phd communication in usa

Communication, PHD

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At a Glance: program details

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD Communication

The Hugh Downs School of Human Communication offers a transdisciplinary graduate program leading to the PhD in communication.

This program provides coursework and resources in critical-cultural communication and rhetoric, health communication, intercultural communication, interpersonal communication, organizational communication and performance studies. Students receive training in communication theory, research methodology and multiple areas of emphasis, and they actively participate in one or more of the school's collaborative research initiatives.

The program is designed to meet the needs of students whose interests transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries and to prepare scholars for research-oriented careers in universities and in the public or private sectors.

Research Collaboratives

Doctoral Student Resources

Graduate Faculty

Bradley Adame Elissa Adame Benjamin Broome Pauline Cheong Steve Corman Olga Davis Uttaran Dutta Serap Erincin Laura Guerrero Jenna Hanchey Heewon Kim Loretta LeMaster Paul Mongeau Jonathan Pettigrew Tony Roberto Liesel Sharabi Sarah Tracy Joris Van Ouytsel Alaina Zanin  

Affiliated Faculty

Christine Buzinde Cheree Carlson Stephen Carradini Marivel Danielson Mark Hannah Aaron Hess Jeffrey Kassing Jacqueline Martinez   Lindsey Meân   Majia Nadesan   Gyan Nyaupane Brendan O'Connor Ashley Randall Vincent Waldron Greg Wise

Degree Requirements

96 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (9 credit hours) COM 604 Theory Construction in Communication (3) Choose two: COM 607 Contemporary Rhetorical Methods (3) COM 608 Multivariate Statistical Analysis of Data in Communication (3) COM 609 Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Communication (3)

Electives (45 credit hours)

Other Requirements (24 credit hours) COM 691 Seminar (24)

Research (6 credit hours) COM 792 Research (6)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) COM 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree; 66 credit hours are required beyond an appropriate master's degree.

At least six elective credit hours must be coursework outside of the communication field.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree, in any field, from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

Applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• resume or curriculum vitae
• statement of goals
• three letters of recommendation
• writing sample
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

Most commonly, students enter with a research-based MA in which they have completed a master's thesis.

Applicants should visit the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication website for further details.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, career opportunities.

A doctoral degree in communication opens doors to a variety of careers in research, teaching, training and consulting. Graduates typically obtain jobs in research and teaching institutions that range from large research universities to four-year teaching schools and community colleges. A number of career opportunities appear in government agencies and organizations, both for-profit and nonprofit.

Graduates have obtained jobs as:

• academic administrators
• academic advisors
• campaign managers
• consultants
• policy advocates
• program directors
• researchers

Global Opportunities

Global experience.

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 602/543-5619

PhD in Communication

Doctor of philosophy in school of communication.

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At the Intersection of Media, Technology, and Democracy

The AU School of Communication's Doctor of Philosophy in Communication allows you to research at the intersection of media, technology, and democracy. We study how media and technology interact with democratic culture and politics. Communication creates culture; communication is a vector of power; communication is central to democratic action. Our normative orientation toward a healthier democratic process is a theme consistent with the core public service mission of American University. Internet governance, podcasts as news sources, disinformation on Twitter, digital surveillance, facial recognition and power, racism on social media, and state social-media propaganda are all topics of recent dissertations.

Our focus is at the cutting edge of the field of communication studies today, and our students routinely present at our leading conferences. Our approach is also interdisciplinary, and we benefit from the diverse intellectual resources across American University, such as those showcased at the Internet Governance Lab , the AU Game Center ,  the Center for Media & Social Impact , the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies , and the Institute on Disability and Public Policy (IDPP) . We also tap into our relationships with NGOs, media companies, foundations, and government institutions throughout the Washington metro area. 

In our doctoral program, you'll produce scholarship, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, that has real-world connection and impact . Your work will position you well to pick from career options that range from the professoriate to public policy research to media production to government. 

This is a three-year PhD, and from the moment you arrive, you will be working in a highly-structured program toward your dissertation research, building your networks, and developing publishable projects. You will join us in using knowledge to address our most pressing political and social challenge s . We welcome your application to become a part of the next generation of communication scholars, professors, leaders, and practitioners.

Demonstrate Your Commitment and Interest

Applicants for the Communication (PhD) degree program must hold an accredited bachelor's degree and a master's degree in communication, or a related field, with a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher, unless the applicant demonstrates comparable experience. The degree does not have to be in the field of communication or be research-based, as many of our PhD students have master's degrees in film or journalism. 

Applicants must submit a statement of purpose that outlines the intended research area, what research methods and theories the applicant will use, and which faculty members the applicant hopes to work with.

The candidate must also submit either a master's thesis or another example of substantial research. The GRE is optional. Students should submit their official GRE scores to CEEB code 5007 if desired.

The School of Communication's PhD program operates on a hard deadline. Applications must be received by December 15th.  Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

A complete PhD application consists of the following:

• Statement of purpose
• University transcripts from all universities attended (transcripts from outside of the U.S. must be evaluated by a NACES approevd organization)
• Two letters of recommendation
• GRE scores (optional)
• Master's thesis (or another example of substantial research)
• Proof of English proficiency (100 on the TOEFL, 7.0 on the IELTS, 120 on Duolingo, or a bachelor or master's degree from a university in an English speaking country)

The admissions committee may ask applicants to interview with the program director and affiliated faculty. Interviews are conducted either on campus or virtually.

Financing Your Education

Each year, we welcome several doctoral students with full tuition remission as well as a graduate assistantship . We may also offer admission to top candidates without merit funding. If funding becomes available, students admitted without funding may be eligible to receive a merit package from the school.

The PhD in Communication is 54 credit hours. To estimate the cost of tuition , please see the current cost per credit hour for graduate students.

Students whose funding package includes a graduate assistantship will work as research or teaching assistants for 20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters. 

The School of Communication offers graduate students both merit-based and need-based financial aid . Merit awards, named scholarships, and fellowships are administered by the SOC Graduate Admissions Office, while need-based awards are administered by the American University Office of Financial Aid . Several prestigious graduate fellowships are also available for students in the Political Communication program. Additional financial support is available for veterans .

Each year, we welcome several doctoral students with full tuition remission as well as a graduate assistantship. We may also offer admission to top candidates without merit funding. If funding becomes available, students admitted without funding may be eligible to receive a merit package from the school. 

All merit awards are based on your academic merit and professional experience , specifically your undergraduate grades and leadership activities as well as career-related accomplishments. Merit awards are valid for one year-they vary in amount, are typically divided evenly between the fall and spring semesters, and are not typically renewable.

Some merit awards come in the form of graduate assistantships , which consist of graduate tuition remission, a stipend, or both. Tuition remission will vary in the number of credits offered. If you are offered a stipend, you must employed as a graduate assistant for a School of Communication faculty member for 10 hours per week.

Graduate Fellowships for Political Communication

The School of Communication offers prestigious merit-based fellowships in partnership with leading Washington, DC-based media organizations. These fellowships provide varying amounts of tuition remission and stipend and allow you to pursue professional projects with some of the finest media organizations while completing your graduate program. Separate applications are required . 

Research fellowships at academic centers within the School of Communication and throughout the university may also be available.

Unless indicated, students may not accept both a graduate assistantship and a graduate fellowship.

 Advanced Study at Your Convenience 

The School of Communication makes continuing on for your advanced degree a simple, straightforward process. You may apply for admission to our combined bachelor of arts/master of arts program during the second semester of your junior year (after completing 75 credits, but before you have completed 90 credits). Students in any undergraduate major at AU are eligible for consideration. An undergraduate degree in communication is not required.

You may apply for combined degrees in Political Communication, Strategic Communication, Film and Video, Journalism and Public Affairs, Game Design, or International Media.

More information about admissions requirements can be found here.

Meet Our Students

Our students produce scholarship, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, that has real-world connection and impact.

Democracy is a Laughing Matter

In the Top 5 percent of Best Ranked Programs in Communication and Media Studies

According to College Factual

Course Progression

Complete your degree in three years.

In contrast to the traditional 9-month-per-year schedule, your annual course of study takes place over 11 months, including faculty supervision and mentoring via formal course work, organized research group meetings, and online collaboration. The  accelerated structure  of your program allows you to complete your degree in three years.

You'll take six required courses, three each in the fall and spring semester. Depending on your past master's coursework and professional experience, you may be able to petition for credit for methods and/or statistics course work, substituting an advanced methods course or other elective. The required teaching seminar prepares you to work as a teaching assistant in an undergraduate course during your second year of coursework. Students who have prior college teaching experience or who have already taken a similar teaching seminar as part of their master's program can place out of this course, substituting an additional elective. In the summer immediately following your first year, you'll enroll in one course for credit and participate in research group meetings.

COMM-704: Media, Technology & Democracy (3) This is a foundation overview course focused on scholarship and analysis concerning the intersections of media, technology, and democracy. It also introduces other core courses and study concentrations for advanced study in these topics.

COMM-750: Advanced Media Theory (3) This course examines a range of theories for explaining the complex interrelationships among media, technology, human behavior, social interaction, and democratic processes. It provides an in-depth comparative analysis of theoretical approaches from a variety of academic fields including mass communication, cultural studies, film criticism, and digital media.

COMM-751: Advanced Media Research Methods (3) This course covers major social scientific, historical, ethnographic, qualitative, and critical approaches to media research, including discussions of epistemology, conceptualization, measurement, and ethics.

COMM-754: Media, Law & Policy (3) This course equips students with a strong grounding in U.S laws, policies, and regulatory infrastructure. It analyzes how public debates and political struggles over policy issues have shaped the culture, structure, and operations of contemporary U.S. media industries and institutions.

COMM-711: Teaching Seminar (3) This course provides students with career preparation knowledge, including understanding the culture and history of higher education, teaching skills, and career skills including submission to journals, book proposals, finding appropriate job opportunities, writing cover letters and doing job interviews. Some individual coaching is also involved.

NOTE: This course begins the Friday BEFORE school starts in spring semester, with attendance at an all-day event, the Ann Ferren Conference. This affects your travel schedule over winter holidays!

Approved graduate statistics or research methods course (3) (by preference) OR

Elective selected in consultation with faculty mentor (3)

Note: Students will work with their faculty mentor, who must have an appropriate terminal degree, to select two electives for the first fall semester.

COMM-755: Research Design in Communication (3). This course strengthens student skills in defining an answerable research questions and finding appropriate methodologies.

In the fall, you'll take two electives and a course to prepare you for the comprehensive examinations. By the end of your fall semester, you'll be expected to have gained approval and to have finalized the four faculty members of your doctoral committee, with at least one member being from outside of the School of Communication. At the beginning of your spring semester, you'll begin your qualifying exams. This process takes approximately one month from the assignment of questions to a successful written and oral defense. You will also take a seminar to guide you in developing your dissertation proposal. By the end of the spring semester or beginning of the summer, students are expected to have successfully defended their dissertation proposals and to spend the summer focused on dissertation research.

COMM-860 Seminar in Doctoral Teaching and Research (3) Creation of dissertation literature review and preparation for the comprehensive exam. Introduction to teaching philosophies and strategies, preparation for scholarly career in Communication Studies.

Approved elective courses (6)

Approved graduate statistics or research methods course (3)

COMM-861: Advanced Research & Project Development (3) Prepares students for advancing to candidacy by taking the comprehensive exam and preparing a dissertation proposal.

COMM-898: Doctoral Continuing Enrollment (6) May be taken by doctoral students completing coursework, exams or proposals in preparation for advancement to candidacy.

In the fall and spring semesters, you'll register for dissertation research credits. During the fall and spring semesters, you will also probably be applying and interviewing for jobs, drawing upon information from your first-year course, COMM 711 and on your mentors’ advice. By late spring, your dissertation committee expects to have about six weeks to read and respond to a dissertation draft and to read and respond to a revised version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should apply to the phd in communication program.

Applicants could be interested in tenure track, faculty positions in academia, or seeking careers at prestigious institutions in government, industry, and/or the nonprofit community.

How can the PhD program help strengthen my pedagogical skills?

In addition to the teaching seminars and teaching assistantships that are part of the regular doctoral curriculum, The Art of Teaching is a one-credit course offered each spring semester for PhD students who want to learn more about educational pedagogy. The course was originally designed by American University's former provost, Milton Greenberg.

Previously known as the Greenberg Seminars for Effective Teaching, this course complements the PhD academic experience, providing hands-on, practical introduction to professional development and classroom techniques. PhD students can participate at any time during their PhD program. There is no tuition fee for the course.

What are areas of faculty expertise?

Our program is focused on impactful research at the intersection of media, technology, and democracy. Our faculty and students study how media messages and communication technologies shape, and are shaped by, social and governmental processes. Specific sites of research range from Internet governance to music and film culture to social and political organizing to journalism to new media and games. We study communication patterns and their meanings across and between societies on a global scale, including, every continent in addition to indigenous and stateless groups. We draw upon cultural production, critical communication, science and technology studies, law and society perspectives, and other theories, and we use both quantitative and qualitative research methods as well as policy analysis.

What kinds of positions do alumni have now?

Our alumni have found full time and tenure-track jobs at universities throughout the U.S. and around the world, as well as prestigious post-doctoral positions and non-profit and government posts.

What kinds of collaborations can I expect with faculty?

You are assigned a mentor when you first arrive, a selection that results from both your stated interests and faculty interest. This assignment can change by request. You can expect to work with your mentor and, potentially, other faculty on research resulting in joint publications and conference presentations. In your second year, you may assist a faculty member with teaching. Several recent alumni have continued to collaborate with SOC faculty and student colleagues after graduation, resulting in dozens of published research articles, book chapters, and policy papers.

What other opportunities do the school and university offer?

The PhD program offers several PhD Symposia throughout the year, offering informal presentations of completed work and work in progress by both students and faculty. The  Internet Governance Lab , a joint program in the School of Communication and School of International Service, offers a range of activities throughout the year, putting a spotlight on Internet policy. The Center for Media & Social Impact offers workshops, events, a biannual conference, and research projects for which you can apply as research assistant. The AU Game Center  provides a community of scholars and graduate students in numerous programs across the university engaged in the design, production, and study of games, including the cultural and social impact of the medium, with substantial opportunities for collaboration with faculty, staff, and students across multiple related fields and contexts. The Institute for Immersive Designs, Experiences, Applications, and Stories (Institute for IDEAS) offers paid fellowships and research projects for which you can apply as a research assistant, often collaborating with faculty at other institutions. The PhD programs in the School of Communication, School of International Service, and School of Public Affairs jointly host a day-long research conference featuring work in progress by their PhD students, in February. The university-wide Center for Teaching, Research and Learning (CTRL) provides tools and programs throughout the year to help faculty and PhD students with best practices in teaching, and hosts an annual conference on teaching in January. PhD students are welcome, at no cost. CTRL also offers training and access to research tools . Finally, each PhD student receives enough annual funding to attend at least one major scholarly conference or event, anywhere in the world.

What are examples of dissertations students have written?

Our students have explored a wide diversity of interests with rigorous research, including dissertations such as:

• Lucy Odigie, “Digital Margins: Digital Technology Use, Social Change and the Empowering Strategies of Domestic Workers of Color in Brooklyn, NY”
• Isabelle Zaugg, “Ethiopic: Coding for Linguistic Survival in the Face of Digital Extinction”
• Aras Cosuntuncel, “Networking Authoritarian Neoliberalism: Realigned Strategies of Information Control and Resistance in the Case of Turkey” Dorian Davis, “The Twitter Election? New Perspectives on Agenda-Building during the 2016 Campaign”
• Louisa Imperiale, “Democracy for Sale: A Critical Examination of the Political-Media Complex at work in Campaign Finance and Political Broadcast Regulation in U.S. Presidential Elections from 1976 to 2016”
• Fernanda Rosa, “Global Internet Interconnection Infrastructure: Materiality, Concealment and Surveillance in Contemporary Communication”
• Donte Newman, “Straddling the Fence: How White Facebook Users Express Ambivalence to Navigate the Context Collapse”
• Emily O’Connell, “Hybrid Systems and Hybrid Genres: Exploring U.S. Political Podcast Framing Tactics and Effects”

How many applicants are admitted each year?

Five people are selected each year to join the program, and there are usually about 20 people in the program at any one time.

Can I attend part-time?

The program is designed to be full-time.

Can I take courses outside of the School of Communication?

The SOC PhD program was designed as an interdisciplinary program. We encourage students to take full advantage of the wealth of resources and opportunities across the university, including taking courses and finding expertise in other departments, as well as courses at our partner universities around Washington, DC. Dissertation committees are required to include at least one member outside of the school.

Can I complete my PhD program in 3 years?

The program is designed to be completed in three years, and more than half of our PhD students accomplish their goal in doing so.

Still have questions? Send us an email: [email protected]

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• SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

PhD in Communication Studies - Northwestern University School of Communication

The Doctor of Philosophy in Rhetoric, Media, and Publics is replacing the PhD in Communication Studies (Rhetoric and Public Culture). Rhetoric, Media, and Publics is an interschool program between the School of Communication, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, and the Medill School of Journalism, Media & Integrated Marketing Communications; and it is based in the School of Communication.

The Rhetoric, Media, and Publics PhD program, grounded in the humanistic tradition of rhetoric, asks the fundamental question of how people influence, reflect, and transform society through mediated practices. Students learn to analyze the production and circulation of meaning in a range of rhetorical and journalistic texts, practices, and institutions through varied modes of qualitative inquiry, and to engage audiences and communities directly in the production of knowledge. The stakes of this inquiry are profoundly social and political as well as formal and aesthetic. The program teaches students to approach public media as sites for political contestation, for the representation and interrogation of ethics and power, and for imagining personhood and collective life.

Search NYU Steinhardt

Doctor of Philosophy Media, Culture, and Communication

Grounded in an interdisciplinary approach to the study of media and culture, our doctorate draws from a rich array of disciplines and theoretical frameworks. Department expertise spans the globe: the Middle East, East Asia, the Global South, Africa, and Europe. Our faculty generate some of the most original scholarship in their respective fields, creating a stimulating environment in which to pursue graduate work.

Degree Details

Official degree title.

PhD in Media, Culture, and Communication

Research Focus

Alumni placements, funding for full-time phd students.

Five research areas operate as guiding frameworks for intellectual inquiry across the department: Global Communication and Media, Technology and Society, Visual Culture and Sound Studies, Media Industries and Politics, Interaction and Experience.

Your work as a doctoral student will be shaped by our commitment to:

• Engaging with theoretical concepts from a range of disciplines—media and cultural studies, visual culture, history, science and technology studies, anthropology, sociology, disability studies, sound studies, political science.
• A multi-methodological approach to research—from semiotics, global ethnography, gender and queer theory, critical race theory, qualitative and quantitative discourse analysis, to political/cultural economy, among other critical frameworks.
• A global perspective—conceiving of the global mediascape as transnational and transcultural.
• Recognizing media and technology’s long history and antecedents.

Read some sample dissertation abstracts .

After graduating, alumni join academic departments of media and communication, with placement in the social sciences and interdisciplinary humanities becoming increasingly common. MCC PhDs who graduated in the past ten years are now tenure-track or tenured professors at the University of California, Berkeley; University of Washington, Seattle; Cornell University; Stanford University; UCLA; Rutgers; Fordham; University of Michigan; George Mason University; University of North Carolina; University of Arizona; College of Charleston; Memorial University of Newfoundland; University of San Francisco; Scripps; Pratt; University of Maryland; American University of Beirut; American University of Paris, Ryerson University; Trent University; St. Joseph’s College.

Over the past decade, our PhD graduates have received numerous prestigious postdocs, including a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities in the Department of Comparative Media Studies/Writing at MIT; Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship at MIT's Center for Art, Science, and Technology; Postdoctoral Fellow, Berkman Klein Center, Harvard University; Postdoctoral Researcher, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science; Postdoctoral, Center for Information Technology Policy, Princeton University; Postdoctoral Fellowship at Rice University in Technology, Culture, and Society; Research Associate, Center for Digital Humanities, Princeton University; Postdoctoral Fellow, Media, Inequality & Change Center, University of Pennsylvania.

If you are accepted as a full-time NYU Steinhardt PhD student without an alternate funding source, you are eligible for our competitive funding package, which includes a scholarship and tuition remission.  Learn more about our funding opportunities .

Graduate Leadership

Associate Professor of Media, Culture, and Communication; PhD Director

Susan Murray

Department chair and professor of media, culture, and communication.

If you have additional questions about our degree, please contact us at [email protected] .

Alumni Profiles

Jacob Gaboury (PhD 2014)

Jacob is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Film & Media at the University of California, Berkeley. His dissertation "Image Objects: An Archaeology of Computer Graphics, 1965-1979" investigated the early history of computer graphics and the role they play in the move toward new forms of simulation and object oriented design.

Xiaochang Li (PhD 2017)

Xiaochang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at Stanford University. Her teaching and research interests include the history of computing and information systems, AI and algorithmic culture, speech and language technology, and software/platform studies. Before joining Stanford, she was a postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin.

Hatim El-Hibri (PhD 2012)

Hatim is Assistant Professor of Film and Media Studies at George Mason University. His research examines media technologies and urban space in the Middle East. His dissertation traced the history of the visualization of Beirut, from the politics of aerial photography and mapping during the French Mandate, to the visual economy of postwar construction, to the materiality of Hizballah's live satellite television.

Liz Koslov (PhD 2017)

Liz is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Urban Planning and the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA. Previously, she was a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT. Her research examines the cultural, political, and sociological dimensions of climate change adaptation. Her first book project, Retreat: Moving to Higher Ground in a Climate-Changed City , is under advance contract with the University of Chicago Press.

Devon Powers (PhD 2008)

Devon is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Advertising, Media & Communication at Temple University. Powers' research interests include popular music, 20th century history, and cultural intermediation – the people and processes that operate "in between" the production and consumption of culture. Powers completed a fellowship at the University of Leeds in 2014, and was recently elected Vice Chair of the Popular Communication Division of the International Communication Association.

Matthew Powers (PhD 2013)

Matthew is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Washington-Seattle. His dissertation "Humanity's Publics: NGOs, Journalism and the International Public Sphere" examined reporting roles assumed by international NGOs as legacy media outlets cut their foreign news budgets, and received the Gene Burd Outstanding Dissertation in Journalism Studies award from the International Communication Association. 

Media, Culture, and Communication

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Communication Ph.D.

Study the different ways people communicate, so you can prepare for leadership roles across the globe.

Communication plays a fundamental role in our global society and it is imperative for us to recognize and appreciate the international and intercultural contexts in which it occurs. With a Ph.D. in Communication from UND, you'll learn about human communication across diverse cultures and through multiple systems.

Why earn a Ph.D. in communication?

*Priority deadline

If you're an international student, refer to the international application process for deadlines.

Understanding the different ways people communicate around the world will help you address socially and globally pressing communication challenges. The Communication Ph.D. at UND is a competitive program that provides you with knowledge and skills that will set you apart as a leader in international and intercultural communication.

Intensive Communication Research Ph.D. Program

Through both the on-campus and 100% online program tracks, you'll work hand-in-hand with research faculty recognized for their work in:

• Interpersonal and persuasive communication
• Risk and crisis communication
• New media and cyberculture
• Strategic communication in digital and social media environments

Online students must be enrolled full-time; on-campus students have the option of enrolling full-time or part time. This is to ensure adequate support for research initiatives.

Due to the research intensive nature of the program we encourage you to review our program's faculty profiles to learn more about individual faculty research interests and expertise. All students will be assigned a faculty advisor directly when conducting research.

Undergraduate to Ph.D. in Communication

Unique to our program, undergraduate students are allowed to apply directly to this Ph.D. program. If you have a bachelor's in Communication , our curriculum allows you to earn your master's in Communication at the same time you are working on a Ph.D.

UND's Communication Ph.D.

Learn from recognized leaders in the field of international and intercultural communication.

Develop your research interest in strategic communication, health communication, interpersonal and organizational communication, and much more.

Take part in graduate teaching assistantships. Positions available for students in both on-campus and 100% online tracks.

Earn a non-thesis master's degree on your way to completing your doctorate in our program.

S tudy closely with faculty across the broad range of communication areas to prepare for both careers and citizenship.

Understand how information processes and communication technologies affect and benefit diverse local and global communities.

Communication Ph.D. Careers

Projected growth for employment of post-secondary teachers from 2022 to 2032

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median annual salary for post-secondary teachers

Upon completion of your Communication doctoral program, you'll emerge as a proficient communication specialist, equipped to excel in academia or thrive in media-related field.

Graduates of the University of North Dakota's Communications Ph.D. program have embarked on leadership roles in global and cross-cultural communication. The have job titles such as:

• Director of Communications: Spearheading communication strategies, our alumni often assume pivotal roles directing and shaping organizational messaging.
• Researcher: Equipped with advanced research skills, our graduates contribute valuable insights to the dynamic field of communication studies.
• Consultant: Our alumni serve as consultants, offering strategic guidance to organizations seeking to enhance their communication effectiveness.
• Policymaker: Some of our graduates leverage their communication acumen to influence policies. They participate in shaping regulations and standards on a local and global scale.

A substantial number of our graduates choose to contribute to higher education through teaching and advanced research. These paths have led them to roles such as:

• Department Head: Our alumni guide the direction of communication studies by taking on leadership positions within academic departments.
• Professorship: Achieving the pinnacle of academic success, our graduates secure professorships, where they shape the next generation of communication professionals.
• Associate Professorship: In roles as associate professors, our alumni engage in both teaching and research endeavors.
• Lecturer: Our graduates bring their practical experience and academic insights to the classroom.

Communication Ph.D. Courses

COMM 530. Communication, Society, & Diversity. 3 Credits.

An examination of how people from similar and different cultural, ethnic, national, racial, religious, and/or sexual backgrounds interact with each other, institutions, and society. The course covers issues of representation, identity, and difference. On demand.

COMM 525. Interpersonal Relations and Communication. 3 Credits.

Face-to-face and mediated transactions between two people or people in small groups in diverse settings. Deals with inquiry, conflict management, interpersonal sensitivity, individuality, and conformity.

COMM 535. Intercultural Communication. 3 Credits.

This course incorporates critical conceptualizations of identity, "the Other", and multiculturalism. It explores theoretical reflections of the symbolic systems of unfamiliar cultures, and the emergence of mutual understanding.

COMM 540. Communication and Organizations. 3 Credits.

Examines the general communication processes and dynamics within and among organizations and explores the dynamics in network organizations, with a particular focus on communication in interpersonal groups and inter-organizational working teams. Theories of power and politics in and among organizations, as well as of decision-making, conflict management, and strategic communication are explored.

COMM 550. International and Global Communication. 3 Credits.

An analysis of international media, comparative telecommunications systems and globalization. Covers issues such as transnational communication, global journalism, satellite broadcasting and communication in diplomacy and international affairs.

COMM 523. Social Network Analysis & Visualization. 3 Credits.

This course is designed to introduce you to the theory, methods, and procedures of network analysis with emphasis on applications to communication and social behavior. The goal of the course is to provide a working knowledge of the concepts and methods used to describe and analyze social networks so that you can apply it to important questions in your profession. S.

Best Ph.D. in Communications

UND's Communications Ph.D. ranks among the best for educational quality, affordability, and career outcomes.

#15 MOST AFFORDABLE ONLINE DEGREE

Online Communication Ph.D.

best online university in the nation

best online graduate programs

The entire degree program is fully online. You are never required to come to campus.

Online Communication Ph.D. students are highly encouraged to attend live, synchronous online courses in order to get the most out of class participation. However, online courses are recorded and can be viewed at another time, to fit your schedule.

Top-Tier Online Communication Ph.D. Program

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• PhD: Strategic Communication

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Fall Application Deadlines

US applicants:  Jan. 15 International applicants:  Dec. 1

In the online application, select Advertising, Public Relations and Media Design (APRD)  as the department, Media Research & Practice  as the degree, and Strategic Communication  as the subplan/track.

How to Apply

The PhD in Strategic Communication offered by the Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Media Design is one of three separate and distinct tracks of the Media Research and Practice doctoral program within the College of Media, Communication and Information.

A PhD in Strategic Communication is a distinct track that is designed to provide students with rigorous training in theory and research. Students gain an understanding through coursework that explores theories and methods that shape strategic communication research. This program emphasizes how theory informs practice, critically analyzing how advertising and public relations operate in ways that can—or could—constructively contribute to the successful, ethical and resilient functioning of society.

The strategic communication and journalism studies tracks for the PhD are administered together by the departments of Advertising, Public Relations and Design and Journalism. Students in both tracks are taught by and have access to the faculties of both departments. The curriculum includes an overview of mass/public communication literature with specific modules and courses dedicated to advertising, journalism and public relations. Classes also focus on areas that straddle each industry such as social media, political communication, ethics, media organizations, health communication and video games. We welcome and appreciate both qualitative and quantitative approaches to research. Graduates pursue teaching and research positions at universities as well as work in the private sector.

Why enroll?

• One of the few doctoral programs offered in an advertising and public relations department
• Study with award-winning researchers and teachers who are committed to assisting students achieve mastery of their work and chart a successful post-doctoral career
• Faculty who have conducted research in an array of specialties (see list below)
• Design a personally-designed plan of study to suit your interests
• Collaborate with faculty and fellow graduate students on research projects
• Study within a supportive environment, with the opportunity to teach courses relevant to your area of interest

Research interests of faculty teaching in the program

• Advertising and Public Relations Pedagogy: Erin Schauster
• Activism and Organizations: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh , Jordan Morehouse
• Corporate Branding and Image Management: Burton St. John III , Seow Ting Lee , Erin Willis
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh , Burton St. John III , Seow Ting Lee
• Crisis Communication and Risk Management: Burton St. John III , Seow Ting Lee ,  Krishnamurthy Sriramesh ,  Jordan Morehouse
• Digital Advertising: Chris J. Vargo , Harsha Ganga , Toby Hopp , Bridget Barrett
• Digital Games and Society: Harsha Ganga , Toby Hopp , Jolene Fisher , Mia Wang
• Global Public Relations: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh
• Health Communication: Seow Ting Lee , Erin Willis ,  Mia Wang
• Media Effects: Harsha Ganga ,  Mia Wang
• Media Ethics: Erin Schauster , Seow Ting Lee
• Moral Psychology: Erin Schauster
• Organizational Culture: Erin Schauster ,  Krishnamurthy Sriramesh
• Persuasion and Digital Media: Harsha Ganga , Erin Willis , Seow Ting Lee ,  Jordan Morehouse ,  Mia Wang
• Propaganda: Burton St. John III
• Public Diplomacy: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh , Seow Ting Lee
• Social and Economic Effects of Advertising: Harsha Ganga
• Social and Media Analytics: Chris J. Vargo , Toby Hopp ,  Bridget Barrett
• Strategic Public Relations Management: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh , Seow Ting Lee ,  Jordan Morehouse
• Strategic Communication for Social Change: Burton St. John III , Jolene Fisher ,  Mia Wang
• Sustainable Development and Communication: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh , Burton St. John III
• Technology and Advertising: Harsha Ganga ,  Mia Wang ,  Bridget Barrett
• Quantitative Methodology: Seow Ting Lee , Chris J. Vargo , Toby Hopp , Harsha Ganga , Kelty Logan ,  Mia Wang
• Qualitative Methodology: Erin Schauster , Erin Willis , Jolene Fisher ,  Jordan Morehouse ,  Bridget Barrett

It is expected that a student will devote her or his full time to the doctoral program and assistantship duties during the fall and spring semesters while in the program, unless other arrangements have been made with the department.

The following is a summary of minimum requirements to earn a Ph.D. in Strategic Communication or in Journalism Studies. Students will take two semesters of Proseminar, two semesters of methods, four semesters of Doctoral Professionalization Seminar and 30 credits of electives, which must include 9 credits of advanced methods electives. Students are expected to take courses numbered at the 6000 or above levels. There are some exceptions to this in which doctoral students can receive permission to take 5000-level courses.

• Proseminar in Mass Communication (6 Credits): All doctoral students are required to enroll in JRNL/APRD 7001 in their first semester of study, and in JRNL/APRD 7003 in their second semester. These courses are designed to introduce students to the major paradigms within the field of mass communication.
• Doctoral Professionalization Seminar (4 Credits): All first- and second-year doctoral students will be required to enroll in JRNL/APRD 7004. The course, which is 1 credit each semester, prepares students for life in a doctoral program and for life after one, all while providing a sense of community amongst multiple doctoral cohorts and both departments’ faculty. 
• Methods (15 Credits): All first-year doctoral students enroll in Quantitative Research Methods in the fall, and in Qualitative Research Methods in the spring. These general courses deal with a variety of research methods used within the field. PhD students are also required to take three additional graduate level courses in the areas of research methods (9 hours). These may be taken inside or outside the departments.
• Area of Concentration (18 hours): Doctoral students are required to take a minimum of 18 hours of course work selected on the basis of the student’s area(s) of research interest. These courses should come from a combination of both inside and outside electives. For example, for a student interested in media effects, a combination of classes from both APRD/JRNL and psychology would make sense.
• Independent study: Ph.D. students may take a  maximum  of two independent study courses in their course of study, either inside APRD and JRNL or outside of those home departments. Generally, these will be taken no earlier than the third semester of the program.
• Comprehensive examinations: Each doctoral student will be required to pass comprehensive examinations, consisting of four questions, which are generally administered after the last semester in which the student takes course work. The examinations are individually tailored for each student and comprise both written and oral examinations.
• Dissertation: A minimum of thirty hours of dissertation credit, APRD 8991, must be taken. Various restrictions apply to these hours.
• No more than 10 dissertation credit hours may be taken in any one semester
• No more than 10 dissertation credit hours may be taken prior to the semester in which comprehensive examinations are taken.
• No more than 10 dissertation credit hours may be taken in the semester in which comprehensive examinations are taken.
• After passing comprehensive examinations, student must enroll for at least 5 dissertation credit hours (full time) or 3 dissertation credit hours (part time) each semester until graduation.

Typically students enroll for 10 dissertation hours in the semester they are taking comprehensive examinations and 10 dissertation hours each in the following fall and spring terms. Students must be aware of Graduate School rules regarding registration for dissertation hours.

Applicants to the Strategic Communication track of the PhD program in Media Research and Practice are expected to hold the master’s degree or equivalent graduate work. In exceptional cases, applicants without a master’s degree may be considered for admission.

Completed domestic applications must be received by the program no later than Jan. 15 prior to the fall semester for which entrance is sought. International applications should be submitted by Dec. 1. Late applications may be considered under special circumstances.

Successful applications typically have an undergraduate cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.2 and a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 in previous graduate work.

Applicants are required to:

• Provide three letters of recommendation.
• Provide a 700-word Statement of Purpose.
• Provide a resume or CV that includes academic and employment experience.
• Provide a writing sample that exhibits the ability to undertake the conceptual and empirical studies required of doctoral students (e.g., a chapter from a master’s thesis or graduate-level term paper).

Meeting these criteria does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Because we accept relatively few new doctoral students each fall, we may have more qualified applicants than available openings.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we are not requiring GRE scores at this time.

In the online application, select  Advertising, Public Relations and Media Design  as the department,  Media Research & Practice  as the degree, and  Strategic Communication  as the subplan/track.

For review and decision purposes you are required to upload an unofficial copy of your transcript(s) in the online application. We require one copy of the scanned transcript from each undergraduate and graduate institution that you attended. This includes community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs. While credits from one institution may appear on the transcript of a second institution, unofficial transcripts must be submitted from each institution, regardless of the length of attendance, and whether or not courses were completed.    Failure to list and submit transcripts from all institutions previously attended is considered to be a violation of academic ethics and may result in the cancellation of your admission or dismissal from the university.

ONLY after you are recommended for admission will you need to provide official transcripts. 

Instructions for Uploading Unofficial Transcripts to Your Application  (scroll to 'Uploading Unofficial Transcripts in the Application')

FAQ  |  Online Application  |  International Students Online Application

Research or teaching assistantships, including a tuition waiver and stipend, as well as fellowships, are available. PhD students may receive assistantships for a maximum of four years.

Erin Schauster

Associate Chair for Graduate Studies

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PhD in Communication

In the Ph.D. program in Communication at The Ohio State University, students work closely with world-renowned faculty on current research.  In coursework, the emphasis is on understanding the body of knowledge in communication and on learning how to use what is known to generate new knowledge through research.  In addition to gaining a solid grounding in the communication literature, through our Ph.D. program students learn the skills necessary to develop solid academic careers through teaching, attending professional conferences and publishing their own research.

We offer funding to all doctoral students admitted to our program.

Doctoral students work closely with distinguished scholars as mentors in developing individualized programs focusing on the topics that intersect the interests of the faculty and the student. Over the course of their program, students are encouraged to co-author papers and journal articles with faculty members.

Through generous travel awards, the School of Communication, as well as the Graduate School at OSU, enable students to participate in national and international communication conferences. At these conferences our students become acquainted with faculty and graduate students from other universities around the world, establishing lasting friendships and professional relationships.

Through the combination of training, mentoring and socialization, our students are among the most sought-after for the top positions in the field.

Most of our Ph.D. students enter academic careers following graduation, although some enter various communication industries and use their research skills in marketing, polling, media or other industries.

For more information, contact the Graduate Program Coordinator by email at [email protected] or call (614) 292-6503.

You can read more about our graduate program admissions procedures here:

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Ph.D. in Media and Communication

Our doctoral program in Chapel Hill prepares students to lead in the academy and industry.

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We offer a close-knit community where students learn, develop as scholars and collaborate with faculty advisers and mentors.

You’ll learn cutting-edge research methods and acquire a deep understanding of communication theory to help you develop a research program that fits your interests. Our graduates are training the next generation of scholars, improving public health, strengthening democracy and helping leading organizations across the world innovate in a changing media environment.

Numbers of Distinction

AEJMC Nafziger-White-Salwen Dissertation Awards since 1984: No other program comes close.

New graduates in the last five years who have become assistant professors or postdoctoral fellows, with 61% of those assistant professors at Carnegie R1 institutions

Value, over three years, of a Park Fellowship

One-year expenditures for externally sponsored research

Online info session: Ph.D. in Media and Communication

November 6, 2023.

Sign up to attend an online info session about our doctoral program. Hear from program director Shannon McGregor and ask questions about the admissions process.

A network of support, at Carolina and beyond

As she completed her master's at the Hussman School, Kyla Garrett Wagner wasn't sure whether she'd stay in Chapel Hill for her doctorate. She applied to eight other programs but decided to stay where she felt her ideas were most supported. "While it is a competitive school and one of the best schools, we're not competitive with one another on the inside," she says. "We all can work together, and that's an incredible feeling."

Why Carolina?

• Get access to world-class resources on campus and a worldwide network of more than 16,000 UNC Hussman alumni.
• Chapel Hill and the Research Triangle region are home to college-town charm, abundant culture and high-tech industry.

Learn about the Hussman School

Our vibrant and collaborative interdisciplinary research culture creates new knowledge, advances scholarship and helps reinvent media.

Explore our research

The Roy H. Park Fellowships are among the most generous among media and journalism programs nationwide, providing top UNC Hussman doctoral applicants the financial support necessary for the students to focus on their academic and professional development.

Complete this form, and we’ll send you more information and program updates.

Or contact the Graduate Studies team at [email protected] or (919) 843-8307.

Student and Faculty Research

Theory and Research Ph.D.

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The Ph.D. program prepares students to conduct original research on communication processes, their origins, and their psychological, political and cultural effects. Most of our doctoral graduates enter academic teaching and research careers, or communication-related professions that require research skills.

Students usually enter the program with strong interests in one of our three areas of special strength:  Media Psychology ,  Political Communication , or  Journalism, Media and Culture . Within the program, students tend to anchor in one area while exploring key empirical and theoretical concerns in the others. After a core curriculum of courses in quantitative and qualitative methods, statistics, and mass communication theory, each student builds a research specialization through advanced courses and seminars in Communication and related departments, research projects, teaching, and an examination in the area of concentration. These requirements are normally completed within four years, and the dissertation within six.

Ph.D. Requirements and Procedures

Program Information

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Areas of Study

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Students specialize in one of seven tracks by completing a minimum of three courses (12 units) in one of the following:

Rhetoric, Politics and Publics

• COMM 509 Classical Rhetorical Theory
• COMM 511 Contemporary Rhetorical Theory
• COMM 512 Rhetorical Criticism
• COMM 513 Neoclassical Rhetorical Theory
• COMM 514 Social Movements as Rhetorical Form
• COMM 515 Postmodern Rhetorical Theory
• COMM 517 Rhetorical Theory and Culture
• COMM 518 American Public Address
• COMM 520 The Rhetoric of the Presidential Campaign Trail
• COMM 521 Argumentation
• COMM 522 Kenneth Burke's Dramatistic Theory
• COMM 573 Networked Publics: Theories and Encounters
• COMM 576 Civic Media and Participatory Politics
• COMM 580 Media and Politics

Media, Culture and Community

• COMM 516 Feminist Theory and Community
• COMM 519 Cultural Studies in Communication
• COMM 564 Communication, Culture and Capitalism
• COMM 574 Science and Technology Studies for Communication and Media
• COMM 575 Advocacy and Social Change in Entertainment and the Media
• COMM 605 Advanced Macro Theories of Communication
• COMM 618 Mass Media Effects
• COMM 629 Global Culture
• COMM 653 Research, Practice and Social Change
• COMM 654 Art, Artists and Society
• COMM 655 Studies in Sound, Music and Communication
• COMM 656 Theorizing Race, Culture, Cross-Cultural Exchange
• COMM 662 Video Games Research
• COMM 672 Experiments in Critical Writing
• CMGT 587 Audience Analysis

Health Communication and Social Dynamics

• COMM 554 Regression and Multivariate Communication Research
• COMM 602 Seminar in Persuasion
• COMM 611 Communication Technology and Healthcare
• COMM 612 Designing Health Communication Interventions
• COMM 613 Grant Writing in Communication
• COMM 614 Computational Approaches in Health Communication
• COMM 615 Health Communication
• COMM 616 Health Communication for Prevention
• COMM 650 Survey Construction and Validation
• COMM 651 Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs
• CMGT 581 Media in Social Services: Design and Evaluation of Campaigns
• CMGT 583 Social Marketing and Entertainment Education
• CMGT 588 Global Storytelling: The Power of Narrative

Groups, Organizations and Networks

• COMM 508 Power, Politics and Conflict in Communication
• COMM 524 Small Group Process
• COMM 585 Organizational Communication
• COMM 635 Economics of Information
• COMM 636 Interpretive and Cultural Approaches in Organizational Communication
• COMM 637 Current Readings in Organizational Communication
• COMM 638 Global, International and Intercultural Communication in Organizations
• COMM 640 Communication and Organizational Change
• COMM 641 Organizations and Communication Technologies
• COMM 645 Communication Networks
• COMM 648 Online Communities and Networks
• COMM 652 Ethnographic Field Research in Communication

Information, Political Economy and Entertainment

• COMM 516 Feminist Theory and Communication
• COMM 559 Globalization, Communication and Society
• COMM 560 Global Media and Communication in China and Asia
• COMM 563 Black Popular Culture: Theory and Central Debates
• COMM 566 Using Theory to Craft Policies to Affect Change
• COMM 570 Economics of the Communication Industries
• COMM 630 Communication Technology and Social Change
• COMM 647 Network Society
• COMM 660 Entertainment and Games
• COMM 670 Economic Cultures
• CMGT 582 International Communication: National Development

Political Economy of Global Communication

• COMM 546 The Political Economy of Innovation
• COMM 553 Global Internet Governance
• COMM 561 Leading and Communicating Change in Global Organizations
• COMM 567 The Political Economy of Privacy and Cybersecurity
• COMM 582 Information and Communication Technology for Development
• PUBD 504 Global Issues and Public Diplomacy
• PUBD 510 Technologies and Public Diplomacy
• PUBD 515 Transnational Diplomacy and Global Security
• PUBD 516 International Broadcasting
• PUBD 522 Hard Power, Soft Power and Smart Power

New Media and Technology

• COMM 572 Theories of Computer Mediated Communication
• COMM 577 Fandom, Participatory Culture and Web 2.0
• COMM 578 New Media Literacies
• CMGT 530 Social Dynamics of Communication Technologies
• CMGT 531 Communication and the International Economy
• CMGT 537 The Industry, Science and Culture of Video Games

Ph.D. in Mass Communications

Our doctoral program in mass communication, jointly administered with the Department of Life Sciences Communication, is internationally recognized for our faculty and areas of research. Applicants to the Joint Ph.D. in Mass Communications may apply to one or both departments, depending on your areas of research interest. Options are:

• Mass Communications: Journalism & Mass Comm (code G630L)
• Mass Communications: Life Sciences Comm (code G630A)

The Ph.D. degree in Mass Communications provides future academics and professionals with rigorous training in theory and research with highly individualized programs that students develop in consultation with their advisors. Our Ph.D. graduates become some of the most successful researchers and leaders in the field of mass communication.   We require our students to engage in a systematic search for answers to well-formulated and substantive questions. The research process culminates in the discovery and reporting of new knowledge to others.

A doctoral dissertation in Mass Communications demonstrates a student’s ability to examine in detail an important issue in the field, using original research. Faculty members expect the dissertation to be clearly presented while conveying the student’s close familiarity with his or her research area.

The program offers several internationally recognized areas of research and teaching excellence: 

• civic and political communication
• health and environmental communications
• history of media institutions
• information technologies
• social networking and digital media
• processes and effects of mediated communication
• law and ethics of media
• international and inter-cultural communication
• public opinion
• science and risk communication
• social marketing
• journalism studies
• media ecologies
• race and media

Working closely with their advisor and committee, students draw from courses offered in departments across campus to develop a plan of study in preparation for independent and original research in their area of specialization.

Visit the Ph.D. in Mass Communications website for more information.

Visit  Ph.D. in Mass Communications  for more information.

Ph.D. Handbook (PDF)

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School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Doctor of philosophy in mass communication.

The Doctor of Philosophy program in Mass Communication requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit. The program provides training in research methods, communication theory, and teaching skills. Students in this program prepare for careers as professors, teachers and industry researchers.

The program emphasizes interdisciplinary studies, with coursework and research tailored to each student’s interests under the guidance of faculty members. The school offers several areas of strength to support graduate student research:

• critical and cultural studies 
• sports media
• global media
• health communication
• journalism studies
• digital media

Students may elect one of two paths for their graduate studies:

• Enter the PhD program with a completed relevant master’s degree, transferring up to 30 hours of graduate credit from academic courses.
• Enter the PhD program directly without a master’s degree, complete the master’s curriculum with one additional course. Successfully pass a qualifying exam in the second year. If the exam outcome is successful, the student continues in the PhD program. If not successful, the student is awarded a master’s degree and exits the program (provided that the student is in good academic standing).

For more information, refer to the Graduate Student Handbook or Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about SJMC graduate programs. In addition, listed below are the general categories of coursework required to earn the degree; for more specific information on courses, curriculum, and requirements of the Doctor of Philosophy in mass communication, visit the UI General Catalog . Don’t find an answer to your question? Email it to us at [email protected] .

Important Deadlines

Application Deadline : January 1st (for Fall admission)

Admission decisions are based on prior academic performance, letters of reference, and the applicant's statement about background and purpose. Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the  Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College  on the Graduate College website. For more information, see the  Graduate Admissions Process  page.

Comprehensive Examination

In the third year, each doctoral student completes and defends a dissertation proposal, which serves as their comprehensive exam. The dissertation proposal must indicate clearly the logical steps necessary for the completion of the project and suggest a plan of action. Generally, a dissertation proposal will include these areas: Introduction, Context for the Study, Conceptual/Theoretical Foundation, Research Questions, Research Methods, Bibliography, Chapter Outline, and Tentative Timeline. Once written, the student is required to present the dissertation proposal to the PhD Seminar. Following the PhD seminar presentation, an oral examination will be conducted by the student’s committee, usually within two weeks of the completion of the written proposal.

Dissertation

Students who are enrolled in the Ph.D. Program are required to complete a scholarly dissertation. The dissertation committee is composed of five (5) UI tenure track faculty. At least four of the five faculty members for each committee must be members of the University of Iowa tenure-track faculty, and at least three must be members of SJMC (which may include faculty with 0% appointments). By special request, the program may request permission from the Graduate College to replace one of the five members of the Graduate Faculty by a recognized scholar of professorial rank from another academic institution. Changes to committee membership are often necessary, and can be made at various stages in a student’s program, but should always be done in close consultation with their advisor and/or the Director of Graduate Studies.

NOTE :  Any research which involves "human subjects" must be reviewed by the University of Iowa  Institutional Review Board (IRB)  prior to the initiation of the project.  Proof of the determination/review process must also be submitted to the International Studies Program before the international experience proposal can be approved. For all questions contact the IRB at (319) 335-6465; or complete the  IRB Determination Form  to find out if your research meets the definition of human subjects research.

PhD in Mass Communication (General Catalog)

NOTICE: The University of Iowa Center for Advancement is an operational name for the State University of Iowa Foundation, an independent, Iowa nonprofit corporation organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, publicly supported charitable entity working to advance the University of Iowa. Please review its full disclosure statement.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Telecommunications Engineering

Program description.

The PhD in telecommunications engineering program offers intensive preparation in design, programming, theory and applications. Training is provided for both academically oriented students and students with professional goals in the business, industrial and governmental occupations requiring advanced knowledge of telecommunications, network theory and technology.

Courses and research are offered in a variety of subfields of telecommunications engineering, including: fault-tolerant computing, parallel processing, digital signal processing, digital communications, modulation and coding, electromagnetic- wave propagation, fiber and integrated optics, lasers, wireless communications, mobile IP, wireless multimedia, DWDM networks, QoS assurance protocols, network design and optimization, telecommunications software, performance of systems, ad-hoc and PCS wireless networks, network security and high speed networks.

The University maintains a large network of computer facilities, including PCs, Unix work stations and specialized computers for research within the program and faculty laboratories. The Jonsson School has developed a state-of-the-art information infrastructure consisting of a wireless network in all buildings and an extensive fiber-optic Ethernet.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program seek positions such as: professor; researcher and consulting engineer in the public and private sectors. TE graduates find employment in local, national and international enterprises.

Marketable Skills

Review the marketable skills for this academic program.

Application Requirements

Degree requirements:  A master’s degree in telecommunications engineering, electrical engineering, computer science or a closely associated discipline from an institution of higher education in the U.S. or from an acceptable foreign university. Consideration will be given to highly qualified students wishing to pursue the doctorate without satisfying all of the requirements for a master’s degree.

GPA:  A grade point average (GPA) in graduate coursework of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 point scale.

Test score required:  Yes

GRE revised scores of 154, 156, and 4 for the verbal, quantitative and analytical writing components, respectively, are advisable based on our experience with student success in the program.

Letters of recommendation:  Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation on official school or business letterhead or the UT Dallas Letter of Recommendation form from individuals who are familiar with the student record and able to judge the candidate’s probability of success in purchasing doctoral study in Telecommunications Engineering.

Admissions essay required:  Yes

Applicants must also submit a narrative describing their motivation for doctoral study and how it relates to their professional goals.

Deadlines:  University  deadlines  apply.

Contact Information

Jeong Bong (JB) Lee ECE Graduate Program Head Email: [email protected] Phone: 972-883-2386 Office: ECSN 2.716B

Graduate Program Information Email: [email protected] Phone: 972-883-2139 Office: ECSN 2.7 Suite

ece.utdallas.edu

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Communications training program for UD researchers

Article by UDaily Staff Photo illustration by David Barczak March 06, 2024

Kickoff set for Friday, April 5

University of Delaware researchers — including faculty, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students — are invited to participate in an exciting new program designed to strengthen their ability to explain their work to broader audiences, fostering greater understanding and appreciation of UD research and its impact on our lives. 

In a UD survey last year, many researchers expressed keen interest in learning new approaches to communication and exploring tools and methods that can upgrade their efforts. Others want to know how to talk with journalists effectively or to improve their skills in response to expanding federal funding requirements for public engagement and broader impacts. Others said they also want to know how to explain their work to family and friends.

The free program is a collaboration of the Research Office and the Office of Communications and Marketing, in partnership with the Provost’s Office, Graduate College, Department of Communication, Center for Science, Ethics and Public Policy, and IT – Academic Technology Services.

“At a time when public trust in science has been declining, now more than ever, researchers need to be able to connect effectively with a broad range of audiences,” said Kelvin Lee, UD’s interim vice president for research, scholarship and innovation. “This program is a great opportunity for our faculty, postdocs and graduate students — in any discipline — to improve their public communications skills, as well as gain new insights and techniques that will serve them well on their future career paths.”

The program kicks off with a half-day, in-person event on Friday, April 5, at the Audion at STAR Campus. Registration is behind a CAS log-in at this weblink. Please register no later than March 27 .

The remainder of the training will be delivered online in Canvas, the University’s learning management system, in a self-paced format.

“The power of research to impact and change the world is only as strong as the capacity to share, inform, inspire and invite broader audiences to understand and support its mission,” said Glenn Carter, vice president of UD’s Office of Communications and Marketing. “Communication skills are critical to that endeavor, and this program will fortify UD’s research community with tools and insights to make the relevant goals and outcomes of research more engaging and accessible.”

Two programs that promote communication at the national scale will be part of the April 5th kickoff, including the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University and The Conversation , an open-access news platform for scholarly work, which now includes the University of Delaware as a member.

Participation in the April 5 event will count toward the program’s certificate of completion. Other requirements include several course modules selected from the following topics and a public presentation of the participant’s research as a capstone experience: 

Communicating Your Research: Make the World Your Audience

Insights from Research on Communicating Research

Preparing for a Media Interview

Social Media for Researchers

How Visuals Can Help You Tell Your Story

Ethical Communication

Writing for The Conversation

How to Speak So People Want to Listen

Participants will gain fresh insight on the importance of effective science communication, practical ways to share their research, including multimedia and social media, along with a clear understanding of the communications support UD provides.

Angelia Seyfferth , associate dean for research in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said it’s important for researchers to be able to explain their work with all kinds of audiences. She is excited about the impact this type of training can have, especially on researchers who are just beginning their careers.

"As Ph.D. level researchers, we are used to narrowing our focus on research topics, becoming familiar with jargon and techniques that may be difficult for most of the general public to understand,” Seyfferth said. “If we keep communicating our work only to other researchers, public understanding and support for our research could be compromised. I highly encourage everyone to attend this unique opportunity to build and integrate their communication skills with their research expertise, particularly early-career scientists for whom such professional development will prove invaluable.”

For questions about the program, contact Tracey Bryant , senior director for research communications in UD’s Office of Communications and Marketing.

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March 7, 2024

Purdue announces four new online interdisciplinary engineering master’s degree concentrations

Learners can focus on autonomous systems, the Internet of Things, robotics or defense engineering strategy

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s online interdisciplinary engineering master’s program now offers four new concentrations covering autonomous vehicles and other autonomous systems, the Internet of Things, robots, and engineering and technology for national defense.

The new concentrations in the 100% online program include:

• Autonomy, focusing on the challenges facing current and future engineers in designing, analyzing and controlling autonomous systems in many engineering applications, from self-driving cars and unmanned air and water vehicles to package delivery, search-and-rescue operations, and the exploration of Mars and other planets.
• IoT (Internet of Things), focusing on analysis and design of interrelated systems of computers, digital and mechanical devices, sensors, and other components connected via the internet or another communications network — systems which are increasingly deployed for applications such as smart appliances, infrastructure, cities, buildings and homes; health care monitoring; social networking; and more.
• Robotics, focusing on fundamental theories and tools for modeling, analyzing and developing techniques in robotics for an array of applications, including robots in manufacturing and emerging topics such as how to make robots more intelligent partners for humans and multi-robot coordination.
• Strategy and defense engineering, focusing on social science and engineering knowledge and competencies needed to analyze, understand, design and execute defense and civilian strategies that involve technologies supporting the strategic interests of the United States.

Additional information

• New online master’s in AI from Purdue is designed for people who build AI systems and for people who use them
• Purdue University Online continues to achieve high national rankings
• Purdue offers free foundational course in semiconductor fabrication

“Robotics, autonomous systems and the Internet of Things are already revolutionizing society, and that trend will only continue,” said Shreyas Sundaram, professor in Purdue’s Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and co-director of the Institute for Control, Optimization and Networks (ICON) . “Purdue’s concentrations offer a significant breadth and depth of courses in these areas. Students will gain skills so that they are well positioned to contribute to these advances.” 

An interdisciplinary engineering concentration developed with Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts , strategy and defense engineering combines expertise in social, military and data sciences with expertise in engineering and technology, said Sorin Adam Matei, professor of communication and the college’s associate dean of research and graduate education.

“The differentiator is that while the program examines and explores technologies and engineering solutions, it does it from a policy and social sciences perspective, both calibrated to support and expand practical work in national defense and strategic military planning,” Matei said. 

Purdue’s 100% online interdisciplinary engineering master’s degree is a flexible program designed to enable learners to customize their educational experience to their interests and needs by taking an interdisciplinary approach to the curriculum. Students can choose from an extensive collection of graduate engineering courses and electives.

Courses in the new autonomy, IoT and robotics concentrations can span such core topics as artificial intelligence, chip design, computer programming, control theory, data science and analytics, embedded systems, machine learning, networks, optimization, sensors, and wireless communications. The strategy and defense engineering concentration features courses in data storytelling; grand challenges in defense engineering; space strategy; strategic foresight; and technology, war and strategy, among others. 

The anytime, anywhere online format makes Purdue’s interdisciplinary engineering program accessible for working professionals looking to expand their knowledge and boost their skills and careers in fields that are important today and likely to be even more so tomorrow.

The online courses are developed and taught by internationally known faculty who teach on Purdue’s flagship campus, rated as a Top 10 Public University in the U.S. by QS World University Rankings. Purdue’s online engineering master’s programs are ranked No. 3 nationally by U.S. News & World Report .

“Purdue’s excellence in interdisciplinary engineering allows us to offer courses customized for these concentrations by our outstanding faculty with research strengths in robotics, autonomy and the Internet of Things,” said Shaoshuai Mou, the Elmer F. Bruhn Associate Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and ICON co-director.

Faculty in the strategy and defense engineering concentration are experts who have worked or are working in fields as diverse as diplomacy, learning innovation, nuclear military applications and space policy, Matei said. 

For more information on Purdue’s fully online interdisciplinary Master of Science in Engineering and to apply, visit the program website .

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the new Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, and Purdue Computes — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives .

Writer: Greg Kline, [email protected]

Media contact: Brian Huchel, [email protected]

Sources: Sorin Adam Matei, [email protected]

Shaoshuai Mou, [email protected]

Shreyas Sundaram [email protected]

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