Admissions»Graduate Applicants

Digital Social Media (MS) Fall 2023

When is the application deadline?

The application deadline is January 15, 2023. New students are admitted to the fall term only.

What content should be in my application résumé?

List all internships and paid employment. Provide the nature of work and dates of employment. Include academic and professional awards, honors, teaching experience, subject matter expertise and language(s) proficiency other than English. Your résumé may exceed one page.

What content should be in my personal statement?

This statement should be approximately 700 words, typed and double-spaced. Be sure to address the following prompts in your statement. Care should be taken to submit a clear, concise and well-written essay.

  • Describe your reasons for applying to the MS in Digital Social Media, your preparation for this field, and other relevant aspects of your background and interests. 
  • What are your specific short-term and long-term career objectives after receiving your MS degree in digital social media? 

What type of writing sample is required?

Academic papers are required from applicants who are less than three years out of undergrad. The writing sample should reflect professional submissions for applicants who are three or more years out of undergrad.

How many letters of recommendation are needed and from whom?

Submit two letters of recommendation. One recommendation must be from a faculty instructor. If you have substantial work experience, you may provide a professional reference from a job or internship (managers and supervisors only).

What admission test scores are required?

USC Annenberg has suspended the GRE requirement for all graduate applicants for admission to the 2023 admission cycle. All international student applicants are expected to demonstrate adequate English-language proficiency. To learn more about how to satisfy this requirement, click here. Also, review the USC Graduate Admission video tutorial titled, “English Proficiency Requirements for International Students” for more details.

What financial support is available?

Departmental merit scholarships and fellowships are competitively awarded. All completed applications are considered for admission and departmental awards.  

All US citizens and permanent residents are urged to submit a FAFSA after the admission application deadline.

International student applicants will find critical information at http://gradadm.usc.edu/international-students-financial-documentation.

Application Guidelines

The online USC Graduate Admission Application opens September 1, 2022. Go to https://usc.liaisoncas.com to access the application.

Assemble the following documents and program materials which must be uploaded to your application:

  • CV or Résumé
  • Personal Statement
  • Writing Sample
  • Copy of Official Transcript(s)
  • Copy of your official passport (International Student Applicants only)

All program materials must be in English and uploaded to the online application. Note: Once your application has been submitted, you may not add, edit or change any document or program material. Also, all submitted documents and program materials become the property of USC and will not be returned.

Official Transcripts

Copies of a registrar-issued official transcript (with registrar’s signature, stamp or seal) from all colleges and universities attended (including USC) must be uploaded to your application in the Academic History section. If you do not possess copies of your registrar-issued official transcripts, request to have official transcripts with legend or grading scale emailed to you from your previous colleges/universities.

After submitting your online application, request to have e-transcripts sent from your degree conferring institutions to USC Graduate Admission at etrans@usc.edu.

Note:

  • International transcripts must include the original language and the English translation as one document.
  • Transcripts from your institution’s student portal are unacceptable.

Recommendations

Create online profiles in the Program Materials section of the application by providing names and email addresses of your recommenders. Instructions and forms will be emailed to your recommenders. Only recommendations submitted through the online process are accepted.

Graduate Admission Testing

GRE scores are not required for admission to Fall 2023.

Valid TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores (taken August 2021 or later) are required from international student applicants unless waived; see below for the exception. To be considered official, USC must receive scores electronically from the testing service. Photocopies or paper copies of scores are unacceptable.

  • For TOEFL, request to have your scores sent to the USC institution code 4852.
  • For IELTS or PTE, select “University of Southern California” from the list of available institutions when you register for the test. Alternatively, provide this information to your testing center after you have taken the test.

Exception: If you completed your entire bachelor’s degree in the United States or another Anglophone country (i.e. where English is both the language of instruction and the only official language of the country), TOEFL and IELTS are waived.

Note: Completing a master’s degree In the United States or another Anglophone country will not waive TOEFL or IELTS.

Application Fee

Pay the $90 non-refundable application fee with a credit card or request an application fee waiver prior to submitting an application.

Fee Waiver

Review the fee waiver requirements at USC Graduate Admission website: https://gradadm.usc.edu/lightboxes/us-students-fee-waivers/. Applicants seeking a fee waiver must start the online application and then wait for the fee waiver approval before submitting the application.