Graduate Applicants

Tuition & Funding

All applicants to our master’s programs are automatically considered for merit-based funding in the form of Graduate Teaching Assistantships and tuition scholarships. Several highly selective, donor-funded scholarships are also available.

Quick facts to help you estimate your cost of tuition:

• For academic year 2025-26, tuition is $1,718 per credit.
• The MA in International and Intercultural Communication requires 48-credits and can be completed in 2 years on a full-time basis (24 credits per year).
• The MA in Media and Public Communication requires 48-credits and can be completed in 2 years on a full-time basis (24 credits per year).
• Funding support can range from 25% to 90% of the total cost of tuition.
• Part-time study is possible in both programs, except for international students who must maintain full-time status.

If you have questions about the cost of our programs, email us at mfjs@du.edu. Information about other funding sources is available on the university’s Graduate Financial Aid page.

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Admission Requirements & Deadlines

• Deadlines and Requirements

  Deadlines

  Fall 2025 quarter (beginning in September)

  • Priority deadline: January 31, 2025
  • Final submission deadline: July 15, 2025
  • International submission deadline: May 5, 2025

  Winter 2026 quarter (beginning in January)

  • Final submission deadline: November 18, 2025
  • International submission deadline: September 8, 2025

  Spring 2026 quarter (beginning in March)

  • Final submission deadline: February 24, 2026
  • International submission deadline: December 8, 2025

  Priority deadline: Applications will be considered after the Priority deadline provided space is available.

  Final submission deadline: Applicants cannot submit applications after the final submission deadline.

  Degrees and GPA Requirements

  Bachelors degree: All graduate applicants must hold an earned baccalaureate from a regionally accredited college or university or the recognized equivalent from an international institution.

  Grade point average: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for graduate study at the University of Denver is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits (approximately two years of work) for the baccalaureate degree. An earned master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution supersedes the minimum standards for the baccalaureate. For applicants with graduate coursework but who have not earned a master’s degree or higher, the GPA from the graduate work may be used to meet the requirement. The minimum GPA is a cumulative 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all graduate coursework undertaken.

  Program GPA requirement: The minimum undergraduate GPA for admission consideration for this program is a cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

• Additional Standards for Non-Native English Speakers and International Applicants

  Additional Standards for Non-Native English Speakers

  Official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), C1 Advanced or Duolingo English Test are required of all graduate applicants, regardless of citizenship status, whose native language is not English or who have been educated in countries where English is not the native language. Your TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test scores are valid for two years from the test date.

  The minimum TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test score requirements for this degree program are:

  • Minimum TOEFL Score (Internet-based test): 80
  • Minimum IELTS Score: 6.5
  • Minimum C1 Advanced Score: 176
  • Minimum Duolingo English Test Score: 115

  English Conditional Acceptance Offered: No, this program does not offer English Conditional Admission.

  • Read the English Language Proficiency policy for more details.
  • Read the Required Tests for GTA Eligibility policy for more details.

  Additional Standards for International Applicants

  Per Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) regulation, international applicants must meet all standards for admission before an I-20 or DS-2019 is issued, [per U.S. Federal Register: 8 CFR § 214.3(k)] or is academically eligible for admission and is admitted [per 22 C.F.R. §62]. Read the Additional Standards For International Applicants policy for more details.

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Application Materials

• Transcripts

  We require a scanned copy of your transcripts from every college or university you have attended. Scanned copies must be clearly legible and sized to print on standard 8½-by-11-inch paper. Transcripts that do not show degrees awarded must also be accompanied by a scanned copy of the diploma or degree certificate. If your academic transcripts were issued in a language other than English, both the original documents and certified English translations are required.

  Transcripts and proof of degree documents for postsecondary degrees earned from institutions outside of the United States will be released to a third-party international credential evaluator to assess U.S. education system equivalencies. Beginning July 2023, a non-refundable fee for this service will be required before the application is processed.

  Upon admission to the University of Denver, official transcripts will be required from each institution attended.

• Standardized Test Scores (Optional)

  GRE scores are optional for admission to this program. Applications submitted without scores will receive full consideration. Every application undergoes a comprehensive evaluation, including a careful review of all application materials.
  
  If you choose to submit test scores, you may upload your Test Taker Score Report PDF, which is considered unofficial. Official scores must be received directly from the appropriate testing agency upon admission to the University of Denver. The ETS institution code to submit GRE scores to the University of Denver is 4842.

  University Standardized Test Policy

• Letters of Recommendation

  Three (3) letters of recommendation are required. Applicants should request letters from individuals who can comment on their academic and professional abilities. Letters by family members and/or friends are not appropriate. Letters should be submitted by recommenders through the online application.

• Essays and Statements

  Each of our master’s programs requires applicants to answer three different questions in their Personal Statement. Please review the questions for your chosen program below. Your three answers should be submitted in a single document.

  International & Intercultural Communication

  Personal Statement Instructions

  Answer the two questions below in approximately 500 words each, making sure to label your answers clearly. Keep in mind that both the quality of your ideas and the quality of your writing will be assessed in reviewing your application.
  
  1) Discuss how being able to communicate across international and intercultural differences can be important and useful in contemporary life, using specific global issues and/or personal experiences as appropriate.
  
  2) What are your current professional goals and how can the MA in International and Intercultural Communication help you achieve them? Please reference specific classes, professors or other aspects of the program that interest you.

   

  Media & Public Communication

  Personal Statement Instructions

  Answer the following two questions in approximately 500 words each, making sure to label your answers clearly. Please upload your answers as a single document. Keep in mind that both the quality of your ideas and the quality of your writing will be assessed in reviewing your application.
  
  1. In your opinion, what is the role of media and public communication in contemporary life? Please reference specific social issues and discuss how your background and experiences have informed your perspective.
  
  2. What are your current professional goals and how can the MA in Media Public Communication help you achieve them? Please reference specific classes, professors or other aspects of the program that interest you.

• Application Fee

  Application Fee

  Application Fee: $65.00

  Fee Waivers

  MA/Certificate Programs

  • Colorado Residents: Application fee waivers are available to Colorado residents who apply to MA or certificate programs in the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences prior to the priority deadline.
  • Limited numbers of MA/Certificate application fee waivers are also available for the following groups (first-come, first-served):
    • Americorps, City Year, and Peace Corps Alumni
    • Veterans
    • DU Alumni

  
  Fee Waiver Process

  1. Submit all of your application materials, including your transcripts and letters of recommendation. Do not pay the fee.
  2. Contact cahssgradinquiry@du.edu to request a fee waiver.
  3. You will receive a notification when your fee waiver has been applied to your account. Once the fee waiver is applied we will review your application.
      

  International Degree Evaluation Fee

  International Degree Evaluation Fee: $50.00

  Evaluation Fee for degrees (bachelor's or higher) earned from institutions outside the United States. Fees for degree evaluation are not waived.

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