Communication, Culture and Media PhD

Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy (PHD)
Minimum Required Credits: 60.0
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 09.0102
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 25-1122

About the Program

The PhD program in Communication, Culture and Media develops innovative scholars who know how to impart theories and studies on the interaction of social forces and communication. Our graduates are trained as committed researchers in quantitative and qualitative approaches to communication study. The program also encourages interdisciplinary approaches to the study of communication and media through faculty strengths in anthropology, communication, linguistics, and sociology.

PhD students are continuously exposed to opportunities to enrich their academic experience and career outlook. Students regularly present work at the national and internation meetings in communication. Students are encouraged to publish early in their training and many faculty publish with students. Former and current students have published work on political communication, new media, mediated communication and intergenerational perception, consumerism and messages, business communication, diversity, and critical media studies.

The doctoral degree (PhD) program in Communication, Culture and Media offers students the opportunity to become experts in a variety of compelling topics, such as:
• Popular Culture and Consumer Culture
• Social Media
• Gaming and Fan Studies
• Strategic Communication and Public Relations
• Technology and Society
• Political Communication and Civil Society

Students also excel in research methods in high demand in communication studies, including quantitative analysis, network analysis, online ethnography, mixed-methods approaches and discourse analysis.

Additional Information

For more information, please contact the College of Arts and Sciences

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the PhD program will be evaluated by the CCM Admissions Committee for acceptance into the program. Prospective students must submit with their application:
• A statement of purpose, up to 1500 words, explaining interest in the CCM program. This should include a description of research interests and major theoretical influences, and information on previous research experience, if any. The statement should explain why the CCM program foci and faculty expertise match the applicant’s specific interests. If the previous degree(s) obtained is not in communication, it is important to explain here what influenced the decision to pursue communication and media studies.
• Three letters of recommendation
• Curriculum vitae
• Transcripts of all college-level coursework demonstrating completion of a BA/BS at minimum
• A writing sample (essay, paper, thesis, article, or capstone project) that demonstrates proficiency in description and analysis, and in developing and defending new ideas about a topic. The sample can review and rework a previously submitted paper or write something completely new. The sample does not need to be communication- or media-related, but it should be an example of the applicant’s best work. The applicant must be the sample’s sole author.
• For international students for whom English is not the official language, a TOEFL score of 100 (iBT) or IELTS Overall Band Score of 7.0.

GRE scores are optional. If the applicant chooses to submit them, results will be evaluated based on performance in the Analytical Writing and Verbal Reasoning sections. The Admissions Committee will consider all application materials, with or without GRE scores. Applicants are encouraged to submit materials that provide clear evidence of their aptitude for graduate study.

Degree Requirements

Program Learning Outcomes