APPLICANT BACKGROUND/TRANSFER QUESTIONS
I need a master’s degree to apply?
No. You do not need to have a master’s degree to apply.
Do I need to have an undergraduate or graduate degree in communication in order
to apply?
No. Doctoral study at the Annenberg School for Communication is research-intensive
and interdisciplinary in nature. Our students come from diverse backgrounds, with
undergraduate and graduate degrees in areas such as African-American and American
Studies, Cultural Studies, English, History, Film/Media Studies, Journalism, Political
Science, Psychology and Sociology, among others.
May I transfer from another doctoral program or master’s program to Annenberg?
Yes.
How many credits are students allowed to transfer if you have a master’s degree
in communication?
Students with a master's degree may request transfer of up to 5 courses. All transfer
requests are considered on a case-by-case basis by the student's advisor and the
Graduate Studies Committee. Students who receive credit for 5 transfer courses must
complete the remaining 15 courses at the University of Pennsylvania. Transfer credit
requests may not be submitted until the student has completed a full academic year
(2 semesters) at the school.
What kind of financial aid do you offer and how can I apply?
All students admitted to the Annenberg School receive financial support that includes
a stipend, health insurance and a waiver of University tuition. Funding is contingent
upon full-time enrollment, satisfying academic progress and satisfactory performance
as a Teaching or Research Fellow. Dissertation fellowships of 12-month duration,
to support the writing of a dissertation are also available. There is no separate
financial aid form for Annenberg applicants.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
What admission criteria do you use?
We use a wide variety of criteria for admission. The criteria include GREs, GPA,
TOEFL scores for international candidates, letters of recommendation, and a personal
statement. The statement of purpose is very important in the application process
because it signals students' research interests and their fit with program in the
school. No one criterion will allow or disallow admission, as faculty and staff
conduct a thorough evaluation of all applications.
What is the Personal Statement? Isn’t that like an essay?
Not exactly. A personal statement is a narrative that outlines the student’s research
interests and provides the student with an opportunity to demonstrate how they would
fit in at the Annenberg School for Communication.
May I apply past the December 15 deadline?
Unfortunately, no. Because we fully fund all of our students we need to make our
admissions decisions and admit our next class as a group. Once we begin the evaluation
process, we can not accept additional applications. Therefore, applications received
after December 15 can not be reviewed.
When will I be notified about a decision?
We review all applications in February. You will be notified as soon as possible,
but no later than April 1.
Who should write my three letters of recommendation?
Your recommendation letters should come from should be 3 persons familiar with your
abilities and scholarly work, including if possible at least two major professors.
Does Annenberg have Spring admission?
No.
Do international students have to submit financial reports with admission materials?
No.
What is the process if you applied the year before and would like to re-apply?
You will need to resubmit your application, the application fee, and update any
portion of your original application that may have changed since the year before.
When may I come to see the school and meet the faculty?
Every admitted candidate to the Annenberg School for Communication is invited to
attend our Prospective Student’s Day in April as a guest of the school. The school
provides hotel accommodations and covers travel expenses. The program for Prospective
Student’s Day is designed to answer all of your questions about the school, the
students, faculty and staff. Students meet individually with faculty in their research
area, have multiple opportunities to meet with current students in formal and informal
surroundings and tour the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.
GRE/LANGUAGE EXAM QUESTIONS
How much does my GRE matter in the admission decision?
No single test score or other individual source of information is weighed more heavily
than others. While GRE scores are important, they do not alone determine admission.
GRE scores are taken into consideration in combination with GPA, TOEFL scores for
international candidates, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement.
What are the GRE and GPA requirements for acceptance into the doctoral program?
We do not set a specific minimum score, but the selection process is highly competitive,
so you should do your best to get as high a score as possible. We do not have GRE
and GPA requirements because we evaluate each application on its individual strengths.
Can I get a waiver for GRE?
The GRE test is a University of Pennsylvania requirement so it can not be waived.
How old can GRE scores can be?
Scores older than 5 years will not be accepted.
Do you accept unofficial GRE scores?
No. Only official scores sent to us by the ETS are accepted.
Do you have to take the GRE, do you accept any other tests (GMAT, LSAT, etc.)?
The GRE test is a University of Pennsylvania requirement so it cannot be waived
and we cannot accept other graduate level exams in its place.
Should I take GRE General test or Subject Test?
We require the General Test.
Could I take a computer-based GRE test, or paper-based test
Either is acceptable to us as long as the test date is not more than five years
old and is sent to us by the Educational Testing Service.
Can the TOEFL of IELTS exam be waived if I have a B.A. or M.A. from an American
institution?
Applicants for whom English is a secondary language are required to take either
the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Testing
System (IELTS).The receipt of a bachelors or master's degree from a U.S. college
or university does not exempt an applicant from submitting official test scores.
The TOEFL is administered by the Educational testing Service (ETS). Official score
reports need to be provided directly from ETS to The Annenberg School, University
of Pennsylvania. Please use the ETS Code for the Annenberg School at Penn (2023)
on the request form. It is important to note that scores are only valid for two
years from the date you took the test. You must request that an official report
of your scores be sent For TOEFL test dates, locations and other registration information,
please contact: TOEFL, P. O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541- 6151.ADD or visit http://www.toefl.org/TOEFL
The IELTS is jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge
ESOL), British Council and IDP Education Australia: IELTS Australia. For information
about testing sites in your area please visit the official website at: http://www.ielts.org
What are the TOEFL/IELTS score requirements for acceptance into the doctoral
program?
As with the GRE, we do not have set requirements for acceptance, but the selection
process is highly competitive, so you should do your best to get as high a score
as possible.
PROGRAM QUESTIONS
May students complete the program on a part-time basis?
No, because we fully fund all of our students, we can not allow students to attend
part-time.
How many courses do I need to take and what is expected time for finishing the
Ph.D?
The minimum course requirement for the Ph.D. is 20 courses, a core of which will
be distributed over 3 areas: Communication Institutions, Influence of Communication,
and Communication and Culture. Students with a master’s Degree may request transfer
of up to 5 courses. All transfer requests are considered on a case-by-case basis
by the student's advisor and the Graduate Studies Committee. Students who receive
credit for five transfer courses must complete the remaining 15 courses at the University
of Pennsylvania. Transfer credit requests may not be submitted until the student
has completed a full academic year at the school. The normal course load is three
courses per term, so students entering with a bachelor's degree will need 3 ½ years
(or 7 semesters) to finish their coursework. Students transferring courses can shorten
their time in coursework by 1 or 2 semesters.
Can I take courses outside the Annenberg School?
Yes. You may easily take 3-4 courses in other departments. It's possible to take
more with the approval of your advisor.
How many students are currently enrolled in the program?
We have currently about 40 students enrolled in classes and an additional 30 working
on their dissertations.
Is there a terminal Master's option in the Communication program, or is the
program only open to those planning to obtain a Ph.D?
The graduate program at Annenberg is designed to prepare students to obtain the
PhD. While our students do receive a masters of arts, it is a research masters intended
to function as a foundation for the doctorate. We educate our students in the theories,
substance and methods of communication research and position them to become leading
academic and professional positions in the field.
How competitive are TAships? RAships?
Because we fully fund all of our students, all students are given the opportunity
to work with faculty during their years at ASC through research and teaching fellowships.
What are the research interests of your faculty?
Our faculty’s cutting-edge research emphasizes the following areas:
Children and Media
Culture, Society and Communication
Global Communication
Health Communication
Media Institutions
New Media and Information Technologies
Political Communication
Visual Communication
Prospective students are urged to examine the website for faculty and student work
that reflects the continually changing intellectual vibrancy of the School.
What research abroad opportunities are available within the Annenberg School?
In order to provide a greater emphasis for graduate students and faculty on comparative
and international communications, the Annenberg School for Communication initiated
the Project for Global Communications Studies (CGCS) in 2004. Working with the faculty
at the School and the University, CGCS:
- Sparks research opportunities for graduate students;
- Organizes conferences; and
- Provides consulting and advisory assistance to academic centers, governments, and
NGOs.
CGCS draws on various disciplines (law, political science, and international relations
among others) to explore public policy issues and the way media and globalization
intersect with the changing nature of states. CGCS offers faculty and students,
through its network and affiliations around the world, academic and internship opportunities
in locations such as Beijing, Budapest, London, Oxford, and Moscow.
Annenberg is currently working with the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy
at the University of Oxford, Center for Media and Communication Studies at the Central
European University, and Communication University of China and is developing projects
in Russia, China, and India.