Admissions Requirements

Required Application Materials

All application materials must be sent to the UT Martin Office of Graduate Studies.

• Graduate School Online Application. All official transcripts should be requested during the online application process.
• Official GRE/GMAT test scores
• MASC GRE/GMAT Professional Waiver Request for professionals with at least five years of professional experience directly related to strategic communication. All waiver requests must be evaluated and approved by the Department of Communications Graduate Admissions Committee.
• Graduate Assistant Application (if interested)
• Current resume
• Three current and relevant letters of recommendation. These must be professional rather than personal references (i.e., from employers, faculty members rather than pastor, friend).
• A 500-word statement of professional goals that addresses the student’s career goals and how the MASC would contribute to the achievement of those goals.

Requirements for Unconditional Admission

Applicants who meet the following requirements qualify for unconditional admission to the MASC.

• Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• Must have at least a 2.50 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on all work attempted prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree (4.00 scale) from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Meet one of the following options.
  • GRE: Verbal Reasoning: 150 (450 if taken prior to August 2011), Quantitative Reasoning: 138 (350 if taken prior to August 2011), Analytical Writing: 4.0
  • GMAT: Total Score 350, Analytical Writing Assessment: 4.0
• Have a positive review from the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication (MASC) Graduate Admission Committee

Requirements for Conditional Admission

Applicants may be granted conditional admission to the MASC subject to the following conditions:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• Must have at least a 2.50 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on all work attempted prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree (4.00 scale) from a regionally accredited college or university.

AND

• Meet one of the following options.
  • GRE scores: Verbal Reasoning: 146 (390 if taken prior to August 2011), Quantitative Reasoning: 138 (350 if taken prior to August 2011), Analytical Writing: 3.5
  • GMAT: Total Score 320, Analytical Writing Assessment: 3.5
  • LSAT: 148

  OR

  • GRE: Verbal Reasoning: 150 (450 if taken prior to August 2011), Quantitative Reasoning: 138 (350 if taken prior to August 2011), Analytical Writing: 3.0, and successfully complete (with a letter grade of B or better, or pass for a pass/fail course) during the first semester of graduate classes a writing course to be approved by the MASC Graduate Coordinator.
  • GMAT: Total Score 350, Analytical Writing Assessment: 3.0, and successfully complete (with a letter grade of B or better, or pass for a pass/fail course) during the first semester of graduate classes a writing course to be approved by the MASC Graduate Coordinator.

  OR

  • The GRE/GMAT entrance exam requirement may be waived for applicants who demonstrated sufficient academic achievement as an undergraduate student or who have a significant amount of professional experience related to strategic communication (i.e., public relations, marketing, advertising, campaign planning, fundraising, organizational management, etc.)
  • Academic Waiver Option
  • For applicants with less than five years full-time professional experience in strategic communication who demonstrated academic excellence as an undergraduate student and had a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25. Applicants must submit at least two strong letters of recommendation from undergraduate faculty that speak to the students’ ability to successfully complete a graduate degree. Applicants for the academic waiver must also submit a sample of academic writing (research paper, essay, project with substantial amount of writing, etc.) and must receive a positive overall review from the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication Graduate Admission Committee to be approved for the academic waiver.
  • Professional Waiver Options
  • For applicants who have at least seven years of full-time professional experience in strategic communication, hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, and have at least a 2.50 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on all work attempted prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree (4.00 scale) from a regionally accredited college or university. Applicants must demonstrate career advancement after completing the bachelor’s degree and receive a positive overall review from the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication Graduate Admission Committee to be approved for the professional waiver.
  • For applicants who have at least five years of full-time professional experience in strategic communication, hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, and have at least a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on all work attempted prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree (4.00 scale) from a regionally accredited college or university. Applicants must demonstrate career advancement after completing the bachelor’s degree and receive a positive overall review from the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication Graduate Admission Committee to be approved for the professional waiver.
  • Applicants requesting the test score waiver might be required to submit evidence of satisfactory academic writing ability or successfully complete (with a letter grade of B or better or pass for a pass/fail course) during the first semester of graduate classes a writing course to be approved by the MASC Graduate Coordinator.
• Have a positive review from the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication (MASC) Graduate Admission Committee. The committee review will include the quality of work experience, previous academic performance. Statement of goals and letters of reference.

Requirements for Early Unconditional Admission for UT Martin Undergraduate Seniors

Undergraduate seniors currently enrolled in the final semester for a baccalaureate degree at a university/college in the U.S. have the option for early admission to the MASC.

According to the UT Martin Graduate Catalog, “a senior at UT Martin who needs less than 30 semester hours to complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree and has at least a B (3.00) cumulative average may take sufficient work for graduate credit to make a combined total of undergraduate and graduate credit hours of not more than 15 per semester, subject to the approval of the dean of graduate studies.” Strategic communication graduate courses may be taken only if a student meets all undergraduate prerequisite course requirements and must meet the requirements for unconditional admission. Students cannot earn both undergraduate and graduate credit for the same course.

The Graduate Studies Office must have received official qualifying exam scores, which equal or exceed the minimum requirement, current official transcript from the institution currently being attended and one official transcript from any other colleges/universities attended previously. The applicant must also meet the requirements for unconditional admission to the MASC, which may exceed the university's minimum requirements.

Graduate Assistantships

A limited number of graduate assistantships are available on campus. Students should direct all inquiries to the Graduate Studies office. Graduate Assistant responsibilities vary according to assignment. Assistantships carry a fixed stipend and provide a waiver of all tuition charges, including out-of-state fees, for GA’s with at least 30 percent appointment. International students may not apply for an assistantship until they have completed at least one term of full-time work at UT Martin.

Graduate assistants/teaching assistants are expected to enroll in no more than the appropriate fraction of the maximum course load.

• Assistants employed 20 hours per week—maximum of nine (9) semester hours.
• Assistants employed 15 hours per week—maximum of 12 semester hours.
• Assistants employed 12 hours per week—maximum of 15 semester hours.

Assistants employed 12 hours per week—maximum of 15 semester hours.

The University of Tennessee at Martin is strongly committed to increasing the enrollment of graduate students from underrepresented groups. Access and Diversity scholarships are available for qualified groups. Recipients are selected based upon the nomination by graduate coordinators/designee.

Fee Waivers

The university accepts fee waivers for UTM employees, UT system employees, and Tennessee state employees. For more information, see https://www.utm.edu/offices-and-services/office-of-bursar/forms.php.

Federal Direct Loan Program

The Department of Education offers Unsubsidized Stafford loans and Graduate Plus loans to students to help pay educational expenses. To be eligible, a student must complete a FAFSA, be admitted to a graduate program, be enrolled in at least 6 hours and have good standing with the university. The aggregate amounts of guaranteed student loans shall not exceed $138,500, including undergraduate loans. Students will be notified of eligibility. For more information concerning the various types of financial aid available, students should contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance located in 205 Administration Building or visit their website at https://www.utm.edu/offices-and-services/financial-aid-and-scholarships/.