Admissions

Am I Qualified?

Students may be admitted to the Master of Science in Technical Communication program from any undergraduate major. Undergraduate preparation should include the following qualifications (or equivalents):

  • 3.0 overall undergraduate grade point average
  • 3.0 grade point average in the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work
Admissions Deadlines

Fall Semester Enrollment:  February 1 to be considered for Teaching Assistantships; June 15 for admission only.
Applications arriving after the deadlines will still be processed. However, if materials arrive too late, the admission decision may be delayed by one semester.

Applying to the Program

Apply online! The Graduate School has implemented an online-only application process using the ApplyYourself system. Click here for information on  “How to Apply” and cost. ApplyYourself also provides step-by-step instructions and a detailed FAQ section. Should you need additional help, the bottom of each page includes contact links and a “help” option. [If you choose one of these options, someone from the Graduate School will promptly contact you.]  International students, please see the Graduate School’s International Student Admissions website for more information.

The application form will ask if you are applying for admission only, or for admission and aid (e.g. assistantships). If you are applying for aid, for first choice click “Teaching Assistantship,” as this is the primary form of aid we have to offer. All of the pages of the online application will go straight to the Graduate School, and they in turn will make the files available to us. In addition to the application form, your application should include the following materials:

  • Personal Statement
  • Resume
  • Writing Sample
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • GRE scores
  • Transcripts

The Personal Statement is a part of the online application process, submitted with your application form. A good statement will have something to say about these topics: why you want to earn a graduate degree in Technical Communications; what your intellectual interests are; what your research interests are. Explain your interest in the MS program and what special skills or experience you may bring to it.

Resume: Please upload your current resume to the upload area for Resume/ CV

Writing Sample: Please upload your writing sample to the “Other Documents” location in ApplyYourself. If the sample is too large or contains numerous graphics, it may be necessary to send hard copies, which you can mail to the M. S. Director at the address below. Please do not convert the sample to text only, as we would like to see the design as well as the content. The sample can be academic or work-related and should be the equivalent of 5-10 pages long.

Letters of Recommendation: Direct your recommenders to the instructions in ApplyYourself for submitting a recommendation online. The interface allows recommenders to either write directly online, or to upload a text file. Please provide three names and email addresses so that the application system can send a link to recommenders allowing them to complete their recommendations online. Recommendations can come from current or former professors, or, if necessary, current co-workers, preferably managers or supervisors to whom you report or have reported.

GRE scores are sent directly by ETS (the Educational Testing Service) to the Graduate School. You will need to have taken the Graduate Record Exam general test within the past five years. For more information about the three parts (Verbal, Quantitative, Analytical Writing) see the ETS website at:http://www.gre.org. The GRE is waived if you have a graduate degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States.

The test can be taken once in any calendar month. It can be retaken as well on the same schedule. We will keep your highest scores, and scores remain valid for five years. Indicate that your scores should be sent to NC State University by using institution code 5496. (Department code is not necessary.) We do not require the subject test in English.

There are no absolute minimum cutoff scores, but our recent average for the GRE Verbal is approximately 155 and 4.5 in analytical writing.  Students who are offered Teaching Assistantships typically have significantly higher than average GRE scores.

Scores for the Verbal and Quantitative sections are machine scored and typically reach NC State within two weeks of your taking the test; however, the Analytical Writing portion of the test takes longer. Consequently, do not assume that your complete GRE scores can reach us in less than a month.

One Copy of Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts from any undergraduate or graduate institution you have attended should be uploaded with your application. If the department recommends that you be admitted, you will then be asked to submit official transcripts to the Graduate School. Only upon receipt of official transcripts will your admission be official.

Mail official transcripts to:

The Graduate School
North Carolina State University
1000 Main Campus Drive
Campus Box 7102
Raleigh, NC 27695

Official Electronic Transcripts should be emailed to:
graduate_applications@ncsu.edu

Admissions Protocol

Completed applications are evaluated by members of the graduate faculty.  Only after the faculty recommendation is reviewed and approved by the Graduate School is a candidate officially notified of the decision.  Your official notification of the decision will be available online from the Dean of the Graduate School. If accepted to the program, the M. S. program Director will send you information about enrolling for classes. The M. S. Director will also notify you if you have been awarded an assistantship.

Click here for information on Tuition and Fees

For more information about the program and applying for it, contact:

Dr. Huiling Ding
Director of the M.S. in Technical Communication
Department of English
N C State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-8105
email: hding@ncsu.edu