top media studies phd programs

Journalism and Media

Doctoral program.

Our doctoral program is among the best programs in journalism and media in the U.S.  Led by faculty with distinguished research and publication records – many with professional journalism or media experience – our program is designed to equip students with a strong theoretical grounding and versatile research methods.  Graduates of our four-year program can go on to positions in the academy, and they also may join think tanks, advocacy and non-governmental organizations and professional associations working with information and media systems.   

We offer a far-reaching array of electives and research opportunities. The faculties’ fields of interest broadly include news and media engagement; online incivility; digital media; mis and disinformation; the digital divide and information equity; media law and policy, including the impact of Artificial Intelligence and algorithms on media; journalism and democracy; global media systems; media and representation; visual communication studies; critical data studies; social media and platform studies; media economics, among other topics.  Please look at  faculty bios  and description of research opportunities  to learn more about current projects.   

Our program incorporates many opportunities to undertake research independently or to work with groups associated with research centers, institutes or research groups. We have an excellent record of participation with the major professional associations including the Association for Education in Journalism and Media Communication ( AEJ MC ), the International Communication Association ( ICA ),  the International Association of Media and Communication Research ( IAMCR ), the Association of Internet Research ( AoIR ), as well as smaller highly focused forums such as The Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy. 

Interdisciplinary Work

Our students also participate with the many interdisciplinary  Portfolio Programs  on campus.  Moody College is home to three such programs, including the  Communication, Information and Cultural Policy  program focused on media systems, directed by some of our faculty.  Additionally, summer internships with professional or research programs are sometimes sponsored by associated research institutes.  Students have taken advantage of UT’s  Archer Program , and the multi-University COMPASS program associated with the Technology and Information Policy Institute.   

Program of Work 2023-2024

Doctoral Handbook 2023-2024

• Research Centers, Institutes and Programs
• Graduate Research
• Portfolio Programs
• Admissions Info
• Admissions FAQs
• Funding & Student Employment
• Texas One Stop

Email the JAM Grad Office

Film and Media Studies Program

The graduate program in film and media studies.

Inaugurated in 2002, Yale’s doctoral Program in Film and Media Studies quickly achieved the international stature it enjoys today. Building on a core faculty that had long overseen an impressive undergraduate major, the graduate program attracted incoming faculty who were eager to help shape it. The quality of the students who have applied has been superior, and the large majority of those selected have chosen to study here. Fifty students have completed, or are in the midst of, their degrees. Our alumni hold positions at a range of institutions, including universities with major graduate programs, and several have already seen their revised dissertations published as books by important presses. 

Graduate students have been able to produce such significant research thanks not least to Yale’s unparalleled resources.  Specialized librarians and curators keep our students in mind as they collect and make available the massive amounts of material held by the Sterling Memorial Library, the Haas library in the History of Art, and especially the Beinecke rare book library that houses the archives of hundreds of filmmakers, writers, and artists.  Two of America’s great art museums, The Yale University Art Gallery and the British Art Center (with buildings designed by Louis Kahn), retain a continuing relation with our graduate students.  As for primary material in our field,  the Yale Film Archive is home to a growing collection of 35mm and 16mm film prints, and is a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF). The Archive also oversees a large circulating library of DVDs, Blu-rays, and VHS tapes.

A dedicated, expert projectionist oversees hundreds of screenings each year, mainly in two spaces (the auditorium of 250 in our building and a projection room holding 40 on York Street) that are equipped for 35mm, 16mm, and virtually all video formats. 4K and 2K projections are common.

Graduate students absorb and generate the energy and enthusiasm so important to dynamic film scholarship thanks to the bustling intellectual climate at the Humanities Quadrangle, where faculty and students meet continually—almost daily it seems—around screenings, lectures, conferences and workshops, some initiated by the graduate students themselves. 

By design the doctorate in Film and Media Studies at Yale is always undertaken in combination with one of ten other disciplines in the Humanities (African-American Studies, American Studies, Comparative Literature, East Asian Languages and Literatures, English, French, German, History of Art, Italian, Slavic Languages and Literatures).   It was thought, and has proven true, that upon completing their degrees, students who are prepared for positions in both Film and Media and in another discipline would hold a particular advantage, and not merely because of the wider range of openings available to them in the job market, but because the calculated interdisciplinarity of their research makes them stand out. Thoroughly grounded in Film and Media Studies, they become expert in certain of its issues by offering authoritative perspectives and methods that derive from systematic work with the outstanding faculty and graduate students in another Yale department or program. Our students are welcomed throughout the Humanities on campus as they enliven traditional disciplines with the images, sounds, and ideas they bring from Film and Media Studies.

The faculty and its curriculum represent a full range of topics that have been at the center of Film Studies from its outset: theory, criticism, and history, plus cultural approaches to American, European, Latin American and Japanese national cinemas.  Naturally, as the field and its discipline evolve, so too do we, though always keeping ourselves based in this tradition. Transnational and global approaches bring the national cinemas, and their specialists, into productive contact. Overarching concerns involving technological, aesthetic, social and cultural issues (especially race and gender), have developed to the point that in 2015 the Program added “Media” to its name and mission. FMS, as our Program is now called for short, officially embraces images and sounds from an array of sources and channels, especially as these coexist and intertwine with cinema, something that has occurred throughout its long history.  We study that history as well as the challenge and possibilities of “new media,” which we know to be on the minds of graduate students. This keeps Yale’s Program vigilant as it looks to the past for cues about ways to best approach the future. The faculty recognizes that graduate students must be in the lead of an evolving discipline, and so encourages them to take up the most current developments and debates. The goal of the Program’s pedagogy is to provide its current students with a steady anchor in what the discipline has been, so that they can confidently and creatively participate at the highest level in its discourse and institutions, leading it forward while passing continuing its legacy.

Cinema & Media Studies Ph.D.

The Cinema and Media Studies Ph.D. program explores the intricate histories, aesthetics, and cultural impacts of visual media.

The Cinema & Media Studies (CMS) Program at UCLA has played a central role in the development of the field, notably through scholarship grounded in critical theory, cultural studies, close textual analysis, archive-based history, digital and interactive media studies, industry studies, and transnational media studies. The program supports a broad array of critical interests, from the media arts to commercial entertainment, from historical research to contemporary practices, and from formal analysis to the social mapping of media. In the last few years the research profile of the faculty has concentrated on three main areas of research: The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Indigeneity (particularly, Chicana/o, African American/African Diaspora, and Asian), Queer Cinema/Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Critical Theory (particularly, moving image art, aesthetic, affect, computational media, and decolonial).

The Ph.D. program focuses on refining research skills in an individualized study plan, with a mission to produce research of unparalleled quality. Graduates often transition into esteemed teaching and research roles in academic institutions. Backing their research endeavors is the UCLA Library Film & Television Archive, offering vast resources, 35mm classroom screenings, and state-of-the-art digital technology facilities.

World-Class Faculty

Kathleen McHugh

Shawn Vancour

Erkki Huhtamo

Requirements.

The Ph.D. program is intended primarily for students who wish to build a career around excellence in university teaching and research. The Ph.D. program requires successful completion of a minimum of seven core courses and at least seven elective courses (not counting those completed at the masters level) and successful completion of the Intellectual Statement, Third Quarter Review, Sixth Quarter Review, Comprehensive Exam, Prospectus Review, Foreign Language Requirement at level three or higher, and successful submission and defense of the Dissertation.

Year One/Academic Year: Four Core Courses

• FTV 495A Teaching Assistant Training (does not need to be repeated if taken during M.A.)
• FTV 210 Common Course
• FTV 211 Historiography
• FTV 215 Theory and Method
• Academic Progress Report
• Begin taking courses toward language requirement

Year Two: Two Core Courses, Written Exams and Completion of the Ph.D. Study Plan

• FTV 274 Research Design A (Bibliography and Exam Prep)
• FTV 274 Research Design B (Exam Prep with advisors)
• Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam
• FTV 274 Research Design C (Writing the Prospectus)
• Continued progress toward language requirement (must be completed by the end of the 3rd year)
• Prospectus Review

Year Three/Academic Year: Nomination of Doctoral Committee and Advancement to Candidacy

• Advancement to Candidacy/Nomination of Doctoral Committee (Fall Quarter, contingent upon language requirement completion)

Ph.D. PROGRAM REMINDERS

Required During Years One-Three: Six additional graduate seminars, at least five of which must be approved cinema and media studies seminars.

Required During Years One-Three: Language Requirement Courses & Petition . Completion of level 3 language training or higher (as determined by Dissertation Committee) must be provided prior to student Advancement to Candidacy.

Recommended During Years One-Three: Colloquium. Students are encouraged to enroll in or attend Colloquium during all quarters to participate in screenings, research presentations and discussions. May be repeated for credit.

• FTV 212 CMS Colloquium

Year 3 and Beyond: Dissertation Research

• Submit an Academic Progress Report (on a yearly basis)

World-Class Students

Veronica Zavala Jacobo

Michael Mazzacane

Scott Brockman Varnado

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

239 Greene Street, 8th floor New York, NY 10003 212-998-5191 | contact

Land Acknowledgement

Take the Next Step

Advance your personal and professional journey – apply to join our community of students.

Radio, Television and Film

Phd media studies, doctorate with concentration in media studies.

The doctoral program in Radio-Television-Film emphasizes critical and contextual approaches to the study of media objects, industries, and cultures. With globally recognized faculty specializing in a wide array of media studies subfields, you will study and research in your chosen field and be prepared to enter into a rapidly evolving media landscape. You will be trained in an interdisciplinary array of media studies methods centered in pedagogical and professional development.

Expert Faculty Mentors

Affordable Tuition and Fees

Graduate Student Support

Program of study.

The PhD with concentration in Media Studies is a scholarly degree incorporating coursework, comprehensive exams, and research culminating in a dissertation. Students are expected to present their work at conferences and produce original work that is worthy of publication. Students admitted to this program must have already earned an M.A. degree.

Learn more about the Program of Work .

Teaching and Research Areas

Digital Media

Analyze interactive and emergent media texts and platforms, participatory digital cultures, social media, and algorithmic culture.

Global Media

Study media texts, audiences, industries, and cultures from transnational, national, regional and diasporic perspectives.

History and Criticism

Examine the sociohistorical contexts of film and media and engage in aesthetic and critical analysis.

Identity and Representation

Explore media's impact on culture and identity through interdisciplinary courses that examine the politics of representation through gender, race, sexuality, citizenship, and more.

Media Industries

Engage in topics relating to creative labor, production, distribution, infrastructures, regulation, and exhibition.

Supporting Your Success

• Structured timeline for successful program completion
• Faculty mentorship
• Annual Review with detailed, constructive feedback
• High rate of success in job placement in the academy
• Pedagogy seminars and workshops
• Opportunities to teach stand-alone courses
• Internships with local media industry, festivals, policy institutions and cultural organizations
• Biannual professional development workshops
• Harry Ransom Center Film Research Collections
• Vast RTF resources at UT Libraries
• Editorial and organization roles for department-based journals
• Interdisciplinary and portfolio program  options (in areas such as African and African Diaspora Studies, Women's and Gender Studies, and more) 

Admissions Information

Meet our students, meet our faculty, see faculty books, program contacts.

Area Head Media Studies

Suzanne Scott

Graduate Advisor

Madhavi Mallapragada

Graduate Coordinator

Teresa Warner

Email: [email protected] Phone: 512-471-4071

Search this site

Journalism and communication menu, journalism and communication, communication and media studies phd program, doctoral degree in communication and media studies.

Communication and media are among the most powerful forces shaping the world today. In our Communication and Media Studies PhD program, you’ll work with some of the world’s top media and communication experts to research and contribute to this crucial field. Our school is one of the nation’s oldest accredited schools of journalism and communication, housed within an Association of American Universities R1 research institution.

Request Info

How to Apply

Doctoral Degree in    Communication and Media Studies

Launch a trailblazing career in media research.

In our doctoral program, you’re more than just a student. You’ll work as a co-author, scholar, and teacher and become part of a welcoming and inclusive community influenced by perspectives from across many disciplines and cultures around the world. You’ll also conduct impactful research that contributes to the field and your research portfolio under the guidance of SOJC faculty advisors.

Our faculty are internationally recognized experts in many mass communication and media research topics, including science, health, and environmental communication; technology and society; game studies; global media; critical/cultural approaches to communication; persuasion and media psychology; media and public life; and more.

Apply   » Degree Requirements   » Sample Schedules   » Courses   » Faculty and Staff  » Visit Us   »

Take flight with a Communication and Media Studies Doctoral Degree

Students in our media studies graduate program develop the knowledge, skill, and research portfolios to claim teaching and research posts at top universities and think tanks around the world. But their analytic and research skills set them apart in any field. 

Meet More PhD Alums

Bryce Macher ’13   is a data scientist for Hilton Innovation Lab. →

Sonia De La Cruz ’14   is a professor and documentary filmmaker. →

Erica Ciszek ’14   studies how communication affects understandings of gender. →

Take flight   with a Communication and Media Studies Doctoral Degree

Students in our media studies graduate program develop the knowledge, skill, and research portfolios to claim teaching and research posts at top universities and think tanks around the world. But their analytic and research skills set them apart in any field. A communication and media studies degree offers a solid foundation that can springboard you into academia or a career in media, government, law, or nonprofit work.

Communication and Media Studies PhD Program News

More News   »

Named for renowned journalist Eric W. Allen , who founded the SOJC over 100 years ago, Allen Hall sits at the heart of the verdant University of Oregon campus. During your studies in Eugene, you’ll enjoy expert guidance, hands-on experience with the latest technology, and opportunities for collaboration.

You'll also have access to our state-of-the-art  Experience Hub —part production studio, part research center, part hands-on learning lab—a place where students and faculty collaborate to develop innovative content and examine the media from every angle.

See a Sample PhD Schedule

Study in the Beautiful Pacific Northwest

Fully funded phd.

You bring the intellectual curiosity, we’ll take care of the tuition: Our doctoral candidates are fully funded for four consecutive years*, including health benefits and a stipend. We also offer resources for conducting research that contributes to the field while preparing you for a career in higher education or meaningful work in the public and private sectors.

*Eligibility for continued funding requires maintaining satisfactory academic progress.

Learn More about Funding

Student research

Our doctoral candidates work with internationally renowned SOJC faculty experts to do groundbreaking research on today’s most pressing communication and media realities.

See More Student Work

Meet Our Faculty View All Communication and Media Studies PhD Faculty →

Whitney Phillips     Assistant Professor of Digital Platforms and Ethics

Whitney Phillips uses her research and teaching to help students and consumers of media navigate the potentially treacherous terrain of what she’s coined the “information hellscape.” The modern media landscape is fraught with political biases, implicit messages, and harmful communication, but it is also a powerful tool. So Phillips challenges and inspires her students to incorporate self-care and mindfulness into their media-consumption regimens.

Learn about Whitney’s Research

Seth Lewis     is an expert on the digital transformation of journalism. →

Gabriela Martínez     is a gender studies researcher and award-winning documentary filmmaker. →

Maxwell Foxman     researches how play manifests in nongame contexts. →

Janet Wasko     is an expert in the political economy of media and all things Disney. →

Meet Our Faculty

Whitney Phillips    Assistant Professor of Digital Platforms and Ethics

Seth Lewis    is an expert on the digital transformation of journalism. →

Gabriela Martínez    is a gender studies researcher and award-winning documentary filmmaker. →

Maxwell Foxman    researches how play manifests in nongame contexts. →

Janet Wasko    is an expert in the political economy of media and all things Disney. →

View All Communication and Media Studies PhD Faculty →

Next Steps:

Request more information   Fill out a quick form and our graduate recruiter will be in touch soon!  →

Check out campus   Schedule an in-person tour of Allen Hall or watch our virtual tour video.  →

Start your application   Ready to join us and become a Duck? Get started now.  →

PhD in Emerging Media Studies

New media poses challenges for society and complexities for researchers. Are you ready to tackle both?

Academic Bulletin

• Degree Requirements
• PhD Students
• Request Info

The Boston University PhD program in Emerging Media Studies is the nation’s first doctorate program in emerging media and its critical, daily role in modern life.

COM’s unique program prepares its doctoral students to become sophisticated researchers and critical thinkers who are ready to advance the fields of communication, sociological, and media leadership. Designed for students with a master’s degree, this program helps candidates gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of emerging media in society and organizations and hone their research skills through independent, innovative, and mentored research.

Recent and upcoming dissertation topics address a wide array of topics, such as social perceptions of robots, the effects of television binge-watching, and media framing of direct-to-consumer genetic testing.

Meet COM’s First Doctoral Recipient, Sarah Krongard

It seems there’s always something to celebrate at COM, and the 2019 fall semester marked one particularly noteworthy achievement — PhD…

Learning and Teaching

EMS graduate students are taught and mentored by some of the leading researchers and thinkers in the field.  The faculty make full use of the most advanced theories and methods to examine communication phenomena — from social media, streaming content, and AR/VR to Big Data and AI. Under their guidance, students learn how to conduct and analyze social science research concerning all types of emerging media. 

 As a doctoral student, you’ll serve as a teaching fellow while enrolled in the program. On average, you should expect to serve as a teaching fellow a minimum of two times during the program.

Resources for Research 

COM graduate students get ready for careers by rolling up their sleeves for hands-on research.

All Emerging Media Studies students contribute to COM’s annual #ScreentimeBU conference, an opportunity to present their research in the field of digital communication and society as well as exchange their views with peers and field leaders concerning important contemporary issues. By showcasing the fruits of your research, you’ll share their ideas with the general public and industry leaders. Additionally, the conference provides an opportunity for you to develop your public communication capabilities and receive input from industry experts in a professional setting.

CENTER FOR MOBILE Communication Studies

Laptops, smart phones, and tablets have been transformed from novelties to necessities. But we’re only beginning to understand how they have transformed us.

EMS students also take advantage of research opportunities at COM’s Communication Research Center , COM’s primary research hub, and the state of-the-art technology offered at the Zimmerman Family Social Activation Center, that puts in-depth social media analytics at your fingertips.

Funding Support

Because the doctoral program is immersive and requires full-time participation for a number of years, all PhD students in Emerging Media Studies are funded for the duration of their study, up to a maximum of five years. Funding includes a full tuition scholarship, health insurance credit, and stipend in return for teaching and research obligations. Students with their own funding for the program (through the Fulbright Commission, government funding or other source) will still be required to serve as a teaching fellow for at least one semester. Compensation will be provided.

Benefit from Boston

One of BU’s greatest resources is its location. Consistently ranked among the most livable cities in the world, Boston is “America’s college town,” a city rich in history while remaining on the forefront of culture and innovation. Boston is a Top 10 U.S. media market, and home to some of the world’s best creative agencies, media companies and leading employers — offering boundless opportunities for internships and careers.

More than 80%

of our graduate students receive scholarships.

Purpose Driven

COM stands out from our peers. Our faculty offers a mix of researchers and practitioners who endorse a cross-discipline, hands-on approach to learning. Our location lies at the heart of an electric, media-savvy city.

But it may be COM’s shared values that matter most. We believe that communication requires diversity, critical thinking, and creative expression. We believe that communication must be grounded in truth, authenticity, effectiveness, and purpose. We believe that communication builds understanding among people and across society.

Emerging Media Research

Physiological response to political advertisement: examining the influence of partisan and….

This study investigates voters’ physiological response to real political advertisements that are issue focused and sponsored by three different political…

Does world system theory rein in social media? Identifying factors contributing…

This article examined how social media content has shaped the representation of countries for publics around the world. Based on…

The Robot Rights and Responsibilities Scale: Development and Validation of a…

The discussion and debates surrounding the robot rights topic demonstrate vast differences in the possible philosophical, ethical, and legal approaches…

The Social Contagion Potential of Pro-Vaccine Messages on Black Twitter

Black Americans in the US not only suffered from disproportionately high hospitalization and death rates throughout the pandemic but also…

Meet the Emerging Media Faculty

Chris Chao Su

Assistant professor, emerging media studies.

Chris Wells

Associate professor, emerging media studies.

Daniel Park

Visiting assistant professor, emerging media studies.

Feld Professor of Emerging Media

James Cummings

Kelsey Prena

Emerging media news, com’s new dalton professor knows disinformation from personal experience.

When Robots Deliver the News

Joan Donovan, Nationally Recognized Expert in Misinformation and Disinformation, Joins COM Faculty

Emerging Media Studies

• Film & Media Studies

Film & Media Studies is an interdisciplinary field. Students have the option to apply for admission to one of two tracks within the program: either solely to the PhD in Film & Media Studies or to a combined program track involving one of the following disciplines: African American Studies, American Studies, Comparative Literature, East Asian Languages & Literatures, English, French, German, History of Art, Italian Studies, and Slavic Languages & Literatures. In addition to acquiring a firm grounding in the methods and core material of film and media studies (and, for the combined degree track students, another discipline), all students are expected to coordinate a plan of study involving comprehensive knowledge of one or more areas of specialization.

• Programs of Study
• PhD - Doctor of Philosophy
• Combined PhD
• Film and Media Studies Program
• Film and Media Studies

John MacKay

Director of Graduate Studies

• [email protected]

Katherine Kowalczyk

Departmental Registrar

• [email protected]
• 203-436-4668

Dan Rehberg

Departmental Registrar (Spring 2024)

• [email protected]
• 203-432-0879

Admission Requirements

Standardized testing requirements.

GRE is not accepted.

Program-Specific Application Requirements

A writing sample is required by this program. 

English Language Requirement

TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic is required of most applicants whose native language is not English.

You may be exempt from this requirement if you have received (or will receive) an undergraduate degree from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction, and if you have studied in residence at that institution for at least three years.

Combined Degree Program Application Deadline

*The deadline to submit an application to a combined program is always the earlier deadline of the two individual programs, or December 15, whichever comes first.

Academic Information

Combined phd information.

Film & Media Studies offers a combined PhD in conjunction with several other departments and programs including: African American Studies , American Studies , Comparative Literature , English , East Asian Languages and Literatures , French , German , History of Art , Italian Studies , and Slavic Languages and Literatures .

Program Advising Guidelines

GSAS Advising Guidelines

Academic Resources

Academic calendar.

The Graduate School's academic calendar lists important dates and deadlines related to coursework, registration, financial processes, and milestone events such as graduation.

Featured Resource

Registration Information and Dates

https://registration.yale.edu/

Students must register every term in which they are enrolled in the Graduate School. Registration for a given term takes place the semester prior, and so it's important to stay on top of your academic plan. The University Registrar's Office oversees the systems that students use to register. Instructions about how to use those systems and the dates during which registration occurs can be found on their registration website.

Financial Information

Phd stipend & funding.

PhD students at Yale are normally full-funded for a minimum of five years. During that time, our students receive a twelve-month stipend to cover living expenses and a fellowship that covers the full cost of tuition and student healthcare.

• PhD Student Funding Overview
• Graduate Financial Aid Office
• PhD Stipends
• Health Award
• Tuition and Fees

Alumni Insights

Below you will find alumni placement data for our departments and programs.

Film & Media PhD

Phd in film and media.

Students in the Film and Media PhD are encouraged to situate moving images within the larger theoretical and analytical frameworks of a range of other disciplines. They integrate the traditions of history, law, literature, cultural studies, gender studies, and political theory to the newer disciplines of film studies and digital media, applying the tools of post-structuralism, psychoanalysis, new historicism, media archaeology, Frankfurt School, feminist theory, queer theory, post-colonialism, and critical race theory. Many combine their degree study with a campus designated emphasis (graduate minor) in New Media, in Critical Theory, or in Women, Gender and Sexuality.

Designated Emphasis in Film Studies

PhD students at Berkeley outside the Department of Film & Media may add a Designated Emphasis in Film Studies to their major fields. The designated emphasis provides curricular and research resources for students who want to concentrate on film and media research within their respective disciplines and have their work formally recognized. Designed to bring together faculty and students from different departments, the program provides a unique contliext for rigorous cross-disciplinary thinking and promotes innovative research in the theory and history of cinema and media studies.

Contact Info

[email protected]

7408 Dwinelle Hall

Berkeley, CA 94720

At a Glance

Department(s)

Film and Media

Admit Term(s)

Application Deadline

December 4, 2023

Degree Type(s)

Doctoral / PhD

Degree Awarded

GRE Requirements

• Undergraduate
• Graduate Students
• Faculty and Student Resources
• McCormick Screening Room
• Media Editing Lab
• Undergraduate Library
• Film Production Equipment
• Film Festival
• Stay Connected
• Support Our Department

Welcome to the Film and Media Studies Ph.D. Program

UC Irvine’s PhD program in Film and Media Studies offers students the opportunity to study and develop original research on film, television, and digital media. Rooted in the Humanities, we focus on interpreting the histories and theories of media and their cultural contexts.

Our curriculum provides a broad foundation in Film and Media Studies while also centering questions of media and power. Our course offerings emphasize post-colonial and decolonial approaches to film and media, queer theory and histories of gender and sexuality, critical race studies, video game studies, and archival research. We seek students who are deeply invested in understanding the perspectives of those who have been pushed to the margins of media technology, industries, and texts and in exploring the relationships between culture, identity, history, and power.

Located near Los Angeles, UC Irvine offers access to the rich cultural offerings and research institutions of Southern California. Students may choose to supplement their Film and Media Studies degree with interdisciplinary graduate certificates in Asian American Studies , Chicano/Latino Studies , Critical Theory , Feminist Studies , Latin American Studies , and/or Visual Studies .

We admit all students, with BAs or MAs, directly into the PhD program in small cohorts with multi-year funding packages. We encourage prospective students to review our faculty profiles and contact the faculty members who work in their potential areas of interest before applying to learn more about their research, teaching, and advising.

Prospective students interested in the Ph.D. Program in Visual Studies, administered by the Department of Art History, can find more information here .

Meet the Film and Media Studies Faculty and learn about their research interests.

The annual admissions deadline is December 1 .

Complete applications will include:

• A Statement of Purpose (1200 words maximum) that describes your research interests and reasons for seeking a PhD. The Statement of Purpose should indicate how your proposed research correlates to our program's emphases and how you will benefit from working with specific core faculty. You can find information about faculty research interests here.  

• A Personal History Statement (1200 word maximum) that describes your educational accomplishments and goals. It is important to communicate whether you have experienced unique or significant opportunities, challenges, and/or obstacles in your pursuit of an education. Please also describe the career paths you plan to pursue after graduation.

• A sample of academic writing that demonstrates original thinking, clear writing and your preparedness to do graduate-level work in film and media studies.

• Length: A minimum of ten pages to a maximum of thirty pages. Any submission longer than the maximum will not be reviewed past the maximum page limit.
• You may submit two pieces of work as long as their combined length does not exceed the page limit.
• In the event you have a longer piece of work to submit, such as a Master's thesis or Undergraduate research paper, please submit a chapter or section of the work within the page restriction.

• Three letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty with whom you have studied.

• Transcripts.

• Results of the TOEFL or IELTS exam for international applicants for whom English is not their primary language.

For academic questions (questions about program requirements, the application review process, funding opportunities, etc.) please contact the Graduate Director, Professor Kristen Hatch ([email protected]). 

For administrative questions (questions about how to apply, paying the application fee, application materials, etc.) please contact the Graduate Coordinator, Amy Fujitani ([email protected]). 

To apply, click here .

Course Requirements

Required Core Courses (6 courses)

FLM&MDA 285A: Film Studies: Theory and Methods.

FLM&MDA 285B: Television Studies: Theory and Methods.

FLM&MDA 285C: Digital Media and Game Studies: Theory and Methods.

FLM&MDA 286A: Film and Media Studies Historiography.

FLM&MDA 286B: Media/Power/Culture.

FLM&MDA 286C: Critical Approaches to Film and Media Studies.

Elective Courses (7 courses)

FLM&MDA 291: Graduate Seminar in Film and Media Studies. Repeatable as topics vary.

FLM&MDA 292: Graduate Seminar in Film & Media Critical Practice. Repeatable as topics vary.

FLM&MDA 295: Directed Reading. Repeatable as topics vary.

Required Practicums in Film and Media Studies (4 courses)

FLM&MDA 287: Practicum in Pedagogy.

FLM&MDA 288A: Practicum in Professionalization I.

FLM&MDA 288B: Practicum in Professionalization II.

FLM&MDA 288C: Practicum in Professionalization III.

Required Supporting Course (1 course)

FLM&MDA 298: Prospectus Writing Practicum.

Students must take three elective courses from within the Department of Film and Media Studies and two outside Film and Media Studies. The remaining two electives can be taken within or outside the department.

Students entering with a MA may petition to have up to three elective courses waived, subject to the approval of Graduate Division. Students who have had three courses waived must take two elective courses from within the Department of Film and Media Studies and one outside Film and Media Studies. The remaining elective can be taken within or outside the department.

During the third through sixth years in the program, students normally enroll in variable-unit courses as follows:

FLM&MDA 296: Reading for the Preliminary Examination.

FLM&MDA 297: Prospectus Research.

FLM&MDA 299: Dissertation Research.

First-Year Review

Students are required to select and confirm their Primary Advisor by the end of the first year.

At the end of the Spring quarter, the Film and Media Studies faculty will review the performance and progress of each first-year student and provide written evaluation of their work. This evaluation will include an assessment of the student’s ability to complete independent research.

A positive assessment indicates that the student is making good progress.

A cautionary assessment will be accompanied by a description of specific improvements that a student must make in order to advance to candidacy in the third year.

A negative overall assessment will place the student on Academic Conditional Status. Faculty will give written feedback with specific areas for improvement and a timeline for future expectations of academic progress. Students who fail to demonstrate improvement may be recommended for dismissal from the program without a degree.

MA Requirements

All students apply for and are accepted into the doctoral program.

Students who enter the PhD program with a prior graduate degree (MA or beyond) in Film and Media Studies or a related discipline may petition to waive up to three electives, subject to the approval of Graduate Division. These students may also petition to waive the MA exam requirement in recognition of their prior degree; normatively, this will be approved. In these cases, students will not complete the MA exam requirement nor earn a second MA en route to the PhD. Film and Media Studies faculty will determine what graduate degree fields qualify as related disciplines. Students entering with an MFA will typically be required to complete the MA exam unless the Graduate Committee determines that the degree is equivalent to an MA.

Students who have not earned an MA in a relevant field prior to matriculating in the Film and Media Studies PhD program must earn an MA degree as part of the PhD program. The program does not offer a stand-alone or terminal MA, except in instances when a student does not continue in the program toward earning the PhD.

In order to earn the MA degree, the student must

1. Satisfactorily complete six foundational courses (FLM&MDA 285A, FLM&MDA 285B, FLM&MDA 285C, FLM&MDA 286A, FLM&MDA 286B, and FLM&MDA 286C);

2. Satisfactorily compete FLM&MDA 287;

3. Satisfactorily complete seven electives, three of which must be within the Department of Film and Media Studies and two outside the Department of Film and Media Studies;

4. Pass the MA Exam; and

5. File the necessary paperwork for conferral of degree with Graduate Division.

For the MA exam, the student will revise one seminar paper written while in the program and submit the revised paper before the start of the Spring quarter in their second year of study. 

The requirements for passing the MA exam are as follows:

• The revised paper must present a substantial and original argument;

• It must reflect substantive revision from the original paper, demonstrating additional research and/or reconceptualization and responsiveness to feedback;

• It must demonstrate a command of the relevant literature;

• It must present adequate evidence to support its claims;

• It must be clearly written in an appropriate academic style; and

• It must be formatted according to MLA or Chicago Manual of Style guidelines with proper citation and bibliography.

Ideally, this revised paper will demonstrate promise toward publication and toward the ability to develop a dissertation; however this is not a requirement at the MA stage.

This paper will be evaluated by a 3-person MA committee, which consists of the student’s primary advisor as chair and two additional department faculty members appointed by the Program Director in consultation with the student and the advisor. The MA committee will evaluate the student’s ability to identify a suitable research project and methodology, develop an argument, respond to faculty feedback, and make revisions. The committee will respond with feedback within three weeks of receiving the paper and may ask for a second round of reasonable revisions, to be completed before the end of the term.

The committee will unanimously decide whether the student has passed the MA exam and if they are eligible to proceed toward the PhD, taking into holistic account the exam (revised paper) results, input from the core Film and Media Studies faculty during the First-Year Review, and the student’s progress during the second year of course work. There are four possible determinations:

Positive: The student will earn the MA degree and qualifies to continue toward the PhD exams. This should be the outcome in the majority of cases.

Cautionary: The student will earn the MA degree and qualifies to continue toward the PhD exams but with areas for improvement communicated in writing to the student and advisor. This occurs when the student’s holistic performance and promise outweigh a borderline exam or vice versa. This should be the outcome only in rare or extenuating circumstances.

MA Only: The student will earn the MA degree but is disqualified from continuing toward the PhD exams. This occurs when the student’s holistic performance and promise do not outweigh a borderline exam.

Negative: The exam is unacceptable. The student will not earn the MA degree and is disqualified from continuing toward the PhD exams.

Students may revise and resubmit the MA paper one additional time in case of a failure to pass.

By the end of their second year, students will work with their advisor to plan their Examination fields for the following year. No later than the end of Winter in the third year of study, students will establish a 5-person Qualifying Exam Committee, at least 51% of whose members, including the Dissertation Advisor, must be core faculty in the Department of Film and Media Studies. At least one committee member must be external to the department.

The student will receive one standardized bibliography and select two specialty field bibliographies on which they will be examined. In the Fall and Winter quarters of the third year, the student will enroll in FLM&MDA 296: Reading for the Preliminary Examination and complete reading the works on these three bibliographies. The three exam areas should serve to help the student define general areas of specialized competence that will aid them in establishing a broad base for the dissertation and in developing college-level courses. Students may not enroll in FLM&MDA 296 until all their other course requirements (with the exception of FLM&MDA 298: Prospectus Writing Practicum) have been completed.

The Qualifying Examination will be administered by the Qualifying Exam Committee and will include both a written and an oral component. The written component will consist of at least one question for each Exam bibliography for which the student has completed readings. Students will write at least one essay for each respective Exam. Faculty may offer a range of questions for each bibliography, giving the student a choice of which question(s) to answer. The written component will be offered as a series of three remote exams to be completed within three respective 24-hour periods; questions and responses will be delivered electronically. The oral component of the exam will take place in conjunction with the Prospectus Defense during the Spring quarter of the student’s third year.

Language Requirement 

Students will consult with the program Director and their principal advisor(s) to determine whether they must demonstrate or develop proficiency in a second language for their research. [1] If the program Director and principal advisor(s) determine that proficiency in a second language is required, the student must demonstrate this proficiency prior to advancing to candidacy. In the event a student does not need a second language to conduct doctoral research, they will not be required to demonstrate proficiency in a second language.

If determined to be required, the language requirement may be satisfied by one of the following means:

1. By passing the Film and Media Studies translation exam. A request must be made to the Film and Media Studies Staff within the first two weeks of the quarter the student wishes to take the exam.

2. By completing, with a grade of B or better, a language course at the 2C level or equivalent, with the exception of Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, which must be completed at the 3C level or equivalent.

3. By attaining a proficiency level of 2C on the Russian Exemption Exam or a proficiency level of 3C on the Chinese Exemption Exam offered by UCI's Academic Testing Center.

4. By petitioning the program. Grounds for a petition might include the student’s being a native speaker in a language other than English or having completed an equivalent language requirement at a different institution. The granting of this petition will remain at the discretion of the Graduate Director, although students dissatisfied with this determination may request the petition be considered by the full faculty. Students who have completed the language requirement at a different institution will need to submit transcripts with the petition. Students will inquire with the Graduate Coordinator to complete a petition.

Dissertation Prospectus and Advancement to Ph.D. Candidacy

In the Spring of the student’s third year, the student will enroll in FLM&MDA 298: Prospectus Writing Practicum and complete a prospectus that identifies the scope, approach, and rationale for their proposed dissertation. The student will present an oral defense of the prospectus to the Qualifying Exam Committee. When the prospectus has been unanimously approved by the Qualifying Exam Committee, the student will be advanced to doctoral candidacy. Students should have taken their preliminary examination, defended their dissertation prospectus, and advanced to doctoral candidacy no later than the end of Spring quarter of their third year. If a student will exceed the 3-year normative time to candidacy, they must petition by Spring quarter of their third year for an exception, presenting an approved plan for timely progress to candidacy.

In the event that a student does not pass the qualifying examination, consistent with UCI policy (Academic Senate Regulation 467) the student will be allowed one repeat attempt of the examination. This repeat examination will occur during the quarter following the initial examination.

Dissertation

The dissertation shall be an original research project of substantial length approved by the Doctoral Committee. Members of the student’s Doctoral Committee are noted on the PhD Form I: Advancement to Candidacy PhD Degree. The committee shall typically consist of the Doctoral Advisor and two additional faculty. At least 51% of the Doctoral Committee, including the Doctoral Advisor, must be core faculty in the Department of Film and Media Studies. The remaining members of the Doctoral Committee must satisfy Academic Senate requirements.

Dissertation Defense 

A final examination in the form of an oral defense of the dissertation is required for the PhD. This examination will be supervised by the Doctoral Committee and will be given just prior to the completion of the dissertation. The defense will be open to all members of the academic community. Faculty and graduate students of Film and Media Studies and the Graduate Dean will be given written notice of the date, time, and place of the examination at least five days in advance of the examination.

Time to Degree

The normative time to degree is six years (18 quarters). The first nine quarters are spent in pre-candidacy, the last 9 quarters in candidacy. Normatively, students will complete their course work within the first two years and prepare for and pass the Qualifying Examination and advance to candidacy in the third year. The maximum time to degree is seven years.

[1] Examples of when a second language would likely be necessary include Spanish proficiency for the study of Spanish-language media, Mandarin proficiency for study of media in Mainland China, or the relevant language for a project on non-English language transnational/diasporic media.

All students receive a five-year funding guarantee at admissions. This typically includes a combination of at least one fellowship year and multiple years of Teaching Assistantships. Additional competitive scholarships, fellowships, and summer stipends may also be available.

Students also receive tuition and fee remission, including non-resident (out-of-state or international) tuition during this period. Domestic students coming from outside of California will be expected to establish state residency during their first year; otherwise, they will need to cover their non-resident tuition fees.

TAships may be in Film and Media Studies undergraduate courses or for courses in other Departments or Programs.

Funding beyond the fifth year is not guaranteed, but TAships or other opportunities are often available.

The graduate emphasis in Film and Media Studies prepares students in any M.A., Ph.D., or M.F.A. program to analyze film and media texts, contexts, and industries. The emphasis requires that students complete four seminars, two of which are in the Film and Media Studies PhD core series (FMS 285A-C, FMS 286A-C) and two of which may be Film and Media Studies core or elective seminars (FMS 291, FMS 292, FMS 295).

Students who are currently enrolled in any MA, Ph.D., or M.F.A. program at UCI are eligible for admission to the Graduate Emphasis in Film and Media Studies.

Students who are interested in pursuing the graduate emphasis should contact the Graduate Director to indicate their interest in applying for the emphasis. Application materials include:

• an explanation of how their research and/or teaching will benefit from completing the Film and Media Studies Graduate Emphasis;
• current CV;
• brief letter of approval from the student’s primary advisor or program director;
• names of Film and Media Studies core faculty with whom they have worked or plan to work. Applicants who are not yet acquainted with Film and Media Studies core faculty may name the Graduate Director.

Application

To be considered for the Film and Media Studies Graduate Emphasis, please submit an application . 

Questions? Please contact Amy Fujitani , Graduate Coordinator.

Contact Film and Media Studies

2000 Humanities Gateway Irvine, CA 92697

See the humanities in action

Copyright © 2023 UC Regents. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content

CollegeRank.net

Best College Rankings

Best PhD Communications Degrees

Communication is one of the broadest areas of study that can lead to numerous well-paid and secure careers, and earning your PhD in this discipline could help you to reach the most coveted roles.

With a PhD in Communications, you’ll be ready to pursue rewarding careers in academia, research, and numerous other fields. Your strong understanding of how meaning is conveyed across different contexts, social groups, and technologies means you could also find great success in marketing careers, government organizations, and many other industries. Let us help you make a decision abut doctoral programs.

• Top PhD in English Programs
• Best Creative Writing MFA Programs

What Are the Best PhD in Communications Degrees?

At CollegeRank , we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals. Please feel free to visit our dedicated methodology page for a step-by-step breakdown. For questions, comments, badge downloads, or data corrections, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].

Whether you are studying communication theories, strategic communications or an interdisciplinary field, there are doctoral programs for you.

Best Communication Doctoral Programs

Temple university.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Average Net Price

Founded in 1884 as a night school for working professionals, Temple University has advanced to become one of the leading institutions in the nation, with around 40,000 students attending annually. Both undergraduate and graduate programs are available at the Philadelphia campus, with a total of around 500 programs offered. 

Temple University’s top PhD in media and communication degree program integrates studies in a range of areas, including social sciences and the humanities. This doctoral program will prepare PhD students for careers in education, consulting, finance, and others. In addition to working closely with your peers, PhD students will contribute to faculty research and publications.

Courses and areas of study will cover research areas like:

• Political communication
• Laws and policies relating to the media industry
• Emerging media and technology
• Global media
• Information and communication technologies
• Strategic communication

You’ll also have access to and benefit from guest speakers and events such as Best Practices for Publishing Journal Articles. Temple University was ranked among the 100 Best Values in Public Colleges by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance in 2017.

Purdue University

West Lafayette, Indiana

Ranking highly among the nation’s most innovative universities, Purdue University was founded in 1862 and continues to celebrate its rich history and traditions to this day. Examples include the institution’s on-campus, annual Grand Prix event, in addition to the official song sung by students: “Hail Purdue”. 

PhD students may earn a non-thesis or thesis-based master’s degree in addition to their dissertation-based doctorate. This can be in one of five specializations and research areas, including:

• Health communication
• Interpersonal communication
• Organizational communication
• Media technology & society
• Public relations

What’s more, there are opportunities available for cross-discipline study. Purdue’s School of Management allows you to combine your communications program with studies in human resource management. Other options include:

• gerontology
• information security

This highly flexible doctoral program structure allows you to tailor your program to your career aspirations. 

Rutgers University

New Brunswick, New Jersey

Rutgers was established in 1766, making it the eighth oldest institution of higher education in the nation, with a study body nearly 70,000-strong. Based at the New Brunswick campus of Rutgers University, the School of Communication and Information (SC&I) was established in 1982. It has one of the top communication doctoral programs.

The top PhD in communication, information, and media at Rutgers University offers three areas of concentration:

• Communication
• Library and information science
• Media studies

The curriculum focuses on information and media organizations and their processes, policies, and technology, in addition to how these organizations and processes relate to society and individuals. 

The communication concentration focuses on research connected to five research areas: 

• Communication and technology
• Language and social interaction

Faculty members include nationally and internationally recognized experts, many having received article, book, and career awards for their research areas.

Louisiana State University

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Louisiana State University first opened its doors to students in 1860 under the name Seminary of Learning of the State of Louisiana. Programs are offered at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, and over $300 million in financial aid is given to students each year. In fact, around two-thirds of the student body graduates without student debt. 

LSU’s PhD program in communication is offered via the LSU department of communication studies. In addition to the PhD and several master’s degree options, prospective students can enroll in the M.A. to PhD fast track program, which results in both qualifications. Upon acceptance into the doctoral program, PhD students will work with the graduate committee to develop your individualized curriculum. 

The standard PhD track comprises 72 credit hours, including examinations and a dissertation; it’ll take around 4 years to complete or 7 years maximum (part-time). Through required core courses, PhD students gain a foundation in subjects such as:

• research writing
• communication theory
• strategic communication

Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio

Prospective PhD students wishing to attend Ohio State’s doctoral program must already have a four-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited institution. You’ll also need to evidence a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, in addition to providing transcriptions and evidencing successful completion of the GRE or GMAT. 

The coursework you’ll complete in this top communication PhD program focuses on providing a solid foundation in communication theory, in addition to how this existing knowledge can be used to generate new learning through research activity. You will have the opportunity to attend professional conferences, and you will design, plan, execute, and publish your own research findings. 

You’ll be mentored by distinguished scholars and guided in creating your own personalized program of study, emphasizing areas where your own interests meet those of the faculty. During your doctoral studies, you will also be encouraged to collaborate with world class faculty members and contribute to both journal articles and papers.

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

The University of Minnesota has one of the top doctoral programs for communication. It has an annual enrollment of around 50,000 students, supported by 20,000 dedicated staff and faculty. Founded in 1851, the main campus – Twin Cities – is located on the banks of the Mississippi and is one of the only five universities in the country to boast dedicated schools for engineering, medicine, law, and veterinary studies on a single campus. 

While this communications PhD program is designed to be completed in five years, you may be able to complete the doctoral program in four years if you hold a master’s degree in communication studies. The PhD curriculum focuses on the connections between each subfield in the discipline of communication. 

Your first year of study will focus on foundation knowledge and central concepts and theory in communication. In year two, you’ll take courses related to your specific research interests and write a literature review to a publishable standard. Year three requires completion of the remaining coursework, with your final two years dedicated to dissertation work.

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, New York

Students at the University at Buffalo benefit from a huge range of opportunities outside of the classroom. Student clubs and organizations are vast, with more than 600 available to choose from. There’s also a Division I athletics program, regularly scheduled music concerts and other events, and frequent guest speakers present on a range of topics. UB has one of the best communication doctoral programs.

Coursework in this doctoral program focuses on research methodologies and the theory of communication, with students prepared to take on research-based positions in a range of industries. Unlike other doctoral programs that specialize in areas such as mass communication or speech theory, this curriculum is aligned with the faculty’s research interests. 

Graduate students are required to complete a minimum of 36 credit hours of coursework beyond the master’s program curriculum, maintaining a QPA (quality point average) of at least 3.0. You will also be expected to complete research electives, department electives, and free electives, in addition to producing two publication-quality research papers.

University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign

Champaign, Illinois

Founded in 1867, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign today welcomes around 47,000 students annually from around the globe. It has risen to become one of the top 15 ranked public universities and was the birthplace of the first graphical web browser. UIUC also counts 29 Pulitzer Prize winners among its alumni. 

The faculty at the University of Illinois’ Institute of Communications Research (ICR) come from three academic departments:

• Advertising
• Media and cinema studies

They’re also engaged with numerous interdisciplinary activities across campus, meaning you’ll receive a broad and well-rounded program of study in this program. 

Admission to the PhD in communications and media requires that prospective students  have either a bachelor’s or master’s degree that relates to an area within the humanities, physical sciences, or social sciences. The program itself requires the completion of 64 credits of dissertation research and coursework for those who already hold a master’s degree. 

University of Oklahoma

Norman, Oklahoma

Students at the University of Oklahoma have a choice of more than 400 clubs and organizations, organized events on-campus, and broad athletic programs. With a campus located close to the welcoming community of Norman, OK, and just a half-hour outside of Oklahoma City, you’ll never be short of activities outside the lecture hall. 

This PhD communication program allows specialization in one or more areas of interest. These research areas include:

• Intercultural/international communication
• Interpersonal communication and social influence
• Political/mass communication
• Communication technology

The PhD program requires a minimum of 90 semester hours beyond the bachelor’s degree level. 

PhD students enrolling in this program are required to take a number of core courses, in addition to earning 32 hours of coursework within a concentration of their choosing. Core courses include:

• Quantitative Research Methodology
• Advanced Statistics
• Qualitative research methods
• The History and Theory of Communication
• Information and Communication Technologies
• Strategic Communication

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University (FSU) has been ranked a top 10 university for best value by Kiplinger’s Best College Values. It’s also known for having the highest four-year graduation rate among the state’s public universities. The institution excels in particular in the arts and sciences. 

Including 48 credit hours of graduate coursework and at least 24 hours of dissertation project work, this PhD communication program provides you with a core set of common courses that will provide a broad understanding of the field of communication, and the methodological, philosophical, and theoretical aspects of communication scholarship. 

Florida State’s doctoral program offers supervised teaching opportunities, often including teaching at an undergraduate level in communication. You’ll also gain training in essential skills such as classroom management and research skills, which would be invaluable for any future university instructors. Regular workshops are also offered, which focus on innovation in e-learning methods.

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University at Raleigh (NC State) is part of the University of North Carolina System and was founded in 1887. The student body comprises more than 35,000 learners and the institution specializes in programs in the humanities, social sciences, and teaching and research, making it an excellent choice for communications majors. 

NC State’s communication and English department is located within the Research Triangle, a growing community and highly regarded location of innovation and research in Raleigh, North Carolina. In this program, you’ll gain both teaching and research experience, and you’ll benefit from a flexible curriculum of core elective courses and seminars. 

The communication, rhetoric, and digital media (CRDM) faculty engages with other research departments and organizations within the Research Triangle, providing a wealth of expertise and experience for you to benefit from. You’ll cover subfields including:

• new communication media
• the cultural, political, and social aspects of information technology

Indiana University – Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University Bloomington has over 700,000 graduate alumni who have benefited from nearly 400 study abroad programs and more than 750 student organizations. The university participates in 24 sports, with students known as Hoosiers. They also have a choice of more than 200 undergraduate programs and nationally recognized graduate programs. 

This PhD in media arts and sciences comprises 90 credits and provides a broad and customizable curriculum that can lead into many varied careers. It’s one of the top research doctoral programs in media and communication, featuring small class sizes and a leading faculty. 

As part of the admission requirements, you’ll need to have a four-year bachelor’s and two-year master’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.5 at the master’s level. You will also need:

• recent GRE scores
• three letters of recommendation
• a statement of purpose
• a writing sample
• a copy of your curriculum vitae

The closest estimate you can get for tuition and fees at Indiana University Bloomington is by looking at the previous year’s expenses. Alternatively, you can get a reasonably accurate idea of your tuition and fees by using the university’s costs calculator on their website .

North Dakota State University

Fargo, North Dakota

Ranked within the top 100 public research universities, North Dakota State University (NDSU) features within the National Science Foundation’s top 100 for numerous areas of study, including the sciences, business, and communications. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the institution has a total enrollment of around 13,000 students. 

The NDSU doctoral degree in communication is highly competitive. You’ll enroll in:

• as many as 12 credit hours prior to completing an application
• 60 credit hours beyond master’s level
• 30 credit hours in research theory or other content within your concentration
• 15 hours relating to research methodology

You will also be expected to complete a dissertation (15 credits). 

By graduation, doctoral students have typically published two to three papers or journal articles, in addition to having presented at more than one convention. This doctoral program will also give you a solid understanding of learning and teaching, making it ideal for those looking to secure a role as a university instructor. 

The University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The University of Alabama was the state’s flagship university, having been founded nearly 200 years ago in 1831. Situated on a stunning 1,200-acre campus, the university boasts more than 600 student clubs and organizations, plus a broad range of opportunities for volunteering or completing an internship. 

PhD students enrolling in the PhD in Communication and Information Sciences can select from one of three signature research areas of the faculty:

• Emergent media
• Sports communication

Alternatively, you can opt to partner directly with members of the faculty, focusing on research activities pursued by these instructors. 

What’s more, you can tailor your coursework to specific areas of concentration that include:

• applied communication
• book and publishing studies
• health communication
• interpersonal communication
• media studies

There’s more information about each of these concentrations and their focus on the university’s program page. 

The University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

As a freshman at the University of Illinois at Chicago, you’ll receive an introduction to campus life at orientation, and you’ll need it; located minutes from the Windy City, there’s always plenty to get involved in. More than 33,000 students attend this best value and most diverse university annually. 

For admission into the PhD in communication, you must already have a master’s degree in communication or a similar field, in addition to holding an average GPA of 3.0, or 4.0 for your final 60 semester hours. Other requirements include the need to submit GRE general scores and provide three letters of recommendation. 

You’ll choose one or more specializations in common subfields of communication, and it’s also recommended that you enroll in two courses in research techniques that are specific to your chosen specialization. After graduation, you can also choose to enroll in further concentrations to complement your degree, including:

• Black studies
• Gender and women’s studies
• Latin American and Latino studies

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

Situated in Amherst, Massachusetts, UMass Amherst is regularly ranked within the top research institutions in the country. It was also recently ranked at number 26 in a list of the best national public universities by U.S. News & World Report . More than 13,000 students attend UMass Amherst annually. 

For successful completion of this doctoral program, you’ll be required to complete a minimum of 60 credits beyond the bachelor’s level, in addition to a further 6 or more credits in research tools or methodologies. You will also be expected to plan, research, and complete a dissertation project of your own choosing. 

This communication studies doctoral program offers a particularly large number of specializations to choose from—14 in total—which include unique specializations such as feminist studies and performance studies. For more information on the potential specialization options, check out this page on the university’s website. 

The per-credit rate for tuition and fees at the University of Massachusetts Amherst depends on the number of credits being taken. For example, a single credit is only marginally cheaper than two credits, as the rates work on a sliding scale. Non-residents typically pay around twice what state residents will pay.

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University has been welcoming students through its doors for more than 160 years. Ranked as a top public U.S. university, top 100 global university and receiving a gold sustainability rating, MSU produces highly competent graduates who have a 93% placement rate, almost 12% higher than the national average. 

According to the program page, this doctoral degree in communication is considered one of the most prestigious programs of its kind in the world. Designed to last for four years, the PhD program requires the completion of a dissertation and regularly sees graduates offered roles in research centers, government organizations, and higher education institutions across the globe. 

After completion of the core courses, doctoral students typically specialize in:

• social media
• social influence and persuasion
• communication analytics
• organizational communication

Alternatively, you can also choose to specialize in hospitality research and hospitality program teaching.

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia

Founded in 1972, George Mason University is a private research institution that has fast become a respected university within the state of Virginia. The student body hails from 130 different countries and totals around 37,000 students. Around $150 million in research takes place each year and 80% of graduates find employment within 6 months of graduation. 

While a master’s degree in a related field is a prerequisite for this program, it means that you can graduate with the doctorate after successful completion of just 60 credits. Otherwise, the PhD program comprises 90 credits and involves the completion of a dissertation research project. 

You’ll work alongside faculty members to develop essential research relating to health and strategic communication. You’ll study:

• the consumer-provider relationship
• crisis communication

The program-specific requirements for this PhD include:

• submission of college transcripts
• an updated resume
• three recommendation letters

University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Founded in 1889, The University of New Mexico offers more than 90 undergraduate degree programs and is within the top 20 for two of its programs. Over $70 million in scholarships were awarded to students in the recent incoming freshman year, for which you may qualify after completing the FAFSA . 

This PhD program applies the study of communication and culture, and how the two interrelate. Specifically, you’ll look at media studies, health communication, and critical intercultural studies. You’ll complete coursework such as Strategic Communication and Research Methodologies totaling 36 hours, in addition to committing a further 18 hours for your dissertation project. 

Upon acceptance into the program, the world-class faculty will help you to design a program of study that closely relates to your aspirations and interests. Faculty members include award-winning instructors whose work has been recognized on both the national and international stage, so you’ll be guided well throughout your program. 

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, Colorado

Part of the Association of American Universities (AAU), the University of Colorado Boulder was established in 1876 and has since grown to include its own natural history and art museums. Among its alumni are three U.S. Supreme Court justices, five Nobel Prize winners, and five National Medal of Science winners. 

This PhD program has been designed to follow a master’s degree, preferably within the same discipline. Assuming that you have completed a master’s within a related area, you could complete this doctoral degree in as few as 3 to 4 years. 

Through this doctoral program, you’ll gain a broad understanding of four subject areas. You’ll gain:

• a broad foundation in communication
• develop advanced knowledge of a specific specialization area and one primary research methodology
• expertise in a secondary specialization

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

The University of North Dakota was founded in 1883, which was six years prior to the state of North Dakota being established itself. Sitting on a 521-acre campus, the institution has more than 250 student clubs and organizations, welcomes around 13,600 students annually, and is the largest university in North Dakota. 

Comprising 90 credit hours and taking an average of 3 to 5 years to complete, this communication doctoral degree is led by a faculty with expertise in:

• interpersonal and persuasive communication
• risk and crisis communication
• communication across digital channels including social media

As part of your application, you will be expected to submit your GRE general scores. You will also need to provide a statement of goals that outlines your motivations and career aspirations, in addition to submitting an original academic paper of around 10 to 15 pages in length.

Wayne State University

Detroit, Michigan

Wayne State University heavily emphasizes diversity and inclusion among its students, or Wayne State Warriors. Multiculturalism is encouraged, with students representing more than 75 countries around the world. In fact, this university has the most diverse student body of any other institution in Michigan. 

This PhD program offers specialization in five areas:

• Democratic participation & culture
• Identity & representation
• Media, society, & culture
• Risk, crisis, & conflict
• Wellness, worklife, & relationships

You will choose either one or two areas of specialization in which to focus more of your studies and research activity. 

Throughout this doctoral program, PhD students are required to complete a minimum of 30 credits of PhD coursework; at least two-thirds of these must be gained from the department of communication. And you’ll need to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 to successfully graduate from your program. 

University of Oregon

Eugene, Oregon

Situated a short distance from the Cascade Mountains and situated in the Willamette Valley, the University of Oregon comprises 9 schools and colleges and welcomes around 22,500 students annually. A third of freshmen are first-generation college students, holding an average GPA of around 3.65. 

When you enroll in this PhD communication program, you’ll work directly with the faculty as a co-author and teacher, contributing your own research alongside recognized names in the communications and media industry. Under the guidance of this R1 research institution, you’ll have expert instruction in areas like:

• global media
• journalism studies
• technology and society

This is also a fully funded research degree, meaning the institution will take care of your tuition. You’ll be funded for four consecutive years of study. Funded students receive a monthly stipend varying between $1,400 and $1,575. As part of this benefit, you’ll contribute 16 hours per week towards teaching and research activities.

New York University

New York City, New York

Founded in 1831, New York University (NYU) welcomes students from almost every state in the nation and more than 130 countries worldwide. The institution has campuses in both Shanghai and Abu Dhabi, in addition to 11 other study-abroad sites across the globe. In total, NYU has more students studying abroad than any other university in the United States. 

This heavily technology-driven doctoral program will prepare you for leadership or academic careers in the areas of research, education, and technology. You’ll employ the use of multimedia learning scenarios and conduct research into the learning processes that relate to groups and individuals that work with these environments. 

Available as a part-time or full-time program, and comprising 57 credits, this program features coursework in the areas of learning sciences and cognitive sciences. PhD students have the opportunity to work closely with preeminent scholars in this discipline, while conducting their own, original research on how technology is employed for learning purposes. 

University of Pennsylvania

Founded in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania employs a faculty nearly 5,000-strong, which helps keep class sizes low; there’s a 6:1 student-faculty ratio. Students participate in everything from clubs and organizations, to Greek society, and a student government. Penn State is also a member of the Ivy League, with many athletic pursuits available. 

According to the university’s website, the Annenberg School for Communication has been ranked for the nation’s best doctoral program due to a world-class faculty and well-designed curriculum that allows for highly individualized study. Many PhD graduates are already known nationally or internationally upon graduation. 

This communication research degree program lasts for five years and will require you to take introductory courses in both statistics and research methods, in addition to completing the core courses. You’ll need to complete a dissertation proposal and comprehensive examinations in order to progress to the dissertation phase. 

Drexel University

Drexel University is among the nation’s largest private institutions with a student body of around 25,000 learners. Comprising a 74-acre main campus, the university is located in a bustling urban city and has numerous other campuses and partnerships elsewhere. Drexel was founded in the 1890s, but began conferring degrees in 1914. 

This PhD in communication, culture, and media covers key subject areas that include:

• social justice problems
• the media’s treatment of immigrants
• political communication with a focus on war and conflict

Every admitted student takes the same five core courses, in addition to at least five courses within culture and communications. 

The remainder of your doctoral studies will comprise 10 courses geared towards your research needs and unique interests, in addition to having an option to take graduate courses offered outside of the department. You’ll also complete a dissertation and independent research and study to make up the remainder of your 90 required credits. 

Howard University

Washington, D.C.

Howard University comprises 13 schools and colleges and was founded in 1867. Students choose from programs in over 120 disciplines, with over 120,000 degrees in the arts, sciences, and humanities having been conferred to-date. As a student based on-campus, you’ll be studying on a campus that’s set in scenic natural beauty atop a hill in Northwest Washington. 

Howard University’s PhD in communication, culture, and media studies (CCMS) has a curriculum that’s centered around the emergence of communication issues in a developing multicultural and digital world. Key areas of study include competency in research methodologies and the advancement of under-served communities through social justice and multiculturalism. 

As a Howard PhD student, your studies will be focused in one of three specialization tracks:

• Media and cultural studies
• Technology, policy, and society

There are also teaching assistantship opportunities available, which you can make an application for once you have been admitted to this communication, culture, and media studies program.

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

The University of Southern California (USC), a leading private research university, is known for producing a high caliber of graduates. There were more than 310 National Merit Scholars in the 2020 freshman class, and the average GPA for incoming students is around 3.70-4.00. 

Graduates from this program are thoroughly prepared for and commonly pursue careers as university instructors. Your program will see you conduct your own, original research that advances the field of communications and contributes to the ongoing success of media and governmental organizations in the public and private sector. 

PhD candidates choose from seven tracks of specialization:

• Rhetoric, politics, and publics
• Media, culture, and community
• Health communication and social dynamics
• Groups, organizations, and network
• Information, political economy, and entertainment
• Political economy of global communication
• New media and technology

Columbia University in the City of New York

Columbia University was founded in 1754, making it the oldest higher education institution in the state of New York. The student body comprises around 40,000 learners of varying levels, with students participating in a broad variety of athletics and arts programs. And unlike many other universities, each club has its own webpage so you can find what interests you ahead of time. 

This PhD program in communications examines the relationships between society and the media from a cultural, political, historical, technological, and social point of view. Doctoral graduates will be expected to evidence their understanding of the broad field of communications overall, while gaining a more in-depth understanding of a specific concentration area. 

You’ll produce a dissertation that comprises your own original research, and you will defend your research in front of the graduate committee. Each academic year, you will also be expected to submit progress toward your dissertation to your faculty advisers, after which they will discuss and approve the work for continuation.

Stanford University

Stanford, California

Opened in 1891, Stanford University has a total enrollment of around 16,000 students annually. Its central campus is located in the San Francisco Bay Area and the university today comprises seven schools. 

The core focus of Stanford’s communication program is on communication processes, including how they were conceived and their impact on psychology, politics, and culture. PhD candidates typically share research interests in one of three key faculty specializations:

• Media psychology
• Journalism, media, and culture

Most PhD students choose one area of emphasis from the above, while studying the other research areas at a high level. Core courses focus on areas such as:

• qualitative and quantitative research methods
• mass communication theory

Throughout your communication studies, you will develop a research specialization, including the development of research projects and time spent teaching, culminating in an examination. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, a PhD in communications can open many doors for your career. You can work in research or academic settings, in advertising or business, and in sociological settings, to name a few. And with a terminal degree, you can likely earn the highest salary in your field. A degree like this offers other benefits, too: you’ll have a high-level set of skills, a detailed understanding of the principles of communication, and you’ll have the resources you need to be an effective communicator whether you’re writing or speaking. It’s a field with good growth potential, too – 8 percent or more, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, depending on the specific field in which you work.

The average cost of a PhD is $106,860, according to the Education Data Initiative. The cost of your communications PhD program depends on many factors, including the length of the program, the school you attend, and your residency status. The amount of financial assistance you get also affects the cost of your PhD. With grants, teaching assistantships, or both, you can significantly reduce the overall cost of your degree.

It’s common for universities to require a high GPA (e.g., 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale) for your previous college coursework, official transcripts from the universities you’ve attended in the past, and multiple letters of recommendation from professional colleagues or previous professors. It’s also standard for PhD programs in communication to require a personal statement, essay, curriculum vitae, resume, or some combination thereof. In  top communication PhD programs , you are typically asked to participate in an admissions interview in person or online.

Communications is not considered a difficult field of study, at least not compared to other areas that require a lot of math and science. However, any PhD program comes with some difficulty, considering the level of study. You will explore complex topics like global media, speech theory, and strategic communications. You will also be required to conduct original research and write a dissertation, which you must defend before your degree is conferred. Be prepared for a lot of work over the course of several years.

A PhD in communications typically takes about five years to complete, including a master’s degree along the way. If you already have a master’s degree, you can likely complete a PhD program in three or four years. The exact amount of time you need to complete your PhD in communications depends in large part on how many courses you take each semester and whether or not you already have a master’s degree.

Yes. Many communications PhD programs accept students with just a bachelor’s degree. In some cases, you will earn a master’s degree as you progress toward your PhD. In other cases, there is no master’s component; you graduate with just a PhD.

A popular career with a PhD in communications is to work as a college professor. Doing so allows you to teach and conduct research on communication topics of interest to you. Other popular choices with a PhD in communications include the following: • Art director • Editor • Graphic designer • Interpreter or translator • Photographer • Reporter • Technical writer • Author

You can earn around $80,840 per year as a PhD-level communications professor, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Starting wages are lower at about $47,000 per year. But as you gain experience and tenure, your salary can eclipse $170,000 per year. Other options and their median annual wages are as follows: • Technical writer ($79,960) • Editor ($73,080) • Interpreter or translator ($53,640) • Graphic designer ($57,990) • Writers and authors ($73,150) Your salary depends on many factors beyond your specific occupation. You stand to make more money as you gain experience. The same is true if you complete additional training, specializations, or certifications after you complete your PhD.

Media Studies, M.S.

School of visual, media and performing arts, program overview.

Media literacy is essential to living and working in our rapidly evolving, digitally connected world. Through our small, seminar-style classes, led by accomplished faculty, students will develop a deep understanding of media theory, media law, media management, digital environments, and more. Students gain in-depth knowledge of television, radio, and digital media industries as well key critical, theoretical, and research perspectives on media more broadly.

Where You'll Go

The Master of Science in Media Studies Program gives students a solid understanding of how media operates socially, culturally, legally, and as a business. Our program prepares students for a range of careers within the media industry as well as for continuing study in communications and media doctoral programs.

Program Details

The program information listed here reflects the approved curriculum for the 2023–24 academic year per the Brooklyn College Bulletin. Bulletins from past academic years can be found here .

Program Description

This program is a research- and theory-based program that emphasizes the connection between theory and practice. The curriculum examines the environments and impact of electronic media from social, political, cultural, and economic perspectives. Students gain in-depth knowledge of the television and radio industries, emerging digital media industries, media literacy, and key critical, theoretical, and research perspectives on media broadly. The program prepares students to apply their education in a variety of professional positions or to continue their education by enrolling in a doctoral program.

Matriculation Requirements

Applicants must offer a well-rounded undergraduate record of at least a 3.00 GPA that suggests promise of success in the program. Each applicant’s record is considered individually in this respect. Applicants must submit an essay about contemporary media and society, which can be an original essay written to accompany the application, or a five- to 10-page scholarly paper that was written as an undergraduate. General matriculation and admission requirements of graduate studies are in the section “Admission.” International applicants are required to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of at least 580 on the paper-based test or 237 on the computer-based test or 92 on the internet-based test, before being considered for admission.

Keep in mind: We are assessing your institutional fit—how you will benefit from our program and how and what you will contribute to our learning community. We strongly suggest that you review the descriptions of our program, curriculum, and faculty, and encourage you to use this content in your writing statements. The strongest statements of purpose will integrate the answers to the questions below into a well-written coherent personal essay (rather than treating them like a questionnaire).

Program Requirements (30 Credits)

Thirty credits are required for the degree. Other than required courses, credits required for the degree must be in courses chosen in consultation with the graduate deputy chair or program adviser. The program of study must be approved by the department. Courses in the Television, Radio & Emerging Media Department offered toward the degree must be 7000-level courses. Students must complete 30 credits, at least 24 credits of which must be taken in the Television, Radio & Emerging Media Department.

Students may choose one of two possible tracks of study in the program. The first track is the M.S. in Media Studies, and the second track is the M.S. in Media Studies, Media Literacy Concentration.

Every student shall be required to successfully complete the following six core graduate courses:

• Television, Radio & Emerging Media 7701X , 7710X , 7712X , 7713X , 7714X , and 7945 .

Students in the M.S. in Media Studies, Media Literacy concentration are required to take, in addition to the six core graduate courses, the following:

• Television, Radio & Emerging Media 7716X and 7769X .

Students in both tracks are encouraged to take the following:

• Television, Radio & Emerging Media 7716X , 7772X , 7726X , and 7728X .

Students are also eligible to take as electives the following two television production courses: Television, Radio & Emerging Media 7730X and 7740G . Television, Radio & Emerging Media 7769X and 7796X will be available each semester. Students may take each of these courses only once during their program of study. Up to six credits may be taken outside the department with the approval of the graduate deputy chair or program adviser.

Students must pass a written comprehensive examination. The examination will consist of questions in areas in which the student has taken courses during his/her course of study. Information about the comprehensive examination is in the section “Academic Regulations and Procedures.”

Student Learning Outcomes

• Recognize, articulate, and practice ethical principles of mediated communication, creation, and critique.
• Demonstrate fluency in major theories, approaches and seminal thinkers within the various paradigms of media studies, through analyses of media messages, technologies, industries, and everyday practices.
• Propose, design, and execute research projects using qualitative or quantitative methodologies.
• Explain and evaluate how cultural, legal, historical, and socio‐political contexts for media content, forms, and practices intersect as mediated environments through the creation of media texts, metatexts, or interventions.
• Use professional norms for academic research to write scholarly papers in the areas of media and society in the United States and the world using methods of professional and academic research.

Admissions Requirements

• Fall Application Deadline: July 31
• Spring Application Deadline: November 30, rolling admission

Supporting Documents for Matriculation

Submit the following documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

• Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Applicants who earned a bachelor’s degree outside the United States need to submit a course-by-course international transcript evaluation. See Graduate Admissions for more information.
• Résumé or CV
• Two letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose addressing the following two questions (1,000–1,200 words): 1) How will the M.S. in media studies further your personal, professional, and intellectual goals?; 2) What unique experiences, interests, and enthusiasms will you bring to our program?
• Academic paper. If your undergraduate degree is in media studies or a related field and is no more than three years old, you may submit a media-related academic paper from your undergraduate work as a writing sample. Include a cover sheet on which you indicate your name, the title of the course for which the paper was written (including course number), the professor for whom you wrote the paper, and the term in which you took the course.
• The digital age has created challenges for all media industries—requiring traditional media industries such as music, journalism, film, television, video games, and radio to revise their business models and activities and creating new media platforms and industries that were previously unimagined, such as social, mobile, apps, drones, and 360/VR. Select one traditional or new media industry or sector of a media industry, and, using research, describe its current state and articulate and analyze the challenges it faces. End by suggesting some possible solutions to these challenges.
• Media representation is a very important area of study for many media scholars. Choose a specific and particular issue or topic receiving media attention today (gender, race, ethnicity, health, politics, international conflict, education, etc.) and address how it is being covered in the current news media or represented in contemporary scripted shows. The best responses will focus on specific subtopics or issues (e.g., instead of addressing “race in television dramas,” look at representations of a particular racial identity in today’s scripted shows; instead of “politics,” look at coverage of a particular political issue, party, or situation in news.

E-mail MJ Robinson with questions.

Required Tests

• F-1 or J-1 international students must submit English Proficiency Exam. TOEFL—79, IELTS—6.5, PTE—58–63, Duolingo—105–160.
• TOEFL (paper, computer, Internet): 582, 267, 92

Refer to the instructions at Graduate Admissions .

Katherine Fry, Graduate Deputy

303b Whitehead Hall E: [email protected] P: 718.951.5555

Or contact:

Office of Graduate Admissions

222 West Quad Center 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210 E:  [email protected] P: 718.951.4536

Office Hours

Mondays–Fridays, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

To make an appointment with a graduate admissions counselor, visit:

BC Admissions Appointment Tool

The Support You’ll Find

Brooklyn College is an integral part of the cultural and artistic energy of New York City. Our faculty members in Television, Radio & Emerging Media offer incomparable expertise and tremendous talent, and each brings a unique perspective to their teaching and mentoring in and out of the classroom.

Carla España

Internships and Employers

Faculty from the Television, Radio & Emerging Media Department, along with staff from the Magner Career Center, work diligently to gives students in the media studies M.S. program access to career opportunities at a wide variety of employers, including:

• NBCUniversal Media

Student Resources

Take the Next Step

Request Info Visit Our Campus Apply Now

Brooklyn. All in.

Best Global Universities for Engineering in Russia

These are the top universities in Russia for engineering, based on their reputation and research in the field. Read the methodology »

To unlock more data and access tools to help you get into your dream school, sign up for the  U.S. News College Compass !

Here are the best global universities for engineering in Russia

Itmo university, tomsk state university, tomsk polytechnic university, lomonosov moscow state university, novosibirsk state university, saint petersburg state university, peter the great st. petersburg polytechnic university, moscow institute of physics & technology, national research nuclear university mephi (moscow engineering physics institute).

See the full rankings

• Clear Filters
• # 307 in Best Universities for Engineering  (tie)
• # 696 in Best Global Universities  (tie)
• # 364 in Best Universities for Engineering  (tie)
• # 587 in Best Global Universities  (tie)
• # 396 in Best Universities for Engineering  (tie)
• # 879 in Best Global Universities  (tie)
• # 632 in Best Universities for Engineering  (tie)
• # 355 in Best Global Universities
• # 809 in Best Universities for Engineering  (tie)
• # 579 in Best Global Universities  (tie)
• # 847 in Best Universities for Engineering  (tie)
• # 652 in Best Global Universities
• # 896 in Best Universities for Engineering  (tie)
• # 679 in Best Global Universities  (tie)
• # 902 in Best Universities for Engineering  (tie)
• # 475 in Best Global Universities  (tie)
• # 915 in Best Universities for Engineering  (tie)
• # 483 in Best Global Universities  (tie)

100 Best universities for Mechanical Engineering in Russia

Updated: February 29, 2024

• Art & Design
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in Russia ranked based on their research performance in Mechanical Engineering. A graph of 714K citations received by 136K academic papers made by 158 universities in Russia was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Moscow State University

For Mechanical Engineering

2. Tomsk State University

3. St. Petersburg State University

4. Bauman Moscow State Technical University

5. Ufa State Aviation Technical University

6. Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University

7. Tomsk Polytechnic University

8. Ural Federal University

9. South Ural State University

10. National Research University Higher School of Economics

11. Moscow Aviation Institute

12. Novosibirsk State University

13. ITMO University

14. N.R.U. Moscow Power Engineering Institute

15. National Research Nuclear University MEPI

16. Kazan Federal University

17. National University of Science and Technology "MISIS"

18. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology

19. Samara National Research University

20. Moscow State Technological University "Stankin"

21. Novosibirsk State Technical University

22. RUDN University

23. Southern Federal University

24. Saratov State University

25. Ufa State Petroleum Technological University

26. Samara State Technical University

27. Siberian Federal University

28. Kazan National Research Technical University named after A.N. Tupolev - KAI

29. Perm State Technical University

30. Omsk State Technical University

31. Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University

32. Moscow Polytech

33. Saint-Petersburg Mining University

34. Magnitogorsk State Technical University

35. Saratov State Technical University

36. Moscow State University of Railway Engineering

37. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod

38. Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University

39. Tula State University

40. Belgorod State Technological University

41. Far Eastern Federal University

42. Novgorod State University

43. belgorod state university.

44. Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation

45. Moscow Medical Academy

46. Kazan State Technological University

47. Russian State University of Oil and Gas

48. siberian state aerospace university.

49. Tambov State Technical University

50. Voronezh State University

51. Siberian State Industrial University

52. Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology

53. Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University

54. St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

55. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia

56. Murmansk State Technical University

57. South-Western State University

58. Ogarev Mordovia State University

59. Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics

60. south-russian state university of economics and service.

61. Perm State University

62. Kuzbass State Technical University

63. Russian National Research Medical University

64. Plekhanov Russian University of Economics

65. Ulyanovsk State Technical University

66. Ulyanovsk State University

67. Penza State University

68. Kuban State University of Technology

69. Polzunov Altai State Technical University

70. Chelyabinsk State University

71. Yaroslavl State University

72. University of Tyumen

73. National Research University of Electronic Technology

74. Leningrad State University

75. Moscow State Pedagogical University

76. Udmurt State University

77. Irkutsk State University

78. North-Eastern Federal University

79. Bashkir State University

80. Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

81. Kuban State University

82. Kuban State Agricultural University

83. St. Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation

84. Kemerovo State University

85. Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University

86. Orenburg State University

87. Baltic State Technical University "Voenmeh"

88. Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building

89. Chuvash State University

90. ivanovo state power university.

91. Irkutsk National Research Technical University

92. Orel State University

93. State University of Management

94. Tomsk State Pedagogical University

95. Volgograd State University

96. Petrozavodsk State University

97. Tver State University

98. Northern Arctic Federal University

99. Omsk State Transport University

100. Kaliningrad State Technical University

The best cities to study Mechanical Engineering in Russia based on the number of universities and their ranks are Moscow , Tomsk , Saint Petersburg , and Ufa .

Engineering subfields in Russia