Admissions Criteria

Admission to the PhD program requires an MA in Communication, Rhetoric, or a related field from an accredited institution. Multiple criteria will be used when considering a student's application for admission, including, but not limited to, undergraduate and graduate grade point average, GRE scores, personal goals statement, writing samples, relevant employment history, letters of recommendation, and the quality of the applicant's writing. The number of students admitted to the PhD program will depend on availability of adequate faculty supervision and other department resources. GRE scores are required for every applicant.

To apply to the PhD program, you must complete two steps:

1. Apply to the University of Memphis Graduate School.
2. Apply to the Department of Communication.

1. Apply to the University of Memphis Graduate School

You will need:

• Completed Graduate School application
• Non-refundable fee ($35 domestic, $60 international)
• Official transcripts
• Official test scores - GRE (TOEFL if applicable)
• Graduate Admissions Application deadlines do not coincide with the Communication Department's deadlines. Be sure to follow the guidelines for both the Graduate School and the Department of Communication. We cannot review your department application until the Graduate School notifies us that all of your materials have been submitted to them.
• Transcripts must be sent to the University Graduate School. Applicants who have received their undergraduate or Master’s degree from the University of Memphis should submit an unofficial transcript, which can be found on Spectrum. Please do not send transcripts to the Department.
• GRE test scores (scores must be sent to the University Graduate School using ETS code 1459)
• Graduate School Address:

  Office of Graduate Admissions
  The University of Memphis
  101 Wilder Tower

2. Apply to the Department of Communication

You will need:

• Two writing samples from your graduate work, uploaded as PDF files
• Three letters of recommendation from faculty members from your MA program who can attest to your potential as a doctoral student. Please do not submit letters from current or former non-academic employers.
  • Your letter writers should send their their letters directly to Rika Hudson, either as a pdf attachment to rlhudsn1@memphis.edu, or a hard copy mailed to Department of Communication, 212 Art & Communication Bldg, Memphis, TN, 38152.
• If you are interested in receiving an assistantship, please complete the assistantship application.
• The department application is best viewed in Firefox or Chrome.

Please note: Your application to the Department of Communication will not be processed until all components of your application have been completed (including the University of Memphis Graduate School Application).