Ph.D. Admissions

The Cronkite School’s Ph.D. program in journalism and mass communication is designed to match the student’s research interests with those of the faculty. As part of their application, students must identify a faculty member with whom they would like to work. Information on the scholarly activities of the Cronkite School faculty can be found at http://cronkite.asu.edu/faculty/index.php.

Students are admitted to the Cronkite School’s program for the fall semester only. The application deadline is Feb. 1 of each year. Students must apply online at http://graduate.asu.edu/ and submit their materials to ASU’s Graduate College. Students with professional experience are especially encouraged to apply.

All applicants are required to take the Graduate Records Exam (GRE). International Students also must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). These must be taken and scores received by the Feb.1 application deadline. Students can have these scores automatically submitted to ASU and the Cronkite School by using the institutional code 4007 and the departmental code 0000.

To be considered for admission to ASU and the Cronkite School, students must have at least a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average both in their graduate classes and in their last 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of undergraduate coursework.

Applicants should have official transcripts of all college-level work sent to:

Graduate College
Arizona State University
1120 S. Cady Mall
Interdisciplinary Building B-Wing, Room 170
P.O. Box 871003
Tempe, Ariz. 85287-1003

The Cronkite School requires the following additional information:

  • 1. A one-page or two-page personal statement that:
    • identifies areas of interest
    • specifies the faculty member with whom the student would like to work
  • 2. A resume focusing on academic and professional experience.
  • 3. A writing sample. The personal statement may serve as a writing sample. However, in addition to the personal statement, applicants are encouraged to submit samples of published research, such as a conference paper or refereed research article.
  • 4. Unofficial transcripts from all college-level work.
  • 5. Three letters of recommendation, at least two of which reliably assess the likelihood of the student’s success in a research-oriented Ph.D. program.

The Cronkite School’s doctoral committee reviews completed applications on a rolling basis. Faculty members identified by the student also may be asked to review individual applications. Incomplete applications or those submitted after the Feb. 1 deadline may not be reviewed. Students may track the application process online; they will be notified of their admission status no later than the end of March.

Students accepted into the program are encouraged to notify the Cronkite School of their intention to enroll by April 15.

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