Graduate Admissions

Department of Communication and Film does not require GRE.

For additional Univerisity-wide admission requirements for international students, see https://www.memphis.edu/graduateadmissions/international/add_requirements.php

Applicants whose highest degree is from a foreign university must have their credentials evaluated. The committee will accept evaluations done by any credentialing agency listed on the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services website (http://www.naces.org). A course-by course report is required.

Admissions Process

Apply HERE (Application portal for Fall 2023 admission will be open September 2022)

Fall 2023 Admissions Deadlines:

January 18, 2023 - MA and PhD priority deadline for consideration for a graduate assistantship.
May 1, 2023 - Final PhD application deadline.
June 1, 2023 - Final MA application deadline.

For answers to frequently asked questions about applying to our program, CLICK HERE.

All admissions questions should be directed to the Director of Graduate Studies, Marina Levina.

MA Program Application

CV/Resume: Please upload your resume or curriculum vitae. Include all relevant teaching, research, and work experience.

Writing Sample: Please upload an example of your academic writing, such as a final paper for one of your classes

Statement / Letter of Purpose: Please upload an essay of up to 1200 words, explaining your purpose in pursuing a master's degree, specific communication areas that you would like to explore, and why you would like to study in our department.

Official/Unofficial Transcript: In order to expedite the decision process, please include a copy of your unofficial transcript. Please note that in order to be admitted to the University of Memphis, you must provide the official transcript. There will be a space in the application portal for you to provide both.

Recommendations: We require two letters of recommendation from faculty members at your undergraduate institution who can attest to your potential as a graduate student. We do not accept letters from current or former non-academic employers.
Once you fill out your application, an email request will automatically be sent to the recommender on your behalf. Please advise your recommender to look for this email in their inbox, as well as their spam or junk-mail folder, as emails do occasionally get filtered out. Please be mindful that the priority deadline for the consideration for graduate assistantship is January 18th and the letters of recommendation will need to be posted around that time as well. Applying well before January 18th deadline will ensure that your recommendation letters get to the department in time.

Other: Please upload any video related to the Film and Video Production Program. If your video is larger than 15 MB, provide a URL to your sample film or video in the Questions sections.

PhD Program Application

CV/Resume: Please upload your curriculum vitae. Include all relevant teaching, research, and work experience.

Writing Sample: Please submit two academic papers that demonstrate your writing skills. Examples of acceptable submissions include research paper from your MA program, professional research or position papers, or chapters from your MA thesis.

Statement / Letter of Purpose: Please upload an essay of up to 1500 words, explaining your purpose in pursuing a PhD, specific communication areas that you would like to explore, and why you would like to study in our department. If your MA is not in Communication, please explain how your MA prepared you for getting a PhD in Communication.

Official/Unofficial Transcript: In order to expedite the decision process, please include a copy of your unofficial transcript. Please note that in order to be admitted to the University of Memphis, you must provide the official transcript. There will be a space in the application portal for you to provide both.

Recommendations: We require three letters of recommendation from faculty members who can attest to your potential as a PhD student. We do not accept letters from current or former non-academic employers. Once you have saved an electronic recommendation, an email request will automatically be sent to the recommender on your behalf. Please advise your recommender to look for this email in their inbox, as well as their spam or junk-mail folder, as emails do occasionally get filtered out. Please be mindful that the priority deadline for the consideration for graduate assistantship is January 18th and the letters of recommendation will need to be posted around that time as well. Applying well before January 18th deadline will ensure that your recommendation letters get to the department in time.