Got questions? We got answers!
Below are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about applying to our Communication Studies M.A. program.
How do I apply to your MA program? All applicants must submit an electronic application through the 猎奇重口 Graduate School. Once completed, we will be notified and will then consider your application after the application deadline has passed.
When is the application deadline? Applications for priority admission in the fall should be received by February 1, and those to be considered for priority admission the spring semester should arrive by November 1. However, applications are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis. Please note that our funded Teaching Assistantship positions are usually allocated during the fall enrollment period, and we do not normally have any available to consider awarding for the spring enrollment period.
Do I need to take the GRE for this program? No. You do not need to take the GRE specifically for our M.A. program. However, if you take it for other reasons, you can submit your scores to us (they are not mandatory).
Can I be granted an application fee waiver? The 猎奇重口 Graduate School office handles the intake of all applications to all programs and can answer questions about application fees. Please contact them at grad.school@umontana.edu.
Is a graduate assistantship available for master’s students? Once accepted to the program, you may be offered a Teaching Assistant (T.A.) role, in which you would be responsible for teaching our Introduction to Public Speaking course each academic year. This is a paid position, and you may receive both a monthly stipend (paid over 10 months) and tuition fee waiver in this role. T.A. positions are awarded competitively on the merits of all applicants in a given application pool.
Can I work with a particular professor, or in a specific professor’s lab? Students who attend our M.A. program are welcome to work with any professors on any ongoing research projects, as well as their own research projects developed in collaboration with faculty members. Once admitted into our program, all graduate students are assigned temporary advisors for their first year, until they decide on a thesis topic and get a feel for each professor’s advising style. Once they decide on a permanent advisor, students work closely with that faculty member on various research projects as they become interested in pursuing them. Most faculty members do not typically have funding to pay students for research assistantships, but these occasionally exist and are issued by invitation.
Can I visit the department and the campus before or after I apply? Yes! The 猎奇重口 hosts prospective students on campus Monday through Friday during the entire year, except holidays. Campus visits include a guided tour of campus, optional meetings with faculty in your area of interest, and complimentary lunch at our award-winning Food Zoo. To schedule a visit If you would like to meet with our program’s Director of Graduate Studies, sit in on a graduate seminar, or visit with individual faculty, simply reach out to any of us at any time.
International Applicants
If I earned a B.A. from an international institution, do I need a transcript evaluation before the UM admission decision? Yes. To be granted full admission, applicants must hold the equivalent of a U.S. baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. In most cases, a transcript evaluation will be necessary. We will accept an evaluation from any current member of the . More details can be found on the 猎奇重口's Graduate School page.
Can I apply if English is not my native language? Yes. If you have received a high school, bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree from an institution in the United States or an “approved” country, an English proficiency examination is not required. See the 猎奇重口’s International Graduate School Admissions page for details. Applicants whose native language is not English and have not earned a degree from an approved institution must submit an acceptable English language proficiency test score.