Degrees & Certificates
M.A./M.S. in Professional Communication
Students enrolled in the IPFW Department of Communication graduate program are able to earn either a Master of Arts (M.A.) or a Master of Science (M.S.) in professional communication. The M.A. is recommended for those intending to pursue a doctoral program. Some students, particularly from abroad, have specific reasons for pursuing an M.S. Both degrees are awarded by Purdue University. A 2005 survey of 18
Professional Communication Alumni (31% response rate) shows a high degree of
satisfaction with our program. On a scale of 1 to 5, the survey finds that our
students believe: they obtained knowledge and skills as a result of the MA ( 
4.28); the coursework helped them to achieve
professional goals (
4.14);
the program taught them communication skills (
4.44); and the program successfully met its
goals (
4.42).
Admission
The first step toward admission to the graduate program is creating your Statement of Purpose. This essay should reflect your goals for the graduate program. When writing your Statement of Purpose, consider some of the following questions:
- Why do you wish to do further study in communication?
- What are you most interested in studying during your Masters work?
- What do you want to do with a Masters Degree in Professional Communication?
The next step is to gather your References. Three references are preferred. One of these letters should be from a college instructor familiar with your academic work. For those who completed their degree in the distant past, letters of reference ought to assess habits which reflect your ability to do graduate work (i.e. oral and written communication, critical thinking, ability to complete projects, motivation, etc).
The final step is to order your Transcripts. If you attended any IU or Purdue campus including IPFW, you can do this through the Office of the Registrar, located in Kettler Hall 107. Otherwise, you must contact the Registrar at any other campus directly and arrange to have them send your transcripts to Graduate Admissions.
Once you have completed all three steps, forward these items to Susan Humphrey in Graduate Admissions. For the best selection of classes, applications should be completed by February 15th for fall admission and September 15 for spring admission. While we accept applications throughout the year, after these dates there is no guarantee that your application can be processed in time for you to register for classes. Purdue does have a cut-off for accepting applications from international students (see below).
If accepted into the program, you will be admitted under one of two statuses:
- Unconditional: You are admitted to the program with no conditions. This is the status required for receiving an immediate teaching assistantship.
- Conditional: You are admitted to the program, but you must meet certain conditions to stay in. These conditions could include completing a few undergraduate classes with at least a B, perhaps due to an insufficient background in communication that would lend to a successful graduate career. Conditions must be met before you can become a graduate assistant.
The online admissions application can be found on the Purdue University Web site.
International Students
The Purdue cut-off for applications from international students is 15 June for fall admission, and 15 October for spring admission.
International students are required to take either a paper-and-pencil or computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum scores required for admission are:
- Paper and pencll TOEFL: 600
- Computer-based TOEFL: 250
The Educational Testing Service (ETS) school code for reporting TOEFL scores to IPFW is 1336.
International students are generally required to take (at least) 9 credit hours to fulfill their student visa requirements. If an international student has a teaching assistantship, that requirement is met with 6 credit hours.
For more information on IPFW services for International Students, please check with the Office of International Services.
260-481-IPFW
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