I've heard something about a reorganization at IU. How will this affect CMCL?

Please be advised that the Department of Communication and Culture is currently undergoing reorganization, as part of a wider effort to integrate programs in media, communication, and journalism across the Indiana University campus into a new Media School.  

Details about the new school are available at the IU Provost's Website under the heading, "The Media School":http://www.indiana.edu/~provost/academic-initiatives/.   Communication and Culture is expected to formally disband as of July 2015, coinciding with the official launch of the new School. 

If you have questions about how the reorganization will affect graduate studies in Communication and Culture, you may direct inquires to Ted Striphas (striphas @ indiana . edu), Director of Graduate Studies.

How should I upload my Personal Statement, CV, and Writing Sample?

Please combine your Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose, your CV/resume, and your writing sample into a SINGLE document. Please upload this single document from the Personal Statement area on the application. Please DO NOT attach three separate documents. The SINGLE combined document, uploaded ONCE, is sufficient, and preferred.

Must application materials be in your office by the deadline, or may they just be postmarked by the deadline?

Please note that ALL application materials must reach us on or before the deadline to be included in your dossier. This includes transcripts and letters of recommendation.

What Kind of Writing Sample Is Required?

We want to read your best scholarly work, such as your best paper in a humanities-oriented course in which you demonstrate a critical ability to engage with both wider literatures and substantive material (i.e., texts, media, ethnographic data). Examples might include a senior/masters thesis or chapters from a thesis, a particularly good class paper, or a convention paper. An article from a scholarly journal may also be a good choice. Please remember that your sample should not be more than 7000 words or 20 pages.

No matter how well written they are, we are not interested in course syllabi, newspaper articles, non-scholarly literature or film reviews, marketing studies, product advertising, or projects developed for media industry. Under no circumstances will a CD, DVD, or YouTube video be accepted in place of a scholarly writing sample.

Please Note: Please combine your Writing Sample, your Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose, and your resume/CV into a SINGLE document and upload this SINGLE document from the Personal Statement area of the application. It is fine if you just cut and paste these three elements to create a SINGLE document for upload

Is a Resume or CV required for application?

One of the required elements of your application dossier is a resume or CV.

Please combine this, along with your Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose, and your Writing Sample into a SINGLE document. Upload this SINGLE document from the Personal Statement area in the online application.

What goes in the personal statement?

In your personal statement, you should indicate your reason for pursuing a graduate degree and describe your professional/academic goals. Explain why you want to study in CMCL at IU. Don't be generic. We want to see that you are familiar with our program and the work of our faculty. Help us understand why you believe you belong here. This is your opportunity to set yourself apart from the crowd. Don't waste it!

Please limit your statement to 700 words.

Please Note: Please combine your Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose, your resume/CV, and your Writing Sample into a SINGLE document and upload this SINGLE document from the Personal Statement area of the application. It is fine if you just cut and paste these three elements to create a SINGLE document for upload.

How many copies of my transcript/s shall I send?

We will only need ONE official copy of your transcript. However, we will need one copy of each transcript from every institution you have attended post-highschool. If you took one course at a community college, or did a semester at an overseas institution as part of a study abroad program, we will need one transcript from each of these schools.

If you earned your degree from an institution outside the US, please download, print, complete, and mail a copy of the Supplemental Application for Admissions to us at:

Graduate Secretary
800 East Third Street
Bloomington, IN 47405