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Master of Arts in Strategic Communication Admissions Information

​​​​​Darius M. Benton, Ph.D.
MASC Program Director
(713) 221-5857
bentond@uhd.edu

 

Karlyli Juarez
Associate Director, Graduate Studies
CHSSGradStudies@uhd.edu



Graduate Degree and Graduate Certificate Application Deadlines

Spring 2025
Jan. 7, 2025

Admission to the Program

The Admissions Committee will consider several factors when determining admission eligibility into the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication program, including the candidate's:

  • Experience and interest in the field
  • Proven academic ability
  • Demonstration of skills necessary to complete the program successfully
  • Ability to contribute to the field upon completion of the program

Eligibility Requirements

  • Completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university
  • A grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in prior undergraduate and graduate coursework. (Applicants who do not meet the 3.0 GPA requirement may be granted conditional admission when the combined strength of their application and supporting documents provides compelling evidence that they will be successful in the program).
  • Proficiency in English (if a graduate of a university in which English is not the native language) provided by an adequate TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) minimum score of 81 and 6.5 for the IELTS exam.

How to Apply

Applicants must complete and submit all of the following items in order to be considered for admission. Resumes and personal statements can be uploaded through the applicant portal, emailed to gradadmissions@uhd.edu, or mailed to:

Office of Admissions – Graduate Admissions
University of Houston-Downtown
One Main Street, Suite GSB 308
Houston, TX 77002-1001

  • Submit an application 
  • Pay the $35 application fee
  • Request/submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended to the email or mailing address above (including community college work and prior graduate work).
  • Provide a professional/personal resume
  • Provide a personal statement of approximately 500 words that addresses some or all of the following questions in detail. Support your views with reasons and examples drawn from areas as your reading, experience, observations, or academic studies. Be sure to develop your ideas fully and organize them coherently:
    • Why do you want to study strategic communication?
    • What topics or issues in our field might you want to study further and why?
    • What qualifies you to embark upon this field of study?
    • What experience do you have in this field?
    • how do you plan to use your degree?
  • Provide the names and email contact information for two recommenders in the application. 
    • Your recommenders/references should be individuals with knowledge of your work and who are able to address your academic potential such as former professors, work supervisors, or professional colleagues.
    • Your recommenders will be contacted and provide their recommendations directly into the application system. Please make sure you have accurate email addresses for both recommenders.
  • Provide TOEFL/IELTS scores as outlined above (if a graduate of a university in which English is not the  native language).

Transferring Coursework

The Program Director may approve up to 6 hours of coursework to be transferred into the program from another institution. Students must have earned a grade of B or above in a course to qualify for transfer credit. Fill out the Graduate Transfer Credit Petition form (pdf) to make a transfer credit request.


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