COMMUNICATION STUDIES GRADUATE PROGRAM - Application Procedures
Students must have a cumulative Grade Point Average of at least 2.5 and a score above the 50th percentile in one of the three areas of the GRE in order to apply to the program. In general, very few applicants with a GPA of below 3.0 will be accepted to the program. Applicants with limited background in Communication Studies are normally required to complete six to twelve units of preparatory undergraduate coursework, determined through advisement by the Graduate Coordinator.
Teaching Associateships are available and involve teaching two sections of the public speaking course and a service assignment working with the Forensics Program, Performance Ensemble, the Aronstam Departmental Library, Technical Resources, or Service Learning.
We accept applications to the program for the Fall term until Mid March, contact the Graduate Advisor for exact date. Each of the documents listed below are part of the Graduate Application Packet. Go to http://www.csun.edu/CommunicationStudies and click on ACADEMIC PROGRAMS ... GRADUATE DEGREE to print them out. Please send in your department application in hardcopy.
Please note that there is no Spring admission in our department. Applications for the Fall semester each year will be accepted between January and mid-March for the following Fall.
In order to apply to the program you need to send in the following documents directly to the department in addition to filling out the University Application.
For university on-line applications go to: www.csumentor.edu
- A copy of your university application. Print it out as you submit it online.
- A copy of the Graduate Applicant Checklist.
- A cover letter expressing your interest in the program and including a detailed statement of purpose.
- A copy of your GRE scores. Please have the testing center report your GRE scores to the university directly. The ETS code for CSUN is 4707. You should also include a photocopy or printout of your scores in your application to the Department. Please note that GRE scores are now required for all applicants. (If GRE scores are not available by the time of the application deadline, they may be sent under separate cover after the deadline has passed.)
- A writing sample -- submit a copy of a term paper from a class or another example of your academic writing. The sample may be anywhere from 8-25 pages in length.
- A copy of your transcripts from your undergraduate institutions. These may be unofficial.
If you are also applying for a Teaching Associateship position, you will need to include the following items in your application in addition to the above:
- 3 Letters of Recommendation which should be mailed under separate cover by the recommenders.
- Any additional supporting materials you wish to include in your application (e.g. evidence of teaching effectiveness).
You'll also want to read the following documents available at www.csun.edu/CommunicationStudies:
- Letter to prospective graduate students
- Letter to prospective TAs
- Application Guidelines for TAs
- Application Guidelines for everyone else
- Graduate Program Description
- Program Requirements
- About Undergraduate Preparation
Additional information on the Communication Studies site and the CSUN.edu site that is useful for new graduate students:
- Course Descriptions
- Sample Syllabi from CSUN courses (Graduate courses are 500- and 600-level).
- CSUN Admissions and Records, for information about applying to the university.
- Financial Aid Information
CONTACT
Dr. Bernardo Attias, Graduate Coordinator
Department of Communication Studies
California State University, Northridge
Northridge, California 91330-8257
818.677.2876 (voice)
818.677.2663 (fax)