Communication, PhD
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Communication
chair of department: John Caughlin
director of graduate studies: Travis Dixon
department website: http://communication.illinois.edu
college website: https://las.illinois.edu/
overview of graduate college admissions & requirements: Graduate Admissions
overview of department admissions & requirements: Web site
department office: 3001 Lincoln Hall, 702 S. Wright Street, Urbana, IL 61801
phone: (217) 333-2683
email: communication@illinois.edu
To be accepted as a candidate for the Ph.D. degree, a student must either present a well-rounded undergraduate education with an emphasis in communication and a master's in a cognate discipline, or hold a master's degree in communication from an accredited institution.
Graduate Degree Programs in Communication
Communication, MA
concentration:
Medieval Studies
Health Communication, MS (on campus & online)
concentration:
Medieval Studies
Communication, PhD
concentration:
Medieval Studies|Second Language Acquisition & Teacher Education|Writing Studies
The Department of Communication offers a broad curriculum in communication research. In consultation with an advisor, students assemble individualized programs, concentrating in organizational and group communication, interpersonal and family communication, health communication, communication technology, political communication, rhetoric and public discourse, communication in cultural contexts, or mass communication. Interdisciplinary programs are also encouraged.
Admission
An application must include official transcripts from every post-secondary institution the applicant has attended; scores on the general aptitude parts of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE); at least three letters of recommendation, preferably from academic recommenders; a major paper or essay as a sample of academic writing; and a statement of purpose. Students whose native language is not English must present their official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination as part of their applications. The department follows the Graduate College’s recommendations for English proficiency. Detailed information about admissions and financial aid can be found on the department's Web site. Ordinarily, students are admitted to begin graduate study in the fall semester.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in this program.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is usually offered in the form of part-time teaching assistantships; some fellowships and research assistantships are available.
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Communication
In addition to meeting general requirements of the Graduate College, the student must satisfactorily complete written and oral preliminary examinations, an oral defense of the thesis prospectus, and an oral defense of the thesis. Students must demonstrate competency in research procedures and tools that may include proficiency in one or more foreign languages, various research methods, or cognate academic work. Students must enroll in CMN 595 in the semester of the preliminary examination and in CMN 599 (thesis hours) in semesters spent working on the dissertation.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum in appropriate research method; these are in addition to the 40 hours of additional coursework. (8 min) | 8 | |
| Courses from outside the department | 12 | |
| Elective hours (not in method or thesis hours) | 40 | |
| Independent Study Hours (8 max applied toward degree) | 8 | |
| Language Requirement: based on major | ||
| CMN 599 | Thesis Research (0 min applied toward degree) | 0 |
| Total Hours | 64 | |
Other Requirements1
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| Minimum Non-Method/Thesis Hours Required Within the Unit: | 20 |
| Masters Degree Required for Admission to PhD? | Yes |
| Qualifying Exam Required: | No |
| Preliminary Exam Required: | Yes |
| Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required: | Yes |
| Dissertation Deposit Required: | Yes |
| Minimum GPA: | 2.75 |
| 1 | For additional details and requirements refer to the department's Graduate Programs and the Graduate College Handbook. |