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 online admissions application can be found on the Purdue University Web site. You will need to complete a Statement of Purpose, gather three (3) Letters of Reference, and order Transcripts from all degree-granting institutions that you have attended at or above the undergraduate level. We do not process your application until we receive all of these materials and you have paid the application fee.
Please keep in mind the following important dates for admission to our program. International students who live abroad or who need to leave the country in order to obtain an I-20 visa have earlier deadlines.
| 15 Feb Recommended | 15 Apr Deadline | 15 May Cutoff | 15 Aug Deadline | 15 Sep Recommended | 15 Oct Cutoff | 30 Nov Deadline | 1 Jan Deadline | |
| All applicants | For best selection of Fall classes | For degree-seeking students in Fall | For non-degree seeking post-baccalaureate students in the Fall | For best selection of Spring classes | For degree-seeking students in Spring | For non-degree seeking post-baccalaureate students in the Spring | ||
| International applicants who need I-20 visa | For processing visas for Fall admission | Last day Purdue will process completed application for Fall admission | For processing visas for Spring admission | Last day Purdue will process completed application for Spring admission |
If you have questions regarding the status of your application portfolio, please go to webcenter.applyyourself.com/ before contacting Graduate Admissions. Here, you will be able to see whether we have received your letters of reference and your academic transcripts. If we have not received these materials, please contact your references or the registrar at your previous institution directly.
When you arrange to have materials sent to us, please provide the following address:
Susan Humphrey
www.ipfw.edu/admissions | 260-481-6812 or 1-800-324-IPFW | ASK@ipfw.edu
Graduate Admissions KT 111
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne
2101 E. Coliseum Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499
Sending these materials elsewhere may result in delays processing your application.
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.
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.
Post-Baccalaureate Non-Degree Seeking
If you've already earned an undergraduate degree, you can apply to take up to twelve (12) credits as a non-degree seeking post-baccalaureate student. If you are a non-degree-seeking post-baccalaureate student, you are not admitted to the graduate program. You will not be eligible for financial aid, nor for assistantships. However, you can re-apply to the program as a degree-seeking candidate within the same semester, and Purdue will waive the application fee. If you take classes as a degree-seeking student, you can apply up to twelve (12) credits taken as a non-degree-seeking student to your graduate degree.
International Students
In addition to the admission requirements listed above, new international students must submit scores for 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 pencil 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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