goals.
(c) Explain why you are particularly interested in the CU Denver Department of Communication.
To answer this effectively, thoroughly research the department by reading through this website, talking to current and former students, and talking to the Director of Graduate Studies and other faculty. Review the MA program requirements and all the other information on the MA page, including the MA handbook. Look into the research interests for all the Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors, as well as any other full-time staff with PhDs. Read a few articles or books from the faculty members that interest you -- you can ask any scholar for a PDF of an article they've written if you don't have access through a library.
Consider these questions and provide specific answers: What does the program offer that attracts you? How could faculty members' areas of expertise support your research interests? Which faculty expertise areas do you have experience studying and which do you want to learn more about? Who might you ask to be your advisor?
Completed Online Application
Three letters of recommendation, preferably from university faculty
An official transcript from every college or university attended
A resume or curriculum vitae
An academic writing sample, ideally showing the ability to make and defend an argument (minimum 8 pages double-spaced). Most students choose their strongest paper from a Communication course and edit it again before submitting.
A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.25 or above is preferred.
Lower GPAs can be considered if the applicant can demonstrate preparedness for graduate study in Communication though other means. For example, As and A-s in Communication courses, even if the student's grades in other disciplines are lower, would be good evidence. The graduate school requires that students with GPAs under 3.0 are admitted provisionally. If your undergraduate GPA is below 3.25 but you believe you are prepared for graduate study in Communication and can commit to the academic work in this program, please discuss with the DGS before applying.
$50 application fee for U.S. citizens, $75 application fee for international students (non-refundable). You may qualify for an application fee waiver.
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required. However, students may submit GRE scores to support their application. In general, this would require a score of 153 or above on the verbal component of the GRE, or at least 500 for students who took the GRE prior to August 1, 2011, or a score of 150 or above on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
International students: International students need either TOEFL or IELTS scores at or above the following levels: a TOEFL score of 80 with particular subscore minimums (15 in Reading, 15 in Listening, 19 in Speaking, and 20 in Writing) or IELTS scores of 6.5 with 6.0 or higher in each subsection. To be considered for Teaching Assistant positions, international graduate students must meet the score requirements above, and have a Speaking subscore of 26 (TOEFL) or 7.0 (IELTS).​