The University Scholars Program in Communication offers highly motivated students the opportunity and the challenge of integrating their undergraduate and graduate courses of study in a single continuous program culminating in both a bachelor's and a master's degree.
Eligibility
- Undergraduate students who have completed at least 90 credit hours (can be in progress).
- Students’ undergraduate majors must be communication, journalism, integrated strategic communication, media arts and studies or information communication technology.
- Undergraduate GPA must be at least 3.5 in the major and a 3.2 overall.
Plan of Study
Course |
Credits |
| * CI 651 Communication Theory | 3 |
| * CI 665 Quantitative Methods in Communication Research | 3 |
| * EDP 557 Gathering, Analyzing and Using Educational Data (or approved equivalent by DGS) | 3 |
| * CI 631 Proseminar in Interpersonal Communication or * CI 645 Proseminar in Mass Communication Theory or * CI 608 Mass Communications and Society |
3 |
| CI 768 Residence Credit for the Master's Degree | 3-6 |
| Electives | 12 |
| TOTAL | 30 |
| * Required core courses |
Students will take a minimum of 24 credit hours of course work: 12 hours from required core courses and 12 hours from elective courses. Additionally students must complete 3-6 credit hours of CI 768 Residence Credit for the Master's Degree, as well as an oral examination in defense of the thesis.
At least 21 of the 30 credit hours must be from offerings within the College of Communication and Information. At least half of the minimum course requirements must be in courses at the 600 and 700 levels. Students may count up to six credit hours of CI 768 Residence Credit for the Master's Degree towards the 21 hours. No more than three credit hours may be earned in CI 696 Communication Internship, CI 700 Directed Reading in Communication, CI 781 Directed Study in Communication or CI 790 Research Problems in Communication.
Course |
Credits |
| * CI 651 Communication Theory | 3 |
| * CI 665 Quantitative Methods in Communication Research | 3 |
| * EDP 557 Gathering, Analyzing, and Using Educational Data (or approved equivalent by DGS) | 3 |
| * CI 631 Proseminar in Interpersonal Communication or * CI 645 Proseminar in Mass Communication Theory or * CI 608 Mass Communications and Society |
3 |
| Electives | 18 |
| TOTAL | 30 |
| * Required core courses |
Students will take a minimum of 30 credit hours of course work: 12 hours from required core courses and 18 hours from elective courses. Additionally students must successfully pass a comprehensive written and oral examination over the student's program.
At least 21 of the 30 credit hours must be from offerings within the College of Communication and Information. At least half of the minimum course requirements must be in courses at the 600 and 700 levels. No more than six credit hours may be earned in CI 696 Communication Internship, CI 700 Directed Reading in Communication, CI 781 Directed Study in Communication or CI 790 Research Problems in Communication.
Deadlines
Students typically begin taking courses for dual-credit as a University Scholar the first semester of their senior year. Interested students should submit their application sometime during their junior year.
The application deadlines for the program are the following:
- Spring - November 15
- Summer - April 15
- Fall - July 1
Application Process
Students wishing to pursue the University Scholars Program must first meet with Renee Kaufmann, Acting Associate Dean for Graduate Programs in Communication. At this meeting, the University Scholars Program Study Plan form will be completed. The completed University Scholars Program Study Plan form must be uploaded with the application materials when a student is applying for admission to the University Scholars Program.
Applications for admission must be submitted online to the UK Graduate School. Find specifics on the application process here. Applicants should indicate on the application under "Plan of Study" that they are applying for the University Scholars Program for Communication.
Financial Assistance
Tuition and financial aid during the first year of the program (the University Scholars’ fourth year at UK) are covered by previously awarded undergraduate funding at the cost of undergraduate credit hours.
University Scholars are eligible to apply for assistantships their second and final year in the program.