Ph.D. Program

Ph.D. Degree in Communication

Students will complete coursework designed to develop advanced research expertise, foster effective teaching skills, introduce the professional standards of the discipline, and build a specialty in either public communication or moving image studies.

Moving Image Studies Emphasis

Drawing theoretical perspectives from film, television, and new media and performance studies, the program will prepare students to investigate how moving images are constructed, how they are perceived, and how they impact the culture.

Public Communication Emphasis

Drawing theoretical perspectives from rhetoric, public argument, mass communication, international communication, and new media, the program will prepare students to investigate how persuasive practices are transforming the culture both at home and abroad.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

Students will complete a minimum of 68 hours beyond a Master's degree:

1. Six hours of Doctoral Proseminar

2. Three hours of Colloquium in Communication Pedagogy

3. A minimum of 9-12 additional hours in research tools coursework

4. Twenty-seven hours of coursework in an area of emphasis

5. Twenty hours of Dissertation Research

6. Written comprehensive examination with successful oral defense

7. A successful prospectus defense

8. A dissertation with successful oral defense

Ph.D. Admission Requirements

In addition to the general admission requirements of the Georgia State University College of Arts & Sciences, the Department of Communication has the following requirements:

1. A statement of educational, research and career goals

2. A sufficiently high score on the verbal and analytical portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (A minimally qualified applicant typically will achieve at least a 500 on the Verbal portion of the Graduate Record Examination)

3. A writing sample

4. Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can evaluate the applicant's potential to do doctoral work

5. A high standard of overall undergraduate and masters level achievement

In addition, the department will not consider requests for Special Graduate Status admission.

Mary Stuckey , Public Communication Ph.D. program (404) 651-2621

Angelo Restivo, Moving Image Studies Ph.D. program (404) 463-9428

Assistantships

Please visit this area to learn more about our Graduate Assistantship program and to obtain an application.