communication phd in usa

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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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

Doctorate in Communication

With one of the nation's premier doctoral programs in Communication, the Annenberg School is a tight-knit, supportive community of scholars committed to advancing knowledge of our media environment.

Founded through the generosity and vision of publisher, diplomat, and philanthropist Walter Annenberg, the Annenberg School for Communication is devoted to furthering our understanding of the role of communication in public life through research, education, and service. Our five-year doctoral program has a strong reputation as one of the best in Communication, based on Annenberg’s unparalleled combination of world-class faculty , students , and alumni , as well as access to the larger intellectual and cultural resources of the University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia .

In an inherently interdisciplinary field, Annenberg researchers are engaged with a spectrum of topics related to health, politics, media systems, networks and digital culture, journalism, race and gender, and more, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

Our Ph.D. program allows students to tailor a curriculum to suit their specific interests, and provides them the financial resources to launch their academic career. 

In addition to a full tuition waiver, our students currently receive an annual stipend as well as a budget for research and travel and health insurance for all five years.

Annenberg is the smallest of the 12 schools at Penn, and it functions as close-knit community of scholars whose doors are always open to one another. Our students also appreciate our staff , who routinely go above and beyond to support them.

Please note that we do not have a standalone master’s degree program at this time. All students are admitted directly into the doctoral program.

Request for More Information

Our Students By the Numbers

Here are some fast facts about our students and the admissions process . Get to know Annenberg!

Students currently in the program

Different nationalities represented by our students, applicants each year, students accepted each year, average undergraduate gpa of applicants, average toefl of admitted candidates, of students came from a previous graduate degree program, of students worked in a career before joining annenberg, of students came straight to annenberg from an undergraduate degree.

Our Faculty

Our graduate faculty is at the heart of the school. Their innovative work, often in collaboration with students, pushes the field of Communication forward.

Students on Video

Hear from some of the Annenberg School's doctoral students as they talk about their work and what brought them to Annenberg.

What is it like to be a doctoral student at the International Communication Association annual conference? We followed four students to find out.

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctoral candidate Kelly Diaz used her phone to document the many signs displayed in yards and windows around her West Philadelphia home. She has now collected that body of work into a  photo essay .

Doctoral Candidate and artist Roopa Vasudevan studies the ways that the everyday technologies shape our daily lives.

What is it like to be a Ph.D. student? We followed five of our students through their daily activities.

Prateekshit Pandey works with the Communication Neuroscience Lab to study how the brain reacts to humor. 

Buenos Aires-native María Celeste Wagner looks at how gender influences credibility in news. 

Jennifer Henrichsen studies the way that journalists adopt information security technologies to protect themselves and their sources.

Our Students

Annenberg's doctoral students represent a broad spectrum of interests, methodologies, and backgrounds. Here are just a few of our incredible students.

Arlene C. Fernández

Azsaneé Truss

Antoine Haywood

Danielle Clark

Neil Fasching

Tom W. Etienne

Student Profile Video: Kate Okker-Edging

Okker-Edging talks about her work on mental health communication resources like 988 and chatbots, and particularly their effects on marginalized populations.

Proust, Smith, and Truss Win 2024 James D. Woods Award

Azsaneé Truss Receives Penn Prize for Excellence in Teaching

Three Annenberg Doctoral Candidates Awarded 2024 Sachs Program Grants

Kallahan brown named 2023 presidential ph.d. fellow.

Explore the Program

Learn more about life in the Annenberg Ph.D. program.

Financial Support

Curriculum & Milestones

Student Life

Applications for 2025-2026 will open by October

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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, 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 Jaime Kirtz Nicole Lee 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

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NCA's Doctoral Program Guide

About the Doctoral Program Guide

The  Doctoral Program Guide  is designed to provide timely and useful information about doctoral programs in Communication for students, prospective students, and other interested parties.

Which Programs Are Listed? Many doctoral programs are included in this guide, all of which offer a Ph.D. degree in some area or field of the Communication discipline. We began with the programs that have traditionally been ranked or evaluated as doctoral programs in Communication by other sources and added a number of new programs.   

For doctoral programs in related areas of study, visit the following:

• American Library Association's Accredited Programs page  
• American Society for Theater Research's Doctoral Program Directory  
• American Speech & Hearing Association's EdFind  
• Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication's Graduate Student Info page  
• Modern Language Association's Guide to Doctoral Programs in English and Other Modern Languages  
• Public Relations Society of America's Higher Education Programs Online Directory  

What Information Can Be Found in the Guide?

All information presented in this guide is publicly available on the individual department or program website and/or in other published sources. Each university is identified by its  Carnegie Classification , its membership in the  Association of American Universities , and by the number of doctorates it has conferred from 2010 to 2019, according to the  National Science Foundation's  Survey of Earned Doctorates . The guide provides the areas of study of each program, the admissions requirements for each program, a listing of each program's graduate faculty, and contact information. In addition, we also recognize a program's recipients of NCA Awards from 2000 to the present and synthesize and report on the programs' standing in a series of different rankings/ratings, including:

• The university's 2019 ranking in the Communication & Media Studies category of the QS World University Rankings . (Note: this ranking includes 200 universities; the first 50 are individually ranked, followed by category rankings for the remainder.)
• The university's 2019-2020 ranking in the "Language, Communication, and Culture" category of the University Ranking by Academic Performance measure.  

Explanation of Areas of Study

Most doctoral programs in Communication indicate research areas or special research concentrations. Such areas are usually based on the types of research conducted by the faculty members in the program, as well as by the courses offered toward the graduate degree. 

A program is listed within a specific research area based entirely upon its self-identification of research focus. Because the identification and labeling of research foci vary so greatly across programs, this list groups and categorizes research areas according to commonly understood labels. Thus, a given doctoral program may identify its research specialty as "media economics" or "media studies" or "media effects." That program would be included in the broader category below of "Mass Communication/Media Studies."

University of Minnesota, Department of Communication Studies

Wayne State University, Department of Communication

Drexel University, Department of Communication

Purdue University, Brian Lamb School of Communication

Georgia State University, Department of Communication

University of Massachusetts, Department of Communication

Stanford University, Department of Communication

Cornell University, Department of Communication

University of Kansas, Department of Communication Studies

Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis,...

University of Kentucky, College of Communication &...

American University, School of Communication

Chapman University, School of Communication

University of Wisconsin, Ph.D. Program in Mass...

University at Buffalo-SUNY, Department of Communication

University of Colorado, Department of Communication

• 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.

• Graduate Studies

Ph.D. in Media and Communication

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

• Cost & Funding

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

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.

#7 BEST ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM

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

Over a third of UND's student population is exclusively online; plus, more take a combination of online and on campus classes. You can feel reassured knowing you won't be alone in your online learning journey and you'll have resources and services tailored to your needs. No matter how you customize your online experience, you’ll get the same top-quality education as any other on campus student.

• Same degree:  All online programs are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) . Your transcript and diploma are exactly the same as our on-campus students.
• Same classes: You’ll take courses from UND professors, start and end the semesters at the same time and take the same classes as a student on campus.
• Real interaction:  You can ask questions, get feedback and regularly connect with your professors, peers and professionals in the field.
• Your own academic advisor:  As an invaluable go-to, they’re focused on you, your personal success and your future career.
• Free online tutoring:  We're here to help you one-on-one at no cost. Plus, get access to a variety of self-help online study resources.
• Unlimited academic coaching:  Need support to achieve your academic goals or feeling stumped by a tough course? We'll help with everything from stress and time management to improving your memory to achieve higher test scores.
• Full online access: Dig into virtual research at UND's libraries. Improve your writing skills with online help from the UND Writing Center. Get online access to career services, veteran and military services, financial services and more.
• 24/7 technical support:  UND provides free computer, email and other technical support for all online students.
• Networking opportunities: Our significant online student population means you’ll have a large pool of peers to connect with. UND has numerous online events and activities to keep you connected.

Best Online College

Our high alumni salaries and job placement rates, with affordable online tuition rates make UND a best-value university for online education. UND's breadth of online programs rivals all other nonprofit universities in the Upper Midwest making UND one of the best online schools in the region.

UND ranks among the best online colleges in the nation for:

• Affordability
• Student satisfaction (retention rate)
• Academic quality (4-year graduate rate)
• Student outcomes (20-year return on investment per Payscale.com)

Leaders that Do

Students at UND take chances, seek challenges and become leaders in the community.

Check out the faculty you'll work with at UND or discover additional education opportunities.

• Department of Communication
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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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» Ph.D. in Communication

If you’re driven to pursue research and to empower the next generation of impactful communicators, Chapman University’s Ph.D. in Communication program will prepare you to lead. Here, you’ll develop your own research identity as you explore options aided by a supportive community built on mentorship and collaboration. You’ll gain extensive knowledge of communication processes grounded in both quantitative and qualitative approaches to research and teaching.   

The Chapman Ph.D. program offers three principal areas of emphasis:

• Interpersonal Communication
• Health Communication
• Media and Communication Technology

If you choose to focus on other sub-disciplines in Communication, faculty mentors are eager to help guide your specialty research pursuits, including in:

• Family Communication
• Instructional Communication
• Intercultural Communication

Our Students and Alumni

Here are some of the employers who have hired graduates with a Chapman Ph.D. in Communication:

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Planned Parenthood
• UCLA Health
• Orange County United Way
• Clemson University
• Lighthouse Health and Wellness
• Concordia University Irvine

Sampling of Faculty-Student Research

• Digital Flourishing: Conceptualizing and Assessing Positive Perceptions of Mediated Social Interactions by Dr.  Sophie H. Janicke-Bowles , Tess M. Buckley (Ph.D. ’22) , Rikishi Rey (Ph.D. ’22) , Tayah Wozniak (Ph.D. ’22) , Adrian Meier & Anna Lomanowska

Understanding First Responders’ Perspectives of Mental Health Communication within Their Departments by Erin Craw (Ph.D. ’22) and Dr. Michelle Miller-Day  

“Like Being Deployed to War”: Stress and Resilience in Frontline Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic by Erin Craw (Ph.D. ’22) , Tess Buckley (Ph.D. ’22) , and Dr. Michelle Miller-Day

The impact of HPV vaccine narratives on social media: Testing Narrative Engagement Theory with a diverse sample of young adults by Leader, A., Dr. Michelle Miller-Day , Rikishi Rey (Ph.D. ’22), Selvan, P., Pezalla, A., & Hecht, M.L

“This isn’t just busy, this is scary”: Stress, Social Support, and Coping Experiences of Frontline Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic by Erin Craw (Ph.D. ’22) , Tess Buckley (Ph.D. ’22) , and Dr. Michelle Miller-Day

Men’s stories: an account of translating vaccine decision narratives from young men in the US into a targeted public health intervention by Erin Craw (Ph.D. ’22) and Dr. Michelle Miller-Day

• Ambiguous loss, stress, communal coping, and resilience: A mixed- methods study of K-12 teachers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic  by  Erin Craw (Ph.D. ’22)  and  Dr. Jennifer Bevan

Extending Psychological Reactance Theory to Include Denial of Threat and Media Sharing Intentions as Freedom Restoration Behavior by Noel H. McGuire (Ph.D. Candidate ’24) & Dr. Hannah Ball

• Shot Talk: Development and Pilot Test of a Theory of Planned Behavior Campaign to Combat College Student COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy  by Dr.  Hannah Ball , Tayah Wozniak (Ph.D. '22) , & Cailin M. Kuchenbecker  (Ph.D. Candidate ’24)

Coursework & Credit Requirements

Full-time students coming into the program with a Master’s degree will need to complete a minimum of 36 credit hours of coursework and are expected to graduate within three years. Additionally, students will register for up to 18 hours of research during their third year in the program. Thus, students entering with a Master’s degree, or the equivalent, must complete a minimum of 54 total credit hours.

Students admitted without a master’s degree will need to complete the Health and Strategic Communication master’s degree as an integral part of the Communication Ph.D. program, in addition to the doctoral work. Thus, students entering without a Master’s degree, or the equivalent, must complete a minimum of 66 credit hours of coursework in addition to 18 credit hours of research.

Area of Emphasis

Our Ph.D. program has 3 Areas of Emphasis (AoE). These AoE’s mirror the specialties of the current faculty: Interpersonal Communication, Health Communication, and Media and Communication Technology.

• Interpersonal Communication: Involves the study of both the processes and effects of social interaction. Communication in personal and family relationships are two important contexts in which interpersonal theories are applied.
• Health Communication: Health communication is a multidisciplinary field of study and practice that applies communication evidence, strategy, theory, and creativity to promote behaviors, policies, and practices that advance the health and well-being of people and populations.
• Media and Communication Technology : Deals with the content, history and effects of various media, including mass media, and new communication technologies (i.e., social media, digital media)

Program Timeline

• Student Enters the Program
• Formal Advisor Chosen
• Complete Committee

Summer Semester Y2

• Completes Comps or Preliminary Papers
• Complete Coursework
• Prospectus Defense
• Dissertation credits 
• Dissertation 

Required Coursework

Coursework requirements have been organized into five separate areas. The first is the Core Theory Courses, followed by Core Methods/Stats classes, Electives in Primary Area, Electives in Secondary Area, as well as Dissertation and Research.

All students will take one (1) Core Communication Theory course (COM 700). Students will take an additional two (2) Core Theory courses (6 credit hours). These two courses will be representative of the student’s primary and secondary areas of emphasis.

Students will declare a primary area of emphasis no later than the beginning of the second semester of their program. Similarly, students will declare a secondary area of emphasis no later than the beginning of their third full semester in the program (summer and interterm semesters do not count as full semesters).

Students will take a minimum of four (4) Research Methods/Statistics courses (12 credit hours). All students will take Introduction to Research Methods (HCOM595), Quantitative Research Methods (COM695), and Qualitative Research Methods (COM696). Students must then choose one additional research methods course based upon their research interests and discussion with their Dissertation Advisor.

Area 1. Core Theory Courses (Area Credits = 9; Total credits = 9)

• Communication Theory (COM 700)     
• Theories of Health Communication (HCOM 580)
• Theories of Interpersonal Communication (HCOM 570)
• Mass Communication Theory (COM 571)
• Organizational Communication (COM 572)
• Courses listed above
• Qualitative Research Methods (COM 696)
• Quantitative Research Methods (COM 695)
• Advanced Quantitative Methods (COM 795)
• Multivariate Research Methods (COM 797)  OR  Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (COM 796)

Area 3. Electives in Primary Area (Area Credits = 12; Total credits = 30)

Courses listed for Area 1 requirements can be double counted to fulfill Area 2 requirements but can only be counted once toward the 36 credit hour requirement.

With approval of the Ph.D. Director, up to 6 credit hours of coursework from the student’s master’s degree can be applied toward fulfillment of the Ph.D. in Communication.   Area 4. Electives in Secondary Area (Area Credits = 9; Total credits = 36)

Courses listed for Area 1 requirements can be double counted to fulfill Area 4 requirements but can only be counted once toward the 36 credit requirement.

With approval of the Ph.D. Director, up to 6 credit hours of coursework from the student’s master’s degree can be applied toward fulfillment of the Ph.D. in Communication.   Area 5. Dissertation Proposal and Research (Area Credits = 18; Total credits = 54)

Application Requirements and Deadlines

• A bachelor's degree and/or master's degree from accredited institutions. Official transcripts must be submitted from all degree-granting (bachelor's and master's degrees) colleges and universities attended.*
• 3.000 is the minimum recommended undergraduate and graduate cumulative grade point averages.
• Two letters of recommendation are required, including one from an academic source (i.e., graduate-level professor) who can describe academic and professional abilities.
• 2-4 page personal statement addressing interest in the Ph.D. in Communication at Chapman University, research and career goals.
• Writing sample from previous academic coursework or paper submitted to academic conference or publication (10-12 page minimum requirement).
• Current curriculum vitae showing relevant education, research, publications, grants, coursework, teaching experience, work experience.
• Verbal: 152
• Quantitative: 146
• Analytical Writing: 4.0
• Interview with Graduate Director or Graduate Coordinator

* If a student is admitted without an approved M.A./M.S. degree in Communication or related field, students will need to complete the M.S. degree program first, prior to beginning their doctoral work.

Application Deadlines

Early decision applications are due January 15th. Applications received after January 15th will be considered on a space available basis. All other applications must be submitted by March 15th. Because the number of students is limited, meeting the following minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

Our Students

Tess Buckley '22:  Read More

Erin Craw '22:  Read More

Rikishi Rey '22: Read More  

Tayah Wozniak '22:  Read More

Information Sheet

• MS in Health & Strategic Communication
• Ph.D. in Communication
• Graduate Application
• Financial Aid
• Admission Deadlines
• Information Sessions

PhD in Communication

We are an international, interdisciplinary, boundary-spanning graduate program with a vision of social justice.

The emergence of communication as a multifaceted social science discipline is connected to both the search for new perspectives on contemporary problems and the profusion of technologies of communication. Our graduate program approaches communication as the primary social process through which social realities are constituted, maintained, and changed. Those varied processes and contexts constitute the core of our work, with opportunities to pursue communication theory and research in the following areas:

• Film studies
• Media effects and popular culture
• Media, technology, and society
• Rhetoric and performance studies
• Social interaction and culture

Our doctoral program is known for its:

• R1-level research productivity
• Interdisciplinary, boundary-spanning scholarship
• Social justice perspective 
• Comparative and international focus

Application information & deadlines

January 2, 2024, communication.

Treat communication as a primary social process and gain knowledge of communication theory, philosophy, methodology, and research.

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Program Information

• Learning Objectives
• Research and Teaching

Areas of Study

• Current Doctoral Students
• Class Profile

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

Texas Tech Now

Media and communication graduate earns degree after decade-long journey.

May 10, 2024

Gini Wilbanks proves you can have it all, just not all at once.

Gini woke up, her heart mimicking the pulsing beat of her alarm. 

It was another morning of a racing heart and a sick feeling in her stomach. She wondered if her family had made the right decision moving to Round Rock, Texas. She made her way to Elijah's crib, picking up her 6-month-old who was crying. She wanted to join him, but she was too exhausted to cry. 

Gini and her husband Josh had moved from Lubbock so Josh could take a job near Austin. He had recently graduated from Texas Tech University, but Gini still had roughly 40 credit hours to finish. The move away from campus meant a change in major for Gini. The former Creative Media Industries student switched to Public Relations & Strategic Communication Management. 

She was getting close to finishing her degree, but on this morning, the finish line felt far.  Gini started making breakfast for herself and her two older children, Adeline and Charlotte. 

“I was postpartum, and I got hit hard with depression and high anxiety,” Gini recalled. “My grades started to suffer.”

Gini had moved away from her family, friends and her entire support system. The couple had believed the move would set them up for a successful future but at this moment, Gini couldn't think past the next few hours. 

A Future Red Raider

“Texas Tech has always been a huge part of my life,” Gini said. 

Born and raised in Lubbock, Gini's parents both worked at the university. The family was active in their support of Red Raider athletics and the university's arts scene. They attended each Carol of Lights™ and befriended faculty and staff around campus.

Growing up in the college town inspired Gini to attend Texas Tech one day. 

Coming up through Tubbs Elementary, O.L. Slaton Middle School and Lubbock High School, Gini was active in theater, dance and choir. She involved herself in as many artistic events as she could, finding these endeavors energized her.  

As high school graduation approached, though, she took stock of what would offer a consistent career. 

“When I graduated in 2013, there were not as many jobs in communications,” Gini said. “There was a stigma around creative careers. I wanted to be seen as serious so I looked for something that would make good money.” 

Multiple family members worked in the medical field, so Gini decided to study nursing. 

Around this same time, she and her high school sweetheart were getting more serious. Gini met her now-husband Josh in biology during the ninth grade. The two became friends and started dating the following year. By the time they graduated, they both knew they'd found the one.

Josh enlisted in the Army and was sent to basic training the summer after graduation. The young couple couldn't talk much on the phone, so they wrote letters throughout the long, sweltering summer months. Gini would make her way to the mailbox in the dry West Texas heat, opening the latch to find something stamped from Fort Benning.

The couple kept every letter from that summer. 

Meanwhile, Gini started pre-nursing courses at South Plains College (SPC). While the dream was still to attend Texas Tech, she knew she could get basic requirements out of the way at a lower cost at SPC. 

“For a few semesters, I was very focused on my schoolwork,” Gini recalled. “Josh was getting his stuff done and I was taking care of my classes.”

In the following years, everything rapidly changed. In April 2016, the couple got married and Gini started work as a nurse's aide at Covenant Children's in the postpartum unit. 

In 2017, the couple welcomed their first child, Adeline. By 2018, Josh enrolled full time at Texas Tech.

In the span of a few short years, Gini's life looked drastically different. 

“When we had Adeline, I ended up having an emergency cesarian,” Gini said. “Because of the longer recovery, I ended up taking that whole semester off from school.” 

Gini's classwork began to take a backseat during this time. Supporting Josh in his studies, working as a postpartum nurse's aide and taking care of a newborn was a full load. 

“I decided to take a prolonged break from school,” she said. “I had a job I enjoyed and wanted to soak up being a new mom.” 

While a break was the right choice for Gini at that time, it made going back to school that much tougher. 

A Change in Direction

Josh and Gini had their second daughter, Charlotte, at the beginning of 2020. She was only a few weeks old when the pandemic started. Josh, Gini and their young children were home for months. While Gini did go back to work after her maternity leave was over, the restrictions gave her room to reflect. 

“We were stuck at home for a while, and my need to express myself creatively came back out,” she said. 

It was something she hadn't taken the time to do in years. 

Gini came up with crafts to do with their eldest, and she started dabbling in photography. A light came on, and Gini started questioning the academic road she'd taken up until that point. 

“The stress of working through the pandemic certainly added to it, but I think the pandemic showed me something I already knew deep down,” she said. 

Gini had chosen to forego a creative career seven years prior, worried about appearances and stability. Now, a wife and mother, her priorities had changed. 

“I'd grown up a lot in that short time, and I had different aspirations,” she said. 

Not only had Gini changed, but the communications industry had changed as well. When she graduated from high school, some organizations were just beginning to use social media, and many weren't utilizing it at all. But with the progression of technology and the sudden boom of online activity during the pandemic, Gini decided to revisit a career in communications. 

She met with Associate Director of Advising Don Ellis in the College of Media & Communication (CoMC), who became a mentor to Gini every step of the way. 

“Gini came to us as a transfer student, and she had a level of maturity and diverse life experiences that seemed to enhance the quality of her academic career,” Ellis said. “Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, she consistently displayed a strong sense of determination and resilience, maintained her focus, and always actively participated in her own education.”

Gini had always wanted to help people; she thought nursing was the best way to do that. But as life changed, she realized she could make a difference while using her talents. 

“I discovered Texas Tech had a program called creative media industries (CMI),” she said. 

The program's focus on innovative storytelling was appealing to Gini, who was looking to grow her existing passion for visual communications. So, in the fall of 2020, Gini started her first semester as a Red Raider. 

The moment was a long time coming. 

While her first semester was completely online, Gini was able to be on campus in the spring of 2021. 

“I have a photo of my first day on campus,” she said. “I have a mask on, so it'll always be easy to remember when that was.” 

Life had thrown her some curve balls, but Gini was zeroing in on what she wanted and remembering the dreams she had had as a young girl. She knew she would attend Texas Tech, the reality of that was just a whole lot different than she envisioned. 

For the following year, both Josh and Gini were enrolled in the same college. Josh was a student in the Public Relations & Strategic Communication Management program, while Gini thrived in CMI. It was around this same time that the couple found out they were expecting another child, a son. 

“I remember thinking, ‘Oh boy, here we go again,'” Gini laughed. 

Thrilled to be welcoming a son, Gini struggled, wanting to focus on her growing family and her schoolwork at the same time. When she had her daughters, she was in a love-hate relationship with academia. That had changed this time around. She wondered how she would balance being a mom to three kids while finishing a program she genuinely loved. 

It was a good problem to have, but it remained a problem. To make matters harder, Josh received a job offer in Round Rock after graduating from Texas Tech in the spring of 2022, only a few months after they had Elijah.

Josh was commissioned as an Army officer upon graduation and signed with the National Guard. His new reporting station was in central Texas and a marketing job became available nearby. However, that meant Gini and the kids would have to leave behind their support system in Lubbock. Both Gini's parents still lived in Lubbock, and she had friends in her hometown. 

Unfortunately for the couple, they didn't have a lot of time to weigh their options. They wanted Josh to start work in six weeks. So, with three young children and virtually no community in Round Rock, Josh and Gini ventured into the unknown. 

The Hardest Stretch 

In the early morning hours, a few months later, Gini was at rock bottom. When classes started in fall of 2023, she had to go back to being an online student. Unfortunately, CMI was not a fully online program. But with the encouragement of her adviser, Gini realized the Public Relations & Strategic Communication Management program overlapped heavily with the courses she'd taken, and it was offered both in-person and online. 

If she was going to complete her degree any time soon, she'd need to switch programs. 

So, she did, and the coursework was comparable to what she'd been studying. However, it wasn't the change in major that was so difficult, it was the fact she was an online college student with three children, at home alone, and suddenly without her support system. 

She also struggled with postpartum depression after the birth of her son. 

“Honestly, I felt like finishing school just wasn't going to happen for me,” Gini said. “Like, maybe it wasn't in the cards.

“I was taking care of a five-month-old, a toddler, and a 5-year-old. I had no family or friends nearby and I was waking up every morning with a high heart rate, sick to my stomach. I stressed over finances, wondering if we'd made a mistake.”

During that semester, Gini's grades began to suffer. She knew that wasn't the way she wanted to finish her college career, so she sought help from her doctor and her adviser. Everyone worked with her, finding solutions to help her succeed. 

Her doctor placed her on an anti-anxiety medication that helped her feel like herself again. Gini begin to create a new routine and even befriended other mothers in the area. 

“I also made sure to reach out to my adviser and kept the line of communication open with each of my professors, letting them know my situation from the beginning,” she said. 

By the end of the semester, she made the President's Honors List. 

There were times, particularly that semester, that Gini was tempted to give up. 

“Every time I was about ready to give up, I would think, ‘C'mon Gini, you have to do this for yourself. You've always wanted to be a Texas Tech graduate; you can do this.'”  

In place of having family in town, Gini would get on the phone and get added support when she needed it most. 

Gini's mother was her biggest cheerleader. 

“She has watched me work toward this goal for a decade,” Gini said. “She's always been so encouraging. Whenever I've had a setback, she reminds me to get back up and get at it. She's always believed I can do this.” 

And on the days when Gini didn't believe in herself, her family, her friends, and Josh have been there to help her cross the finish line. 

“Both Gini and I were unique students,” Josh said. “Texas Tech does an amazing job catering to individuals who are in nontraditional situations.

“Gini has displayed such tenacity while finishing her degree, especially this past year. She doesn't let anything define or limit her. At no point has she looked at her circumstances and let them be a reason not to do something.” 

The Horizon

After graduation, Gini hopes to work in public relations as a social media manager; particularly for brands geared toward mothers and children. 

As proud as Gini is of finishing her degree, she is even prouder of being a mom. She wants to share that passion in an industry that has plenty of need for good public relations practitioners. 

“In my experience, juggling the demands of being a fulltime public relations major and a mother of three, I've come to realize the critical importance of authenticity and connection,” she said. “Especially when it comes to brands marketing to mothers.” 

The demographic Gini hopes to appeal to is focused on quality and safety, just as she is. Gini has found that parents do not just want to buy products, they want guidance and support. That's why it's important for a public relations campaign to educate and engage that demographic, she says. 

Gini does not hide the fact she is a non-traditional student. Rather, she plays to her strengths. 

“As a mom entering the PR world, I bring a unique perspective to the table,” she said. “I know firsthand the challenges and joys of parenting, and I believe our experience as mothers enriches the work we do. 

“By sharing our stories and collaborating with influencers who share our values, we can create genuine connection with audiences.” 

Gini has been in a campaign course this semester, which serves as a capstone for her degree program. To her delight, most of her team members also turned out to be parents. While she may have started out on campus as the older student in class, her online experience has partnered her up with colleagues who are on similar paths. 

Gini hopes even more parents will consider going back to school and finishing their degrees. 

“As fulltime parents and students, it's OK to take your time. School will still be there. The job market will still be there. But time with your kids, that's valuable,” she said. 

Even though Gini knows it's not a race, it doesn't make commencement any less sweet. If anything, walking the stage this spring will be that much more special, as it marks her incredible perseverance over the last 11 years. 

“There have been a lot of ups and downs,” Gini said. “But I can finally see the horizon, and it's a great view.” 

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N.C. A&T Journalism Graduate Selected for Dow Jones Media Program

By Markita C. Rowe / 05/20/2024 College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

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EAST GREENSBORO, N.C (May 20, 2024) – Rosegalie Cineus ‘24, who graduated from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s Journalism and Mass Communication (JOMC) Department, has been chosen as one of eight fellows for the Dow Jones HBCU (historically Black college or university) Media Collective program.

Cineus, an Honors College student and multimedia major from Cranston, Rhode Island, is the first North Carolina A&T student to be selected for the program.

“Being chosen as the inaugural A&T JOMC fellow for the Dow Jones HBCU Media Collective Program is a testament to Rosegalie’s talent and dedication,” said Yahya Kamalipour, Ph.D., interim JOMC department chair. “The department is proud of her and thrilled to see her recognized on a national level.”

This year’s fellows were hand-selected by deans and faculty members from their respective institutions. Other HBCUs in this year’s program are Bowie State University, Florida A&M University, Howard University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University and Spelman College.

The Dow Jones HBCU Media Collective program, now in its second year, has incorporated an international component to broaden students’ understanding of global opportunities and enhance newsroom diversity. The program includes a five-day trip to London, providing beneficial exposure to News Corp properties such as The Sun, The Times, Times Radio, The Fifth, talkSPORT and Virgin Radio.

“This program will allow me to really sharpen my skills and storytelling,” said Cineus. “I am excited to soak up valuable knowledge during my time there.” From May 29 to June 12, students enrolled in the program will collaborate with seasoned journalists at Dow Jones, Barron’s and MarketWatch newsrooms. Additionally, they will engage in newsroom training conducted by The Wall Street Journal. The program’s initial phase will also include graduate-level courses at Columbia University.

"I worked closely with Rosegalie this academic year and she has been an outstanding student,” said David Squires, a JOMC lecturer at A&T. “I know that the program will provide her with lifelong connections that she’ll value throughout her media career.”

For more information about the Dow Jones HBCU Media Collective program, visit https://www.dowjones.com/careers/#interns-and-graduates .

Media Contact Information: [email protected]

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Southern Miss MBA Program jumps in Fortune Education Rankings

Fri, 05/17/2024 - 12:00pm | By: Courtney Robinson

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Master of Business Administration program (MBA) program has been ranked No. 31 nationally in the Best Online MBA programs for 2024 by Fortune Education. The current ranking represents a gain of 17 spots from its 2023 rankings.

Housed in the College of Business and Economic Development the program has restructured its curriculum in the last academic year by removing prerequisites barriers and allowing students more flexibility in their elective course selection.

Noted Dr. Bret Becton, Dean of the College of Business and Economic Development, “As the Dean of the College of Business & Economic Development, I am thrilled by our recognition as the No. 31 Best Online MBA Program by Fortune Education.”

Fortune Education ranks programs based on several factors, including price, student backgrounds, and alumni outcome. Other data factored into the decision include graduation rates, retention rates, yield rates, and average undergraduate GPA.

Dr. Steven Stelk, MBA Director, added, “ Fortune’s recognition of our MBA program is gratifying. The College of Business and Economic Development faculty and staff have continued to invest in and refine the online MBA program since it was established in 2014.”

Becton added, “ This achievement stands as a testament to the dedication and expertise of our MBA faculty and staff, whose tireless efforts have played an integral role in shaping our program into one that empowers future business leaders for success in today’s dynamic world.”

Stelk credits much of the improvement to the new curricular structure, which has attracted students with more diverse academic backgrounds.

“The recent rankings are based on the previous academic year, which gives us an opportunity to celebrate the results of our investments and provides fresh motivation to continue refining the program. We implemented novel curriculum changes in Fall 2023,” Stelk stated. “MBA students are now required to take fifteen hours of core business courses in accounting, finance, marketing, management, and strategy. They use the remaining 15 hours of focused electives to develop an area of expertise.”

Available focus areas include management, economic development, sport security management, supply chain/logistics, human capital development, instructional technology, public health, communications/public relations, non-profit studies, and public history. The MBA also now collaborates with the Sport Management MS and Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) programs to support dual programs.  

“We are continuing to develop and test new ideas to increase the value of our MBA, and I am excited to see what the future holds,” Stelk said.

Students can complete the degree fully online or in-person at the Hattiesburg campus in as little as one year, full-time. Additional information can be found   online . For inquiries about the MBA program, please contact (601) 266-266-4659.

Learn more about the Fortune Education Best Online MBA Programs for 2024.

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Miss Bel Air 2024 twirls fire and has an eye for art

A t 19, Gianna Romero has excelled in a wealth of activities, from ballet to baton twirling, and from acrobatics to art. In March, the Joppatowne native was named Miss Bel Air 2024. A graduate of the John Carroll School, Romero is a freshman and dean’s list student at Stevenson University, majoring in business communications.

Here are three things you may not know about Romero:

Flaming batons catch her fancy.

“I’ve twirled fire; it’s the same as baton twirling except for the fire blazing at both ends. I love to see peoples’ reactions — everyone is, like, awestruck.  At first, when I did it [at age 15] I was a little hesitant, but it’s the coolest thing ever. I’ve burned my arm slightly, but nothing major. Unfortunately, here at Stevenson, I can’t twirl fire on the [athletic] field because it’s turf and they keep it pristine, but I’m looking for every opportunity to do it here somewhere.”

She loved ballet … the second time around.

“As a toddler, my parents put me into dance, but I was not a fan. In pictures of me, at 2 or 3 [years old] in my baby tap and ballet classes, I look very much upset. I think I had more energy than I could let out in those classes. So I got into gymnastics and then came back to dance at 9, and I was absolutely in love. I like to move freely and to leap so high that I almost feel I have wings. My high school track coach tried to recruit me, but I didn’t have the time.”

Romero has a taste for fine arts.

“I helped paint a floor-to-ceiling mural on a wall in Mucho Gusto, a restaurant in Bel Air. The summer before my senior year, four of us [art students at John Carroll] got to do it. We painted bricks in muted colors of brown and yellow [as a backdrop] and then did a rainbow tapestry draped around a sombrero. It took us two days and they provided us lunch, which was greatly appreciated.”

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