MSIDC Admissions

Candidates for the MSIDC degree come from many fields, with undergraduate degrees from a wide range of accredited programs. Students are considered for acceptance if their academic accomplishments, work experience, and writing indicate that they can complete the program successfully. Applicants should have above-average grades in undergraduate communication courses. In addition, the department believes that an applicant's overall undergraduate performance can correlate with success in the MSIDC program.

Admission requirements

At least one of the following admissions requirements must be met for admission into the MSIDC degree program:

Bachelor's degree
Graduate Certificate in Technical Communication

Transfer of credits

Students may receive up to nine hours of credit for graduate work that meets all of the following requirements:

1. Coursework is equivalent to Southern Polytechnic technical
communication courses

2. Coursework was taken in the last five years

3. Coursework received an "A" or "B" grade.

Admission deadlines

View fees on the Registration Bulletin page or see the Apply to SPSU page for more information. Applicants can be admitted to the graduate program by the following deadlines:

	for Fall Semester	August 1

	for Spring Semester	December 1 (of the preceding year)

	for Summer Semester	Applicants are not accepted to begin the program in Summer Semester.

Admission procedure

By the deadlines listed above, applicants must submit the following to the respective offices:

SPSU Admissions Office
•	SPSU application for admission to the program. (You can apply online or complete a paper application.

•	Application fee ($20, non-refundable; make checks payable to Southern Polytechnic State University)

•	GRE scores (view the GRE FAQs)
		Test scores may be waived, if an applicant has 2 or more years of relevant work experience. Applicants may submit, to the ETCMA Graduate Review Committee,a portfolio of work, along with appropriate descriptions and narrative justification of the relevancy of the work experience to the candidate's suitability for graduate degree study (i.e., explanation of audience, purpose of each of the samples, and the applicant's role in creating them).

•	One official transcript sent directly from each college or university attended

•	Certificate of immunization (See SPSU's immunization requirements for more information.)


English, Technical Communication, and Media Arts Program Office
•	Three signed letters of recommendation written on letterhead
		The references should be from supervisors, clients, professors, or professional colleagues who can write about your work or academic record. Each letter should be in a sealed envelope with the writer’s signature placed over the seal. You are to personally mail or deliver the envelope to our office or have the reference mail the letter.

•	Essay written on campus
		This will be written in a specified length of time in response to an assignment given at the time. Contact the ETCMA Program Assistant, Donna McPherson, at 678-915-7202 or by e-mail to schedule a time to write the essay.

•	Essay written off campus
		This essay will be will be part of the materials you submit with your application and should discuss the manner in which the MSIDC program will satisfy your career goals.

The Graduate Review Committee may, at its discretion, request additional information to help it review your application, including the possibility of an on-campus interview with a member of the committee.

You may also send additional information that you feel would be useful to the committee in evaluation your application, including, for example, your professional resume or portfolio.

International Students: International students who do not possess either a Graduate Certificate in Technical Communication or a graduate degree in technical communication (or closely related field) from an accredited school in the United States must submit the following materials along with their application:

1. An official English-translated transcript of college-level
education

2. Applicant's TOEFL scores

3. An affidavit indicating financial security.

For further information on admissions or to request an application, please contact Donna McPherson at 678-915-7202.

The English, Technical Communication, and Media Arts Department is a part of Southern Polytechnic State University and can be contacted at TCOM@spsu.edu.
1100 South Marietta Parkway Marietta, GA 30060-2896
Tel: (678) 915-7202 FAX: (678) 915-7425