Graduate FAQs

Graduate FAQs2023-04-25T14:19:40-04:00
Who should I ask to provide Letters of Recommendation?2019-06-24T18:28:21-04:00

It may be appropriate to ask professors, advisors, and/or employment supervisors for recommendations. There is no specific combination of the above that is required. Recommendations from friends are not suitable. Contact information for recommenders should be submitted online via the online applications system. Recommenders will then be notified via email that you have requested a recommendation as part of the application requirement. Recommenders can complete the online questionnaire and attach a letter, although a letter is not required.

Who can I contact if I have questions about a specific program?2022-10-31T10:24:18-04:00

For questions specific to a program, please directly contact the graduate studies coordinator of the program and/or the chair of the department in which the program is housed, using the information below:

Doctoral Program

Christina Lane, associate dean for graduate studies, email: clane@miami.edu

Motion Pictures

Ed Talavera, program coordinator, email: etalavera@miami.edu

Documentary

Jim Virga, program coordinator, e-mail: jvirga@miami.edu

Interactive Media

Kim Grinfeder, department chair, email: grinfeder@miami.edu

Communication Studies / Health Communication / Intercultural Communication

Nicholas Carcioppolo, program coordinator, email: n.carcioppolo@miami.edu

Journalism

Trevor Green, program coordinator, email: trevorgreen@miami.edu

Media Management

Michel Dupagne, program coordinator, email: dupagnem@miami.edu

Public Relations

Sunny Tsai, program coordinator, email: wanhsiu@miami.edu

For questions related to the application process, please contact the Graduate Studies Office at: socgrad@miami.edu.

Where can I find information about financial aid?2023-10-17T13:05:09-04:00
When is the deadline for applications?2023-09-25T15:45:54-04:00

We accept new graduate students only for the fall semester. The application deadlines for the fall semester are:

  • Ph.D. – Final Deadline: December 1
  • M.F.A. in Motion Pictures – Priority Deadline: February 1 / Final Deadline: July 15
  • M.F.A. In Documentary – Priority Deadline: February 1 / Final Deadline: July 15
  • M.F.A. in Interactive Media – Priority Deadline: February 1 / Final Deadline: July 15
  • M.A. – Priority Deadline: February 1 / Final Deadline: July 15
  • M.S. – Priority Deadline: February 1 / Final Deadline: July 15

* We cannot guarantee that International Applications submitted after June 1 will be processed for the fall due to time limitations.

What should I include in my Portfolio?2022-10-31T10:25:00-04:00

The M.F.A. in Motion Pictures, the M.F.A. in Interactive Media, and the M.F.A. in Documentary require portfolios. Please refer to the program pages for guidelines.

What should be included in the 500 word typed statement of academic and professional goals?2019-06-24T18:30:57-04:00

Specific requirements for the statement are stated under each program. In general, the statement is the applicant’s opportunity to discuss why they chose to apply to one of the programs in the School of Communication at UM, what they hope to accomplish while studying in the School, and what goals they would ultimately like to reach once they have completed their program of choice. This is also the place to discuss any special issues that might have had an impact on your academic career or test scores, and to share whatever makes you stand out as an outstanding candidate for the program. The 500 word limit is a recommendation; please feel free to write more if necessary, but do not go beyond 1,000 words.

What is the University’s ranking?2019-06-24T18:37:24-04:00

Please visit the US News and World Report website. Here’s the link: http://www.usnews.com/education.

What is the minimum GPA for admission into your programs?2019-06-24T18:23:09-04:00

A GPA of 3.0.

What is the length of your programs? Is funding available for that period of study?2022-10-31T14:39:45-04:00

The Ph.D. program is four years long. Typically our students complete their course work in the first three years and spend their fourth year working on their dissertation. Our doctoral students are fully funded for four years. The costs covered for our doctoral students for four consecutive years are as follows: tuition for the required 57 credit hours, a $30,225 stipend per year for four years, and the cost of University health insurance for four years, all contingent on adequate progress in the four years of the program. More information about the program can be found at http://com.miami.edu/phd-communication

The M.F.A. in Motion Pictures is a three-year, 66 credit program. We have a very limited number of graduate assistantships available for which you may submit an application at the time you submit an application to the program. More information about the program can be found here: https://com.miami.edu/motion-pictures-mfa

The M.F.A. in Documentary is a two-year, 54 credit program. We have a very limited number of graduate assistantships available for which you may submit an application at the time you submit an application to the program. More information about the program can be found here: http://documentary.miami.edu

The M.F.A. in Interactive Media is a two-year, 45 credit program. We have a very limited number of graduate assistantships available for which you may submit an application at the time you submit an application to the program. More information about the program can be found here: http://interactive.miami.edu

The M.A. in Communication Studies/Health Communication/Intercultural Communication is a two-year program with a thesis or non-thesis option. The thesis option is a total of 30 credits and the non-thesis option is a total of 36 credits. A very limited number of assistantships are available for this program. More information about the program can be found here: https://com.miami.edu/communication-studies-ma. For additional funding opportunities please click here for general funding  and here for SoC scholarships.

The M.A. in Public Relations is a two-year program with a thesis or non-thesis option. The thesis option is a total of 30 credits and the non-thesis option is a total of 36 credits. A very limited number of assistantships are available for this program. More information about the program can be found here: https://com.miami.edu/public-relations-ma. For additional funding opportunities please click here for general funding  and here for SoC scholarships.

The M.A. in Journalism is an 18-month, 36-credit program. A very limited number of assistantships are available for this program. More information about the program can be found here: https://com.miami.edu/journalism-ma. For additional funding opportunities please click here for general funding  and here for SoC scholarships.

The M.S. in Media Management is a 12-month or 24-month, 34-credit program. A very limited number of assistantships are available for this program. More information about the program can be found here: http://com.miami.edu/media-management-ms. For additional funding opportunities please click here for general funding  and here for SoC scholarships.

What is the institution code for the GMAT and TOEFL?2022-05-11T14:00:45-04:00

The code for the TOEFL is 5815. The code for the GMAT is 7NV-S1-96.

What is the GRE and is it required?2022-09-06T11:24:36-04:00

The GRE is the Graduate Record Exam. The GRE is not required for any School of Communication program. Students are welcome to submit the GRE, but this exam is not required.

What is the departmental code for the TOEFL?2022-05-11T14:03:46-04:00

The departmental code for the TOEFL is 83.

What is the cost of tuition?2019-06-24T18:34:14-04:00

Please click here to view estimated cost of attendance.

International students who are accepted into the graduate programs will be required to submit an original bank letter of financial stability in the amount to cover all expenses for the first year of study.

What Graduate Programs does the School of Communication offer?2022-10-31T10:27:41-04:00

The School of Communication offers the following graduate programs:

Ph.D., Doctor of Philosophy in Communication

Within the overarching framework of using communication for behavioral and social change, you may focus on health, environment, or a related field, from a domestic or international perspective and informed by intercultural study. Your research and experiential fieldwork could combine or individually adopt a communication studies, strategic communication or journalism and media development approach as appropriate for your career goals.

M.F.A., Master of Fine Arts

M.A., Master of Arts

M.S., Master of Science

What are your application requirements?2022-10-31T10:30:59-04:00

Ph.D. – Requirements for admission to the Ph.D. program in the School of Communication are:

  1. A master’s degree in communication or another appropriate field. The degree must be in addition to a bachelor’s degree. All degrees must be from accredited institutions.
  2. The School’s official application
  3. A $85.00 non-refundable application fee
  4. Three letters of recommendation
  5. 500-word typed statement of your academic and professional goals, research area you want to pursue and why, and what in your background has prepared you for this. A copy of the completed master’s thesis or comparable scholarly work if not master’s thesis has been completed. If the master’s thesis is in progress, submit completed chapters. If a thesis is not required by your master’s program, submit comparable scholarly work.
  6. Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  7. Official TOEFL or IELTS scores. Note: Only for international applicants
  8. Copy of current passport. Note: Only for international applicants. The name entered on the graduate application must exactly match what appears on your passport.

M.A., M.S., and M.F.A.: Requirements for admission to the Master of Arts, Master of Science, or Master of Fine Arts degree in the School of Communication are:

  1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
  2. The School’s official application
  3. A $85.00 non-refundable application fee
  4. Three letters of recommendation
  5. 500 word typed statement of academic and professional goals. Note: for the Interactive Media M.F.A., please visit http://interactive.media.edu for specific instructions about the statement. For the M.A., the statement should include your academic and professional goals and what in your background has prepared you for this.
  6. Official TOEFL or IELTS scores. Note: Only for international applicants
  7. Portfolio Note: Required for M.F.A in Motion Pictures and M.F.A. and in Documentary. MFA in Interactive Media applicants may send a portfolio or GRE scores.
  8. Copy of current passport. Note: Only for international applicants. The name entered on the graduate application must exactly match what appears on your passport.
What are the English proficiency requirements?2019-06-24T18:26:09-04:00

International applicants are required to submit official English proficiency exam scores. We accept the TOEFL and IELTS. We look for a minimum of 90 on the TOEFL and 7.0 for the IELTS. These scores are valid only for two years; if you have taken the test earlier and your scores are older than two years, you will need to retake the test. For more information regarding the TOEFL, please visit http://www.ets.org/toefl. For more information regarding the IELTS, please visit http://bandscore.ielts.org/course_info.aspx?OrgId=3187.

International students who have received a college degree from a U.S. institution are exempt from taking the TOEFL or IELTS. International students whose first language is English may be exempt from taking the TOEFL or IELTS. Studying English at a U.S. institution is not necessarily sufficient to waive the TOEFL or IELTS requirement.

Applicants holding an undergraduate or graduate degree from an academic institution within the United States or one of the following English-speaking countries are not required to take the TOEFL/IELTS examination:

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • The Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Canada (except Quebec)
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • New Zealand
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • St. Lucia
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • United Kingdom
How many applicants are accepted into each program, each year?2022-10-31T10:33:18-04:00
  • About 15 students for each M.A. program
  • About 15 students for the M.S. program
  • About 18 students for the F.M.F.A. program
  • About 15 students for the D.M.F.A. program
  • About 18 students for the I.M.F.A. program
  • About 6 students for the Ph.D. program

Contact information for the Graduate Studies Office:

Phone: (305) 284-5236
Fax: (305) 284-8701
Email: socgrad@miami.edu
URL: http://com.miami.edu/programs

Application materials should be mailed to:

Mailing Address: Graduate Studies Office, University of Miami, School of Communication, 5100 Brunson Drive, Suite 4002, Attention: Joselyn Garcia, Coral Gables, FL 33146

How do I apply?2019-06-24T18:22:05-04:00

Applications are submitted online at https://grad.miami.edu/apply/index.html

Do you offer part-time programs?2019-06-24T18:35:00-04:00

Most of our master’s programs allow students to take classes on a part-time basis. The doctoral program is only for full-time students.

Do you offer online programs?2019-06-24T18:35:40-04:00

No, we do not currently offer online programs.

Can you tell me about funding opportunities for students from historically underserved or underrepresented populations?2022-05-11T14:05:29-04:00

In addition to the graduate assistantships specific to each program, there are a limited number of School of Communication Opportunity Awards, which are intended to support students from historically underserved or underrepresented populations.

All interested incoming School of Communication graduate students are welcome to apply. Applicants interested in being considered for an SoC Opportunity Award should contact the Graduate Studies Office at socgrad@miami.edu.

Can I transfer credits to your master’s programs?2019-06-24T18:36:47-04:00

Students can transfer only 6 credits for 30-credit programs and only 9 credits for 36-credit programs, but conditions apply as follows:

  • Can transfer only 6 credits for 30-credit and only 9 credits for 36-credit programs.
  • Credits with grades of “B-” or less cannot be transferred.
  • Credits for courses over 6 years old, or taken by extension, cannot be transferred.
  • Credits that have been counted toward another degree cannot be transferred.

In addition, official transcripts must be submitted to transfer credits, and transferred credits will not be calculated into the University of Miami GPA.

Are official transcripts required?2019-06-24T18:22:46-04:00

Yes, official transcripts from all institutions attended are required. We will not review a file with unofficial transcripts, nor will we review a file until official transcripts from all institutions have been received. Even if courses that you took from one school appear on another school’s transcripts, official transcripts from both schools must be received. To reiterate, these are our requirements with regard to transcripts:

Official transcripts of all college work, both undergraduate and graduate

All international transcripts are reviewed for U.S. equivalency by the Office of International Admissions at the University of Miami prior to review of applications by the School of Communication. The review by International Admissions can take several weeks. We request international students to apply and submit all transcripts early for timely decision-making so that there is sufficient time for paperwork related to obtaining a visa if the student is admitted.