Overview

Communication is at the center of everything we do. At the Communication program at University of South Dakota, you will advance your speaking, listening, critical thinking, problem solving, research and technology-guided communication skills as you explore the role communication plays in our lives. Our program is a great fit for students with a variety of career interests – including going on to doctoral study, teaching at the post-secondary level and securing leadership positions in fields such as business, education, public relations, marketing, media management, advertising and more. Our unique program blends multiple disciplines, encouraging you to choose classes and research topics that best fit your interests and goals. Our expert professors will offer mentorship as you design an individualized plan of study that emphasizes the communication context and meanings that are most important to you.

Opportunities

The Department of Communication Studies offers a number of graduate teaching assistantships, which carry a stipend and tuition reduction. As a graduate assistant, you may:

Teach individual sections of CMST 101: The Basic Course
Provide campus-wide training at the Presentation Center
Assist with coaching the Speech and Debate Team
Support audio and video production at the state-of-the-art Al Neuharth Media Center
Conduct testing and research in the psycho-physiology lab

Gain valuable real-world, professional experience while enjoying paid employment and discounted tuition rates as a graduate student at USD. The affordability you gain through graduate assistantships and fellowships will equip you with valuable, professional-level skills that will set you apart after graduation.

Teaching and research assistantships are awarded by individual departments. If you do not receive an assistantship within your department, you are eligible for an assistantship outside of your academic program or within support offices (non-academic units) at USD. Further inquiries should be directed to the graduate director of the department.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Graduate Study

Quantitative Research Methods

Qualitative Research In Communication Studies

Thesis Research In Communication Studies

Mass Communication Ethics

Rhetorical Theory And Criticism

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-26 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-05-01 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-01-13 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-01 00:00:00 , International

More details

Three weeks before the start of the semester

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

110

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TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

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IELTS

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Credits

36 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Vermillion, United States

Disciplines

Communication Studies Corporate Communication Digital Media View 512 other Masters in Communication Studies in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

2.7

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

110

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Application
Official Proof of English Proficiency
Official Transcripts - One official transcript (in English or with translation) verifying receipt of an undergraduate degree or equivalent degree from an institution with regional accreditation and previous graduate credit and degrees must accompany an application.
Official Admission Test Scores
Letters of Recommendation
Statement of Purpose
You will need to submit a resume with your application.
Passport

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

12768 USD / year

≈ 12768 USD / year
Out-of-State

12768 USD / year

≈ 12768 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

7118 USD / year

≈ 7118 USD / year

Living costs

Vermillion

United States

1024 - 1781 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

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Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Communication.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Opportunities

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Vermillion

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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