Program Overview

Communication Studies Ph.D.

The School of Communication Studies traces its roots to the founding of Ohio University, where the first curriculum emphasized persuasion, logic, and rhetoric. As Ohio University has grown and developed, so has our Ph.D. program.

Overview

The School of Communication Studies (COMS) emphasizes three primary teaching and research areas for the Ph.D.: Interpersonal and Organizational Communication, Rhetoric and Culture, and Health Communication. These areas combine existing research areas while adjusting to the contemporary trends in the communication discipline.

Curriculum

Students must complete a minimum of 61 credit hours, excluding dissertation hours. These hours must be in accordance with an approved Plan of Study (POS).

English Proficiency Requirement

Please review information about Ohio University's minimum English Language Proficiency requirements for graduate study.

Research Areas

The program offers three research areas:

• Interpersonal and Organizational Communication
• Health Communication
• Rhetoric and Culture

Interpersonal and Organizational Communication

Students in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication blend theory from both organizational communication and interpersonal communication to ask provocative questions about communication contexts ranging from traditional organizational settings to the classroom and more traditional interpersonal relationships. Although students and faculty in this track perform conventional focuses like Organizational, Interpersonal and Instructional Communication (to name a few), many also select coursework