We review
applications once each year (in the spring semester) for admission in the fall
semester.
Application deadline
for fall 2013 admission is Friday,
March 1, 2013. The deadline for applications for Graduate Assistantships is Friday, February 22, 2013.
Be aware that all application
materials, including GRE scores, transcripts, and letters of recommendation,
are due by these dates.
Read
below for details regarding the application process.
Enroll full-time or
part-time, study online and face-to-face
We are committed to offering at least
one distance-based graduate course each semester as well as offering courses on
evenings and/or weekends for those who work during the day. We typically offer
three online courses each fall and spring semester. The program can be completed on a part-time
basis solely via distance-based courses in 3-4 years (or more, depending on
your time commitment).
On-campus students have the option to
attend the program on a full-time or part-time basis with a combination of both
online and traditional (face-to-face) courses. Full-time enrollment allows
completion of the degree in approximately two years. Our program, by offering
both traditional and distance options, can thereby serve students throughout
Arizona and beyond.
Please be aware that all students are
required to come to the NAU campus at least twice: for the required orientation
and for the final presentation and defense of the thesis or projects.
Graduate
assistantships
We currently have multiple Graduate
Teaching Assistantships (GTAs), which involve teaching our basic public
speaking course, assisting with a large-lecture introductory course for
undergraduate majors in the School of Communication, or working with the School
of Communication’s forensics team. Generally 2-4 GTAs are available each year
and come with a stipend and full tuition waiver. For further information
regarding GTAs, please contact the Graduate Coordinator for the MA in Applied
Communication (comgrad@nau.edu).
Applicant
profile
The MA in Applied Communication degree
program seeks interested persons who hold a bachelor’s degree and desire a
master’s degree that centers upon integrating knowledge in the field of
communication with emphasis on organizations, public and political
communication, health communication, media and culture, diversity, and/or
environmental issues.
The program is designed to enhance students’
existing knowledge base and expertise and does not require undergraduate
coursework in communication. However, having an undergraduate major, minor, or
substantial coursework in communication is desirable (and generally required
for GTA positions).
Applying
to the program
If you plan to apply to the MA program
in Applied Communication, visit the Graduate College website. There, you can access general information for prospective students and
review other graduate programs at NAU. Applications are to be submitted online through the Graduate College (paper applications are not accepted).
In addition to the basic application
requirements of NAU’s Graduate College (which include transcripts from all
institutions of higher education you have attended), the MA in Applied
Communication requires the following items for application:
- An updated resumé (in .doc, .rtf, or .pdf format).
- A personal statement of interest in pursuing the graduate study of
communication and in this degree program specifically (generally 2-3
pages, in .doc, .rtf, or .pdf format).
- A writing sample (in .doc, .rtf, or .pdf format). Your writing
sample could be any of the following (in order of preference): an academic
paper, a work-related report or other substantial document, a journalistic
story/essay, a piece of creative writing, a letter to the editor, or a
work-related memo or letter.
- Scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). We do not accept
alternative measures (e.g., GPA) in place of GRE scores. Please be aware
that you must take the test in sufficient time for your
scores to be submitted to NAU by the application deadline listed above (we suggest taking the
test at least two weeks in advance of the application due date).
- Three letters of reference from individuals who are familiar with
your educational, professional, or other experiences, training, and
background, and who are in a position to comment upon your preparation
and/or suitability for graduate study. These letters are to be submitted
by your recommenders directly, not by the applicant. Letters of
recommendation should be submitted electronically through the Graduate College's online
application system. Please stress to your
recommenders that specific and substantive information makes for a better
letter than a few general sentences in support of the applicant. Please be aware that you must arrange for your
letters of recommendation enough in advance that they can be submitted by
the application deadline.
- If you wish to apply for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA),
your three letters of reference should be from persons familiar with your
academic performance. At least two of these letters must be from faculty
members and should address your suitability for a teaching assistantship
in addition to your suitability for graduate study in communication.
- In addition, applicants for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship should
submit a statement of teaching interest (generally 1-2 pages). Applicants
for Graduate Teaching Assistantships are encouraged to work closely with
the MAAC Graduate Coordinator as they prepare their application materials.
Those admitted to the program are
expected to attend a one-day orientation meeting on the NAU campus in Flagstaff,
Arizona. This meeting will be held on a Saturday in late August or early
September. Contact the MAAC Graduate Coordinator if you have any questions
about this requirement.
We look forward to hearing from
you. Good luck!