Program Overview

PhD: Strategic Communication

The PhD in Strategic Communication offered by the Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Design is one of three separate and distinct tracks of the Media Research and Practice doctoral program within the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information.

Program Description

A PhD in Strategic Communication is a distinct track that is designed to provide students with rigorous training in advertising and public relations theory and research. Students gain an understanding through coursework that explores theories and methods that shape strategic communication research. This program emphasizes how theory informs practice, critically analyzing how advertising and public relations operate in ways that can—or could—constructively contribute to the successful, ethical and resilient functioning of society.

Program Requirements

It is expected that a student will devote her or his full time to the doctoral program and assistantship duties during the fall and spring semesters while in the program, unless other arrangements have been made with the department.

The following is a summary of minimum requirements to earn a Ph.D. in Strategic Communication or in Journalism Studies:

1. Proseminar in Mass Communication (6 Credits): All doctoral students are required to enroll in JRNL/APRD 7001 in their first semester of study, and in JRNL/APRD 7003 in their second semester. These courses are designed to introduce students to the major paradigms within the field of mass communication.
2. Doctoral Professionalization Seminar (4 Credits): All first- and second-year doctoral students will be required to enroll in JRNL/APRD 7004. The course, which is 1 credit each semester, prepares students for life in a doctoral program and for life after one, all while providing a sense of community amongst multiple doctoral cohorts and both departments’ faculty.
3. Methods (15 Credits): All first-year doctoral students enroll in Quantitative Research Methods in the fall, and in Qualitative Research Methods in the spring. These general courses deal with a variety of research methods used within the field. PhD students are also required to take three additional graduate level courses in the areas of research methods (9 hours). These may be taken inside or outside the departments.
4. Area of Concentration (18 hours): Doctoral students are required to take a minimum of 18 hours of course work selected on the basis of the student’s area(s) of research interest. These courses should come from a combination of both inside and outside electives. For example, for a student interested in media effects, a combination of classes from both APRD/JRNL and psychology would make sense.
5. Independent study: Ph.D. students may take a maximum of two independent study courses in their course of study, either inside APRD and JRNL or outside of those home departments. Generally, these will be taken no earlier than the third semester of the program.
6. Comprehensive examinations: Each doctoral student will be required to pass comprehensive examinations, consisting of four questions, which are generally administered after the last semester in which the student takes course work. The examinations are individually tailored for each student and comprise both written and oral examinations.
7. Dissertation: A minimum of thirty hours of dissertation credit, APRD 8991, must be taken. Various restrictions apply to these hours.

Research Interests of Faculty Teaching in the Program

• Advertising and Public Relations Pedagogy: Erin Schauster
• Activism and Organizations: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh, Jordan Morehouse, Kay Weaver
• Corporate Branding and Image Management: Burton St. John III, Seow Ting Lee, Erin Willis
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh, Burton St. John III, Seow Ting Lee
• Crisis Communication and Risk Management: Burton St. John III, Seow Ting Lee, Krishnamurthy Sriramesh, Jordan Morehouse
• Critical Theory: Kay Weaver
• Digital Advertising: Chris J. Vargo, Harsha Ganga, Toby Hopp, Bridget Barrett
• Digital Games and Society: Harsha Ganga, Toby Hopp, Jolene Fisher, Mia Wang
• Global Public Relations: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh, Kay Weaver
• Health Communication: Seow Ting Lee, Erin Willis, Mia Wang
• Media Effects: Harsha Ganga, Mia Wang, Kay Weaver
• Media Ethics: Erin Schauster, Seow Ting Lee
• Moral Psychology: Erin Schauster
• Organizational Culture: Erin Schauster, Krishnamurthy Sriramesh
• Persuasion and Digital Media: Harsha Ganga, Erin Willis, Seow Ting Lee, Jordan Morehouse, Mia Wang
• Propaganda: Burton St. John III, Kay Weaver
• Public Diplomacy: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh, Seow Ting Lee
• Social and Economic Effects of Advertising: Harsha Ganga
• Social and Media Analytics: Chris J. Vargo, Toby Hopp, Bridget Barrett
• Strategic Public Relations Management: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh, Seow Ting Lee, Jordan Morehouse, Kay Weaver
• Strategic Communication for Social Change: Burton St. John III, Jolene Fisher, Mia Wang, Kay Weaver
• Sustainable Development and Communication: Krishnamurthy Sriramesh, Burton St. John III
• Technology and Advertising: Harsha Ganga, Mia Wang, Bridget Barrett
• Quantitative Methodology: Seow Ting Lee, Chris J. Vargo, Toby Hopp, Harsha Ganga, Kelty Logan, Mia Wang
• Qualitative Methodology: Erin Schauster, Erin Willis, Jolene Fisher, Jordan Morehouse, Bridget Barrett, Kay Weaver

Application Guidelines and Resources

Applicants to the Strategic Communication track of the PhD program in Media Research and Practice are expected to hold the master’s degree or equivalent graduate work. In exceptional cases, applicants without a master’s degree may be considered for admission.

Completed domestic and international applications must be received by the program no later than November 15 prior to the fall semester for which entrance is sought. Late applications may be considered under special circumstances.

Successful applications typically have an undergraduate cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.2 and a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 in previous graduate work.

Applicants are required to:

• Provide three letters of recommendation.
• Provide a 700-word Statement of Purpose.
• Provide a resume or CV that includes academic and employment experience.
• Provide a writing sample that exhibits the ability to undertake the conceptual and empirical studies required of doctoral students (e.g., a chapter from a master’s thesis or graduate-level term paper).

Financial Support

Research or teaching assistantships, including a tuition waiver and stipend, as well as fellowships, are available. PhD students may receive assistantships for a maximum of four years.