Each applicant is evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

• Applicants who are weak in one area may still be admitted if they have high credentials in other areas. Those who have not completed an undergraduate major or minor in communications may be required to undertake preparatory course work.

• During the period before candidacy, graduate students are advised by the department graduate coordinator. In consultation with the graduate advisor, the student devises an individualized Professional Communication program of study consisting of a core of common communication courses that all students are required to take, an emphasis in one of six disciplines represented within the department, and a series of cognate courses from the department and other units within the university.

• A student must apply  for admission to candidacy after completion of the core semester hours in professional communications. A program grade-point average of 3.0 or higher and the removal of all conditions imposed at the time of admission to the School of Graduate Studies is required.

• Students admitted to candidacy will declare two areas of emphases with one area begin within the Department of Communication 96-9 hours) and one in a cognate area (9 hours).

• The student also must indicate pursuit of the thesis or non-thesis option at that time, with approval by graduate faculty of the department.

• At least 75 percent of the total course hours must be taken within the Department of Communication.

• A minimum of 39 hours is required for both the thesis and non-thesis options.

• No more thatn 30 percent of all courses taken in the program may come from 5XX7/5956 series of independent studies, problems, topics or workshops or in any combination of these types of courses.