College of Communication > Academics > Health Communication > Graduate Program > Health Communication (MA) > Admission Requirements

Health Communication MA Admission Requirements

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Application Materials

To be admitted to the Graduate Certificate in Health Communication or the Master of Arts in Health Communication, applicants must demonstrate a capacity for achievement through past academic or professional work. The College of Communication looks at each application as a unique presentation of a candidate's profile and will consider a variety of information sources. Admission decisions will be based on the following:

Completed online application and $40 domestic application fee, $75 international application fee.
Official undergraduate transcript showing the completion of a bachelor's degree (minimum grade point average preferred is 3.0 on a 4-point scale).
Four essay questions (Essay questions should be saved as .doc or .pdf and uploaded into online application or e-mailed to gradcom@depaul.edu):

What factors contribute to your decision to enter graduate school now?
How do studies in health communication relate to your personal and professional goals? (In your response, identify how this program suits your specific needs, goals, interests, etc. and how health communication studies connect with your future objectives.)
What demonstrates your suitability for graduate study in this program? Build an argument for your admission.
What understandings should admission reviewers bring to a reading of your application? (What additional information or explanations seem important?)

Writing sample (research paper that demonstrates the applicant's ability to synthesize and criticize scholarly work)
Two letters of recommendation written by work supervisors and/or faculty members familiar with the applicant's academic and/or professional achievements.
Résumé or curriculum vitae.
GRE scores are not required, but may be submitted to strengthen an application.

International Students

An English language examination is required for applicants who have completed their undergraduate education outside the USA. The College of Communication requires the following English language proficiency scores for admission to any of its graduate programs:

Test Type	Minimum Score for Full Admission	Minimum Score for Conditional Admission
TOEFL Internet-based version	96 (each section at least 22)	79 (each section at least 17)
TOEFL computer-based version	243	213
TOEFL paper version	590	550
Duolingo	130	110
IELTS	7.5	6.5

Students who accept conditional admission are required to take coursework in DePaul's English Language Academy until their English language proficiency reaches the level required for full admission.

International students (those who were educated outside of the U.S. and/or require an F1 visa) must take additional steps to be considered for admission. Please review International Student Admission for exact information.

Readmission

Applicants are admitted to the College of Communication based on their proven competencies measured by academic criteria, recommendations, and demonstrated ability to complete programs of study and research prescribed for the M.A. programs.

Readmission Procedures

Applications for readmission to any of the College of Communication graduate programs after a dismissal will only be considered after one calendar year. Students who were discontinued from the active status roster for a period of one calendar year must file a readmission application. A readmit application should contain at least one letter of support from a faculty member in the program and a personal statement that provides a general summary of the reasons for the student’s departure from the program as well as the reasons they hope to rejoin the program at this time. (This list is not exhaustive and may require additional admission materials as determined by the Graduate Advisor, Graduate Program Director, and/or Associate Dean on a case-by-case basis). If readmission occurs before four years has elapsed, the student may submit new Letters of Recommendation, but may also reuse the older letters of recommendation if they wish. The student may reuse official transcripts.

If more than four years have elapsed since the student has been in attendance, the applicant must file a new application with all new supporting application materials, with the exception of Official Transcripts. Any new schooling that occurred in the intervening years must be documented on additional Official Transcripts. The application must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the start of the term in which the student expects to resume their studies.

Official copies of transcripts recording scholastic work completed while not enrolled at DePaul University must be submitted. As a policy, students are held to the degree requirements that are in effect at the time of readmission.

Apply for Readmission

Tuition Award Available for the Academic Year

DePaul is offering a tuition award to new students starting a College of Communication Master of Arts graduate program in Autumn, Winter or Spring quarters. The tuition award is for $525 toward each four-credit hour course – up to two courses per term. The award amounts to a total of $6,300 towards a twelve-course graduate program and $6,825 towards a thirteen-course graduate program.

For details including eligibility requirements, please contact the Office of Graduate Admission at (773) 325-4405 or gradcom@depaul.edu.

Submitting Materials

Application materials including the statement of purpose, writing sample, and resume, can be uploaded directly into the online application. Applicants also have the option of submitting the application without these items and emailing them separately to gradcom@depaul.edu. Students may request recommendations through the online application and track whether they have been submitted.

Transcripts (and letters of recommendation not submitted through the online application) should be mailed to:

Office of Graduate Admission
College of Communication
DePaul University
1 E. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604-2287

Application credentials (including official electronic transcripts) also can be emailed to the Office of Graduate Admission at gradcom@depaul.edu. Please make sure your name is on all documents.

Application Deadlines

New student enrollment in our MA in Health Communication and the Health Communication Certificate programs is currently paused. Please check back in the coming months for updates.

Admission decisions for College of Communication graduate programs are made on a rolling basis. However, the college establishes regular application deadlines for each program so that applicants can be fully considered for admission and financial aid. The preferred deadlines for each term are listed below.

Applicants will be considered for an admission scholarship at the time of review. Admission scholarships are based on merit. A minimum 3.7 GPA is required to be considered for an admission scholarship.

Fall Quarter
We review applications for Fall quarter on a continuous basis. To be considered for fall admission, applicants should submit an application by August 15.

Winter Quarter
We review applications for Winter quarter on a continuous basis. To be considered for winter admission, applicants should submit an application by December 1.

Spring Quarter
We review applications for Spring quarter on a continuous basis. To be considered for spring admission, applicants should submit an application by March 1.

Information Sessions

Learn more about the Health Communication graduate programs and meet with program faculty at an upcoming information session.

Learn more about Graduate Admission.

Ready to apply?

Apply Now

If you have questions, please contact the Office of Graduate Admission at (773) 325-4405 or gradcom@depaul.edu.

Talk to a Current Student

Get in touch with one of our ambassadors to learn more about graduate programs in the College of Communication. All of them are happy to answer your questions about their program, student life, extracurriculars and more.