PhD in Communication
The program includes a selective requirement (either COMM 502 Seminar in Media Studies or 503 Seminar in Intercultural Communication) but recommends both for the broadest preparation in the discipline. The two recommended research methods courses may be in the Department (including 594 and 596) or may be outside (and may also help fulfill the expectation of coursework in allied disciplines). For a specialization, select a section of the International Communication Association (ICA) or the National Communication Association (NCA). For guidance about an allied discipline, consult with a faculty member who belongs to that section. Electives in Communication are allied with mediated (534 Mass Communication Theory, 567 Topics in Political Communication), with personal (506 Cross-Cultural Communication, 525 Approaches to Rhetorical Criticism), or with either dimension of communication (505 Organizational Communication, 570 Seminar in Philosophy of Technology, 591 Health Communication, 594 Advanced Special Topics in Communication, 596 Independent Research).
For course descriptions please see the UIC Course Descriptions for Communication classes.
Example #1--Completing the PhD degree in four years (8 credits per semester plus summer credits)
First Year
- Fall, take either COMM 504 Communication, Technology, and Society Proseminar or COMM 508 New Media of Communication, and take either COMM 500 Introduction to Communication Research or COMM 502 Seminar in Media Studies.
- Spring, take two of the following: COMM 501 Operationalizing Communication Research, COMM 503 Seminar in Intercultural Communication, COMM 580 Qualitative Methods in Communication. Submit a proposal for an individualized coursework plan. Submit papers to conferences.
Second Year
- Fall, take the two courses not taken in fall of the first year, either 504 or 508 and either 500 or 502.
- Spring, take one course in the specialty and the required course not taken in spring of the first year: 501, 503, or 580. Submit revised papers to journals, and continue submitting papers to conferences. Plan dissertation grants and fellowships. Submit an updated academic CV indicating your program progress.
- Summer, enroll in independent research in the specialty to begin planning the preliminary exam and dissertation proposal.
Third Year
- Fall, take one course in the specialty and one advanced methods course. Prepare and begin submitting dissertation grants and fellowships.
- Spring, take one course in the specialty and one advanced methods course. Begin the preliminary exam and dissertation proposal process. Submit an updated academic CV indicating your program progress.
- Summer, complete preliminary exams and enroll in dissertation credit to write the dissertation proposal.
Fourth Year
- Fall, defend the prelims and dissertation proposal, begin writing the dissertation.
- Spring, complete and defend the dissertation.
Example #2--Completing the PhD degree in three years (12 credits per semester plus summer credits)
First Year
- Fall, take COMM 500 Introduction to Communication Research, COMM 502 Seminar in Media Studies, and either COMM 504 Communication, Technology, and Society Proseminar or COMM 508 New Media of Communication. Plan dissertation grants and fellowships.
- Spring, take COMM 501 Operationalizing Communication Research, COMM 503 Seminar in Intercultural Communication, and either COMM 580 Qualitative Methods in Communication or a course in the specialty. Submit a proposal for an individualized coursework plan. Submit papers to conferences.
- Summer, enroll in independent research in the specialty.
Second Year
- Fall, take two courses in the specialty and one advanced methods course. Prepare and begin submitting dissertation grants and fellowships. Submit revised papers to journals, and continue submitting papers to conferences.
- Spring, take one course in the specialty, one advanced methods course, and either COMM 580 Qualitative Methods in Communication or a second course in the specialty. Begin the preliminary exam and dissertation proposal process. Submit an updated academic CV indicating your program progress.
- Summer, complete preliminary exams and enroll in dissertation credit to write the dissertation proposal.
Third Year
- Fall, defend the prelims and dissertation proposal, take dissertation credit and begin writing the dissertation.
- Spring, complete and defend the dissertation.