Students applying for admission to SC&I’s Ph.D. program in Communication, Information and Media typically have completed a master's degree in communication, information science, library studies or another related academic or professional field. Highly qualified students from strong programs or research backgrounds without a master's degree may also apply in special circumstances, but should contact Director of the Ph.D. Program Director Melissa Aronczyk before doing so.
We advise all prospective Ph.D. students to review doctoral program admissions requirements and deadlines before submitting an application. Students in the school’s Ph.D. program may elect to focus study in:
You can find extensive information about all three doctoral areas of concentration in the Ph.D. program section.
For information regarding application questions, guidelines and forms, visit Graduate and Professional Admissions. For application forms, visit the Office of Graduate & Professional Admissions.
We consider students holistically when making admissions decisions and consider the whole package of materials to determine a candidate's fit in the program and the likelihood of success. An application for the Ph.D. Program will be evaluated on the basis of:
Graduate Records Exam (GRE) scores are OPTIONAL for applicants. All applications will be reviewed equally with or without GRE scores. Not submitting GRE scores will not hurt an applicant's chances of admission, nor will submitting GRE scores give applicants an advantage in admissions.
Students applying for admission to the Ph.D. program typically have completed a master's degree in communication, information science, library studies, media studies or another related academic or professional field. Highly qualified students from strong programs or research backgrounds without a master's degree may also apply in special circumstances
We also encourage applicants to reach out to faculty in the Ph.D. program to express interest in working with them, learn more about their program of research, and gain insights into the program.
SC&I only admits students for a fall semester start; no students are permitted to begin the program in spring. Application deadlines for the fall term are December 15th of each year. Students requesting financial aid must apply by December 15th.