Program Overview

Program Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy in Communications & Media is an interdisciplinary program that encourages students to explore the boundaries of current scholarship in media and communication research. The program is offered by the Institute of Communications Research (ICR) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Program Requirements

• Students entering with a Master's degree are required to complete 64 credits of coursework and dissertation research.
• Students entering with a Bachelor's degree are required to complete 96 credits of coursework and dissertation research.
• All students must take a two-course Proseminar sequence during their first year, which introduces them to the history of and current trends in the field of media and communication research.
• Students must also complete at least 8 hours in research methods, including one quantitative and one qualitative course.

Admission Criteria

• Any student with a Bachelor's or Master's degree and a substantial background in the humanities, social sciences, or physical sciences is eligible to apply.
• Applicants must submit an application for admission, along with the application fee, official transcripts, and three letters of recommendation.
• International students are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) before they come to the University.

Financial Aid

• Financial aid is available in the form of assistantships and fellowships.
• Students from populations underrepresented in communications research are eligible for certain University fellowships.
• Currently, all admitted ICR students receive financial support, including a tuition waiver and stipend.

Research Methods

• Students must complete at least 8 hours in research methods, including one quantitative and one qualitative course.
• Relevant courses in quantitative or non-quantitative methods are available elsewhere on campus.

Preliminary Exams

• Students, in consultation with their chosen advisors, select a committee of four faculty members for their preliminary exams.
• Upon completion of coursework, students undertake preparing written examinations, followed by a 2-hour oral examination.

Dissertation

• The Doctor of Philosophy degree is primarily a research degree, and candidates are required to demonstrate a capacity for independent research by producing an original dissertation on a topic within the general area of communications and media research.

Final Examination

• After students distribute polished drafts of their dissertations, they take final oral examinations administered by their chosen committees.
• The student is required to support and interpret the dissertation to the committee's satisfaction, as well as to show an adequate grasp of the selected area of concentration that it represents.

Learning Outcomes

• Students gain knowledge of both important historical themes and current trends in media and communication scholarship.
• Students develop expertise in at least one research methodology, and general familiarity with both quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Students apply their knowledge and skills to produce new inquiry and ideas in media and communication studies.
• Students successfully contribute to learning and instruction in media and communications studies.
• Students are able to recognize and employ professional academic practices such as presentations, feedback and review, organizational membership, conference participation, and publishing.

Institute of Communications Research

• The ICR is an interdisciplinary program that represents the three academic departments within the College of Media: Advertising, Journalism, Media & Cinema Studies.
• ICR faculty are also active in a wide array of interdisciplinary campus initiatives, allowing students to develop and pursue unique programs of research that extend the boundaries of current scholarship.