Public Affairs Communication

Admission Requirements for Communication Graduate Programs

Deadlines

Students may begin a Communication graduate program in the fall or spring terms. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. However, the following deadlines have been set to give department faculty sufficient time to review applications prior to the start of each academic term:

• Application deadline to start coursework in the fall term: August 1

• Application deadline to start coursework in the spring term: January 1

All required materials (see below) must be received by the application deadline or applications will not be considered. Applicants should allow for 10 business days between submission of all required items (see below) and a decision regarding their admission. Incomplete applications will not be evaluated.

Application Process

Applicants must submit the following items to Mississippi Christian University. Applicants may begin the admissions process to go.mc.edu/apply.

• A $35.00 non-refundable application fee. This fee must accompany the application.

• An official application for admission to Mississippi Christian University.

• One copy of all the official transcript(s) of work for the baccalaureate degree and any transferable graduate credit.

• A personal essay as noted below.

Regular Admission

Grade Point Average

Applicants seeking regular admission to a Communication graduate program must show a grade point average (GPA) of at least a cumulative 2.50 of a possible 4.00 scale on all prior college-level academic work. Applicants with a GPA of 2.25 to 2.50 may be considered for provisional admission (see below).

Personal Essay

Applicants must submit an essay of 600-750 words expressing the applicant’s purpose in seeking a graduate degree and explaining how their chosen graduate degree program will help the applicant further personal and/or professional goals. This essay will be evaluated by department faculty based on its content to ensure that an applicant is a good match for the desired program. Because command of the written English language is essential to success in graduate school, this essay will also serve as a sample of the applicant’s writing ability.

Provisional Admission

Provisional admission, though not guaranteed, may be granted if applicants meet one or more of the following criteria:

1. The applicant’s grade point average (GPA) on all work completed at the undergraduate level is below 2.50 but above 2.25. In such cases, the department reserves the right to require applicants to submit an explanatory essay (in addition to the required essay of all applicants) of no fewer than 300 words describing the steps the applicant will take to ensure their academic success at the graduate level.

2. The applicant’s undergraduate GPA is below 2.25 but the applicant has demonstrated success in an appropriate career for at least ten years since completing the undergraduate degree. In such cases, the department reserves the right to require applicants to submit a professional resume and additional letters of references (from a professional supervisor or colleague) to document career success).

3. The applicant received an undergraduate degree from a non-regionally accredited institution. In such cases, applicants must submit acceptable GRE test scores and achieve good academic standing (a cumulative GPA or 3.00 or higher) after completing 12 hours of graduate work.

Provisional admission status must be removed before students will be allowed to register for graduate courses beyond 12 graduate hours. For advancement from provisional to regular admission, the student must have obtained a grade average of 3.00 or higher on the first 12 or more hours of graduate-level courses, and must clear any other deficiencies. Students who are provisionally admitted but do not achieve regular admission status after completing 12 hours will be placed on academic suspension with the right to appeal.

Student Appeals for Reinstatement

Student appeals for reinstatement for academic suspension will be fairly considered. Students should understand that the potential for future success in graduate school will be a primary consideration by department faculty in evaluating all appeals. Because sub-standard grades in past courses remain on suspended students’ records for purposes of calculating grade point average, department faculty will consider in the reinstatement evaluation process each student’s likelihood of evaluating the grade point average to the required 3.00 for graduation within the time frame needed to complete the coursework.

All department graduate faculty will have input regarding the appeals to readmission for academically suspended students. Therefore, students should expect that the note and observations by faculty of student performance and participation in courses previously taken at Mississippi Christian University will be heavily considered in the reinstatement process.

The red deletions included the letters of recommendation section, international students section, one provisional-admission criterion, and the undergraduate prerequisite-course material, so those are now gone completely.