University of Arkansas at Little Rock

1. When is the deadline to apply?
2. Do you admit students in the spring semester?
3. Where do I send the application materials?
4. What career fields do most of your graduate students enter?
5. If my bachelor’s degree is not in Speech Communication, what will be required of me?
6. What financial resources are available for national and international students?
7. Is there an office that helps international students?
8. Do I need to take the GRE or MAT?
9. When should I take the MAT or GRE so that you receive the scores before the deadline?
10. Do I have to fill out a separate application to apply for a graduate assistantship??
11. How likely is it that I will get an assistantship?
12. How many students are admitted each year?
13. How soon will I hear whether or not I was admitted?
14. Who should I contact for more information and/or if I want to visit the campus?

1. When is the deadline to apply?

The application deadline is April 1 of each year. However, we accept applications until all of our slots are filled with qualified applicants.

2. Do you admit students for the Spring semester?

Yes, students wanting to apply for the Spring should contact the graduate coordinator before Nov. 15th.

3. Where do I send application materials?

Your letters of recommendation should be sent to the Department of Speech Communication at the address below. All other materials should be sent to the Graduate School.

International Students should be sure to follow the additional application guidelines from the UALR further application information
Your application is processed on line. You will be directed to send your materials to.
The University of Arkansas, Little Rock
Graduate School
2801 S. University
Little Rock, AR 72204

All students must send:

• Completed application – on line only
• Official MAT or GRE scores (sent by the testing service in a sealed envelope).
• Official transcript sent by the degree granting university in a sealed envelop.
  The UALR code for transcript submission is 001101.

4. What career fields do most of your graduate students enter?

A major percentage of our students enter fields related to communication training or education. Others use the degree to move
into leadership roles within organizations where they currently work. Finally, others enter into organizational development/consulting roles.

5. If my bachelor’s degree is not in Speech Communication, what will be required of me?

If your bachelor’s degree is not in Speech Communication and/or if you do not have at least 18 hours in approved Speech Communication courses, you have two options. First, you may elect to take a Summer 4 course that occurs in July each year. Second, you may elect and/or the graduate coordinator may suggest that you take leveling work within our department.

6. What financial resources are available for national and international students?

Beyond the option to apply for a graduate assistantship US citizens should explore financial aid opportunities. International students can explore scholarship opportunities.

7. Is there an office that helps international students?

Please visit the International Student Services Office online, or contact Allyson Hughes, International Student Coordinator, via email or at 501.683.7566.

8. Do I need to take the GRE or MAT? What scores do I need?

You have the option of taking the GRE or the MAT, but you must take one of these. We find the GRE is useful for students planning to go on to apply to Ph.D. programs. The GRE will require more preparation time due to the math/quantitative section. The MAT is also a useful gauge of your readiness for graduate school. We recommend that you prepare and take practice test regardless of the exam you select. We look for a score of 500 on the MAT and on the GRE we look for a verbal reasoning score of 153 and a quantitative reasoning of 144. However, these scores are only one of the factors we examine in the application. Official MAT or GRE scores must be sent to us directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). You may email the graduate coordinator a copy of your unofficial scores, but you still must have official scores sent to the graduate school. For further assistance consult the Office of Testing Services Test Directory.

9. When should I take the MAT or GRE so that you receive the scores before the deadline?

We advise you to take the GRE at least by the end of February, prior to the April 1 deadline. It takes the Education Testing Service 10-15 business days to process your test, and then it’s mailed to the University of Arkansas where it is processed again. Lastly, it is sent to the department. Please do not wait until the last minute to take the test. Not having your scores may affect your chances at being admitted or receiving an assistantship.

10. Do I have to fill out a separate application to apply for a graduate assistantship?

Yes, there is a form and directions that can be found on the Graduate School website. If you are interested in an assistantship you should make contact with the Graduate Coordinator and arrange for an in person and/or phone interview prior to application.

11. How likely is it that I will get an assistantship?

The number of available assistantships varies each year. We sometimes offer part time roles to provide more opportunities to students. In a given year we may have as few as one full time position to offer and in other years we may have two or three positions. Because the majority of our students work full time, we work hard to find assistantship roles for those seeking such support. Thus, in some cases, our students find assistantship roles in other units on campus.

12. How many students are admitted each year?

Approximately 20 students are admitted. We seek to keep the numbers low in order to maximize classroom interaction.

13. How soon will I hear whether or not I was admitted?

Letters of acceptance or denial are sent out by the middle of May. Graduate assistantship positions are typically decided by mid April.

14. Who should I contact for more information and/or if I want to visit the campus?

You should contact the faculty graduate coordinator, Dr. Gerald Driskill, via email or at (501) 569-3158 to arrange a campus visit.