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Prospective Students

Application Process

Application deadlines:

For domestic students, December 15 is the priority deadline with the possibility of additional applications being reviewed up to April 1.

For international students, the deadline is January 15.

Note to all students: The graduate program in the Valenti School of Communication accepts applications for fall semesters only, effective fall 2013. All required application materials must be received by the application deadline in order to be considered complete and submitted for review by the admission committee. The admission committee will review completed applications in mid-January for domestic applicants and mid-February for international students. Domestic applications received after the priority deadline of December 15 will then be reviewed on a monthly basis.

After your application is reviewed by the admission committee, a recommendation will be made to the dean's office in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Science. Once the dean's office approves the application, you will be notified via an official letter over email.

Effective October 1, 2013, application to the graduate program in communication will be processed through an automated admission system. Please submit your application online by following the steps in the link below: https://www.applyweb.com/uhouston/index.ftl

Admission to the Valenti School graduate program requires the following items for ALL applicants:

  1. Application fee: to be submitted online.
  2. Official GRE test scores: to be submitted online. It is recommended that the GRE be taken at least one month prior to submitting your application. The GRE score must not be more than 5 years old.
  3. Official transcripts from all higher educational institutions: to be mailed to:
    University of Houston
    Graduate Admissions
    P.O. Box 3947
    Houston, Texas 77253-3947

    * Your official transcript must be received before enrollment. Please check with the Graduate School (gradschool@uh.edu) on its status.
  4. Two letters of recommendation: to be submitted online. The letters should be preferably from former or present instructors who can comment on the applicant’s academic work in detail. Letters from employers are also accepted.
  5. A Statement of Purpose: to be submitted online. A brief essay of 1 to 2 pages about why applicant wants to pursue graduate work in communication, experiences in communication, plans after receiving a graduate degree and why the applicant wishes to attend the Valenti School of Communication.
  6. A resume: to be submitted online.
  7. A writing sample: to be submitted online. The writing sample should highlight the applicant’s critical thinking, analytical, problem-solving, and research skills. Research papers from undergraduate classes are recommended. Professional communication documents on behalf of a client, organizational, or class (e.g., a press release, a news article, etc.) are also accepted.
  8. Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded in the automated system if you choose to do so in addition to sending the official transcripts by mail (See #3). 

For international applicants, the following additional items are required:

  1. TOEFL test scores: International students must also provide evidence of satisfactory English proficiency. The TOEFL exam provides this evidence and must be taken at least a month before submitting your application. TOEFL scores must not be more than 2 years.
  2. GRE scores are required of all students even if you have taken the TOEFL and/or IETLS.
  3. Please check the link below for additional materials:
http://www.uh.edu/graduate-school/admissions/how-to-apply/

Admission Information

To be considered eligible for unconditional admittance, a prospective student must

  • have earned a Bachelor's degree in an appropriate field from an accredited institution,
  • have a minimum 3.0/4.0 GPA in the last 60 undergraduate hours attempted, and
  • have competitive scores on the GRE; successful applicants will have a combined score of 295-300 on the GRE quantitative and verbal sections and a 3.5 on the analytical writing section.

Students who have earned several grades of C or below in undergraduate communication courses will not be deemed eligible for this level of admission. 

Applicants not meeting the criteria for unconditional admission might be considered for conditional admission. Any student admitted conditionally must

  • have a GPA of at least 2.7/4.0 in the last 60 hours,
  • a GPA of at least 3.00 in communication hours,
  • acceptable GRE scores, and
  • other application materials that suggest the student can succeed in the graduate program. 

All materials in the application packet (letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, transcripts and GRE scores) are considered in admission decisions. Simply meeting the minimum GPA or GRE criteria does not guarantee admission.

Students may have to complete required leveling courses if they do not have adequate background in the degree they are pursuing. Please be aware that these leveling courses will likely extend how long it takes to complete the program.

TOEFL scores for international students must meet the new minimum requirement of the International Based Test (IBT) of 79.

Conditional admittance requires that the student maintain at least a “B” average in the first 12 hours attempted in graduate school. Conditional students must submit a course adjustment form (available from the director of graduate studies) requesting that their status be changed after those 12 hours have been completed satisfactorily. Students cannot embark on the next stage of the M.A. program -- the thesis option or the comprehensive exam option -- until they are granted unconditional status. This is normally conferred (1) if the student has completed all undergraduate deficiencies noted at the time conditional status was granted, (2) if the student has fulfilled all graduate degree prerequisites, (3) if the student has terminated all incompletes on her/his graduate record, and (4) if the student has maintained a minimum (3.0) GPA in the graduate program.